By Karen Middendorp, Executive Director, MISORVA
As we flip the calendar to September, the signs of change are already here. This past weekend, I spotted my first colored leaf. Before long, fall will settle across Michigan, snow will follow, and voters will once again choose those who will lead our state and country.
For Michigan’s recreational community, change is coming in other ways, too.
Amendment 305: Only the Beginning
This is membership at work.
Your MISORVA membership gives motorized recreation a voice beyond the trail. It allows us to work with legislators, meet with DNR leadership, attend advisory meetings, educate decision-makers, and — perhaps most importantly — build relationships. Amendment 305 didn’t happen overnight. It came from conversations, questions, meetings, legislative rides, and legislators willing to listen. Several passionate legislators, along with DNR officials, have helped put a Band-Aid on some of these funding concerns for now. Those same relationships helped make Amendment 305 happen. But 305 is only the beginning.
Every recreational user group should be asking similar questions:
How is our restricted recreational money being spent? Are those dollars directly benefiting the people who paid them?
Why are access points, hunting areas, or DNR services being reduced while user-funded programs continue paying substantial administrative costs? These aren’t questions we ask to create conflict. We ask them because accountability matters.
Working Together Instead of Against Each Other
Recently, I attended a Natural Resources Commission meeting and listened to a presentation by Greenway Conservation about finding a better solution than further restricting access for duck hunters. That is what working together looks like.
Different recreational interests don’t have to compete for a seat at the table. Hunters, anglers, snowmobilers, ORV riders, hikers, birdwatchers, campers, boaters, and others all share something important: we value access to Michigan’s outdoors.
Michigan recreation is woven into the fabric of our state and our tourism economy. Whether someone lives here or travels hundreds of miles to visit, Michigan is a destination. We have trails. Lakes. Rivers and streams. Hunting and fishing. ORV and snowmobile opportunities. Birdwatching. Camping. And quiet places in the woods where someone can simply get away from everything. Michigan has it all.
But many of the people making recreation decisions aren’t necessarily recreationalists themselves. They may spend their days behind a desk in Lansing, far removed from a groomed snowmobile trail, an ORV route, a hunting blind, or volunteers brushing trail on a Saturday morning. Our job is to bring the trail to Lansing. And sometimes I wonder: How many of the people in DNR management who make decisions about our programs have ever actually been on a snowmobile or ridden in an ORV? Yet we expect them to make difficult decisions about our recreation and determine how our restricted user funds — our grocery money — are spent.
That isn’t meant as criticism of individuals. It is exactly why education and communication matter. Decision-makers need to understand what happens on the ground, how these programs actually operate, where the money comes from, and what the volunteers and users who fund them experience. We do that through legislative rides, meetings, photographs, facts, personal stories, and face-to-face conversations. We help elected officials and agency leaders understand not only what we do, but why it matters. That is how MISORVA uses your membership dollars.
Your drop in the bucket fills it….Who Will Be in the Room?
We frequently hear that today’s users simply aren’t “joiners.” And perhaps that’s true. Churches, VFW posts, Knights of Columbus chapters, service organizations, clubs, and associations across the country are struggling with declining membership and fewer volunteers. We recently watched another longtime Michigan conservation organization succumb to declining membership and financial pressures. That should concern every recreational user. Because when an advocacy organization disappears, the issues don’t disappear with it.
• The meetings still happen.
• The budgets still get written.
• The regulations still get proposed.
• The decisions still get made.
The question becomes: Who will be in the room representing the users? Who will attend the meetings most people don’t have time to attend? Who will read the budgets? Who will ask where restricted funds are going? Who will educate the people we elect?
And without strong advocacy organizations representing recreational users, whose voice fills the empty chair?
A New Administration Will Bring New Questions
Michigan will soon elect new leadership, and eventually a new governor will appoint people who influence the direction of the Department of Natural Resources.
• Who will lead the DNR?
• What will that administration’s priorities be?
• Will we see different management practices for recreation?
• Will access expand or contract?
• And how will restricted recreational funds be managed?
