ATV – NOHVCC Continues Park Guidelines Manual
Park Guidelines for Off-Highway Vehicles, a 200-page illustrated manual published by the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC), is currently going into its second printing.
First published in 2002, the manual has been used by hundreds of ATV and off-highway motorcycle enthusiasts seeking assistance in the formation of off-road riding areas. The NOHVCC describes it as one of the most popular tools the organization offers.
Nila Armstrong, Streams and Trails Specialist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, was one of the first land managers to obtain a copy of Park Guidelines.
“I found the book to be extremely valuable for our project,” said Armstrong, who was the main driving force behind the 2003 creation of a new OHV park in southern Indiana called Redbird State Riding Area (SRA). “We found the OHV user survey in the appendix especially helpful as a starting point for developing the park. The marketing tips for dealing with the public and various state lawmakers was also a ‘must-have’ as far as I’m concerned.”
Professional trail designer Troy Scott Parker from Boulder, Colo., utilized Park Guidelines to help develop the tentatively-named Rock Run Recreation Area in west central Pennsylvania.
“I got the manual from NOHVCC because I didn’t know anything about OHV trails or parks when I first started the Rock Run project,” said Parker, whose main area of expertise at that time was hiking trails. “It’s a great resource on what it takes to make an OHV park happen and work. I backed it up by visiting several successful OHV parks throughout the country and that gave me a chance to see all the issues the book talks about firsthand.
“I could see how reading this book could save a lot of people a lot grief before they embark on an OHV park project,” he said.
Parker says the Pennsylvania recreation area is on the fast track to completion and could open as soon as next year.
NOHVCC says the manual:
n Answers common questions that arise when development of an off-highway vehicle (OHV) park is desired or proposed;
n Provides information on community planning and coalition building necessary to promote local OHV park planning efforts and to develop local public support for an OHV park;
n Provides information and resources to the OHV public, youth group leaders, and governmental agencies that encourage and assist them in the development of youth activities, safety training, and environmental programs at OHV parks;
n Provides information to assist governmental agencies and the private sector in planning, designing, funding, operating, and maintaining new OHV parks and upgraded existing parks to meet the needs and desires of the OHV recreation community while addressing environmental and general public concerns;
n Offers ideas, resources and suggestions allowing governmental agencies and private owners of OHV parks to enhance ongoing activities and encourage development of additional park programs.
Other tools available from the NOHVCC include an Urban Park CD that is a PowerPoint program and can assist with presentations at community, zoning meetings, etc.; and a list of individuals that have already developed parks and can be contacted with specific questions.
NOHVCC’s Park Guidelines for Off-Highway Vehicles can be obtained by check or credit card for $45 plus $6 shipping and handling. To place orders, contact the NOHVCC home office by phone, 800/348-6487, by email, trailhead@nohvcc.org, or by visiting their Web site at www.nohvcc.org.