Consider just one example: more than $1 million from the snowmobile restricted fund has been used annually for DNR staffing and administrative expenses. Imagine what another $1 million could mean on the ground. Equipment. Grooming. Trail repairs. Bridges. Signs. Emergency needs. Infrastructure. And snowmobiling isn’t the only recreation asking questions. What about ORV, hunting and fishing funds?
I don’t have all of those financial answers. But I do know that, from the recent meetings I have attended, the ORV Advisory Workgroup is working hard to get answers, just as the Snowmobile Advisory Workgroup continues asking questions about the snowmobile program.
That work matters.
Now It’s Your Turn
Advocacy isn’t only MISORVA’s responsibility. It belongs to every one of us. Safety comes from the numbers.
Join Your Local Club
Show up at their spaghetti dinner even if you hate spaghetti. Buy the raffle ticket. Attend the fundraiser. Volunteer for a workday. Ask if they need someone to pound signs, clear brush, help at an event, or simply bring lunch to the volunteers. Many clubs have fewer than 10 regular volunteers maintaining miles and miles of trail. Put that into perspective. If a club maintains 50 miles of trail, every mile must be inspected, brushed, signed, maintained, and prepared for riders. Club fundraisers have helped purchase trailers, other trail equipment, and vehicles, but much of it is accomplished on 2 feet. Think about walking just five miles while cutting brush, carrying signs and tools, checking intersections, and repairing problems along the way. Now multiply that by ten. That’s 50 miles. Then remember that when winter arrives, thousands of riders may travel those miles without ever knowing the names of the handful of people who made that ride possible.
Membership Is More Than a Card
Join your local club because trails need volunteers. Join MISORVA because your recreation needs a voice.
Membership allows MISORVA representatives to walk into a legislator’s office and say we represent Michigan’s motorized recreational community. Every additional member strengthens that voice.
Amendment 305 showed what can happen when recreational users organize, communicate, educate, and build relationships. But we are not done yet; the kettle of fish we are frying is still coming. That was step one.
Fall is coming. Elections are coming. New leaders will eventually take their seats. New policies will be discussed. New budgets will be written. The decisions will happen whether recreational users participate or not. Do your research and vote!! It matters more than you think.
So as that first colored leaf reminds us that another season is changing, perhaps it should remind us of something else:
• Don’t just use the trails.
Help protect them.
• Don’t just question the decisions.
Help shape them.
• Join your club. Join MISORVA.
Be part of the voice.
Because if we’re not in the room, the decisions still happen •
ACSA and NOHVCC Matter to MISORVA
Working Together to Protect Michigan’s Motorized Recreation Future
By Karyn Robare, President, Executive Committee
When we talk about protecting snowmobiling and ORV recreation in Michigan, it is important to understand that MISORVA is not working alone. The challenges facing motorized recreation do not stop at Michigan’s borders. Federal legislation, land-management decisions, funding programs, environmental regulations, trail policies and changing public attitudes can all have an impact on our ability to ride.
That is why our relationships with national organizations such as the American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA) and the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) are so important.
MISORVA is a voice for Michigan’s motorized recreation community. ACSA and NOHVCC help extend that voice to the national level, provide expertise and resources, and connect Michigan with a much larger network of people working toward the same goal: keeping trails open, sustainable and available for future generations.
ACSA: A National Voice for Snowmobiling
ACSA was created to unite the snowmobile community and provide national leadership and advocacy for organized snowmobiling. It serves as a national coordinator and spokesperson for state snowmobile associations and clubs.
One ofACSA’s most important roles is monitoring federal legislation and regulatory issues that can affect snowmobiling. ACSA works with federal agencies, legislators, industry partners and other organizations to advocate for fair treatment of snowmobiling, trail funding and continued access to public lands.
That matters to Michigan because decisions made in Washington,D.C., can eventually affect what happens on a trail in the Upper Peninsula, northern Michigan or anywhere else in our state.
ACSA also provides educational resources, promotes safe and responsible snowmobiling, increases public awareness of our sport and works to demonstrate that snowmobilers are responsible users and stewards of the land.
ACSA’s annual Washington, D.C. Fly-In is another important example of national advocacy. It brings snowmobile representatives together to meet with members of Congress and communicate directly about issues important to our sport.
NOHVCC: Building Better, Sustainable ORV Trails
NOHVCC serves as imilar purpose for the off-highway vehicle community. It’s mission is to provide programs, information, education and practical tools to individuals, clubs, associations and land-management agencies to support a positive future for responsible OHV recreation.
One of NOHVCC’s greatest strengths is it’s emphasis on trail planning, design, construction, maintenance and management.
Through its Great Trails program and workshops, NOHVCC works with trail managers, land agencies, volunteers, engineers, contractors and OHV organizations to develop sustainable trail systems. Its training focuses on creating trails that provide a quality riding experience while addressing maintenance, environmental and land-management concerns.
This Expertise is Extremely Valuable to Michigan.
ORV trails don’t simply happen. They require planning, proper design, maintenance, responsible use and cooperation among riders, clubs, landowners and government agencies. NOHVCC gives organizations like MISORVA access to knowledge and best practices developed through OHV projects around the country.
NOHVCC also helps strengthen local and state organizations by providing information, training and support. It’s State Partner Program creates a two-waycommunication network between states and the national organization so that local issues can be connected with national resources and expertise.
Why Does MISORVA Rely on These Organizations?
MISORVA’s job is to represent Michigan. ACSA and NOHVCC help make sure Michigan is not standing alone.
MISORVA monitors legislation and regulations in Lansing and Washington, D.C., works with agencies and partners, and advocates for Michigan’s motorized recreation community. MISORVA’s own mission includes protecting and enhancing Michigan’s motorized trail system and promoting responsible snowmobile and ORV recreation.
But there are limits to what one state organization can accomplish by itself.
When Michigan joins its voice with other states and national organizations, our message becomes stronger.
ACSA gives MISORVA a national snowmobile network.
• NOHVCC gives MISORVA a national OHV network and technical resource.
Together, these relationships provide access to:
• National advocacy and legislative information
• Federal policy and regulatory updates
• Trail-planning expertise and best management practices
• Educational and safety resources
• Connections with other state organizations
• Relationships with federal and state land-management agencies
• Training opportunities for volunteers and trail advocates
• Information about funding and trail-related programs
• A stronger, unified voice for motorized recreation
We Don’t Have to Reinvent the Wheel
One of the biggest advantages of working with national organizations is the ability to learn from what is happening in other states.
If another state encounters a trail-access issue,land-use conflict,environmental concern or regulatory challenge, we can learn from their experience instead of starting from scratch.
Likewise, when Michigan develops successful programs or finds effective solutions, those lessons can be shared with the broader motorized recreation community.
That is what cooperation is supposed to accomplish.
One Voice Is Stronger Than Many Separate Voices
Snowmobilers and ORV enthusiasts sometimes think of themselves as separate groups. In reality, many of the challenges we face are remarkably similar.
• We need access to trails.
• We need responsible land management.
• We need positive relationships with landowners and government agencies.
• We need volunteers.
• We need funding.
• We need to educate the public.
• And we need to make sure lawmakers understand the economic, recreational and community value of motorized recreation.
MISORVA’s involvement with organizations such as ACSA and NOHVCC helps connect Michigan’s voice to a much larger movement.
The Bottom Line
ACSA and NOHVCC are not replacements for MISORVA, and MISORVA is not a replacement for our clubs and individual riders.
We need all three levels.
Our local clubs know their communities and trails.
MISORVA represents Michigan’s motorized recreation community at the state level.
ACSA and NOHVCC provide national connections, advocacy, expertise, education and resources. That structure gives us something much more powerful than any organization could achieve alone. Local knowledge. State leadership. National strength.
That is why MISORVA relies on partnerships with organizations such as ACSA and NOHVCC. Protecting our trails and preserving our sports for the next generation requires more than riding. It requires organization, education, cooperation and advocacy.
The future of snowmobiling and ORV recreation will depend on how well we work together today.
When we stand together, our voice carries farther—and our trails have a better chance of being there for the riders who come after us. •