SFWDA Membership Status
- Membership overall is up over 10% on a year to year bases.
- Active club members: 2018 / up 16%
- Individual members 375 / Premium members 223
- Clubs 36/ up 12.5%
- Business members: 62 /up 19.2%
Social Media (Dec. 2017)
- Facebook Group: 7,006 / up 13%
- Facebook Page 1,000 Likes + since mid 2017 inception
- 500+ followers for Instagram
- 300 followers on Twitter
Third party awards for BOD Members
- UFWDA Four-Wheeler of the Year Award: Flint Holbrook
- ORBA/SEMA Recognition Award for Outstanding Commitment: Walter Shafer and Pete Mier
Regional Land Use Updates
Brent Galloway: WindRock – state of park activities
- Additional cabins to be built on WR land and within the next 2 months online reservation will be available.
- Building new parking lot next to T2- will be open for special events.
- WRP be getting into the concert business. Spring 2018 will be timeframe of first event.
- Currently has a Shooting range- shoot your own or rent.
- A new restaurant on site: WR Grill
- WR Bike Park- leased area for a prof mountain cyclist. WR is diversifying.
- WR ATV Club is involved with trail systems since inception. Disbanding at end of year.
DBBB Mountain Springs Rd Update:
- Another hearing schedule on December 6. We are trying to show 15 years of public use of roads.
- Goal to move forward to receive from the court system a Summary Judgement by Feb 2018.
New dialogues about the Blackwater Watershed.
- Aaron Roddy- Carburetor Hill update:
- Early this year Forrest Service has closed it to OHV traffic due to landslide.
- Next few years to start process to do a land swap with the Forest Service and County.
Uwharrie National Forest update: updates by Flint Holbrook and Ray Stanley
- New District Ranger Michael Spisak
- USFS approved Interpretive OHV Trail system developed by Tread Lightly, 4Wheel Parts and Path Less Traveled, Inc.
- Construction of expansion of Baldwin Lake Trail starting mid-December and will be RTP funding.
Beasley Knob OHV
- GBR GA RTP grant complete. The ongoing maintenance continues.
- Problem area at Nicholson Gap, the potential solution may be re-route.
- GBR proposed adding camping to Satterfield Station area.
- Jay Bird discussed new Rock Garden at Beasley Knob.
Tennessee Commissioner’s Council on Greenways and Trails
- Update provided by Bob Yarbrough:
- Things are more positive than in years past.
- Currently in the planning stage which includes the study and surveys of OHV usage
NFS Region 8 Southern Region Recreations Resource Advisory committee
- Ray Stanley has seat on committee
- First meeting was elections, setting up structure and by-laws.
South Carolina Recreation Trail Program
- Updates provided by Flint Holbrook
- Rebecca Smith is the point of contact.
- Trick N Traction looking for RTP grant to provide help to land area.
GA Recreation Trail Program Ken Sutz GA RTP committee
- Completed a 2year cycle for RTP grant funds.
- Estimating roughly 2million dollars available for motorized RTP grant funds.
- Pre-application phase in progress and Phase 2 scheduled to commence April 2018
- GA NR Projects for 2017
- Conassuga Ranger district OHV trail Maintenance $70K
- Bush Head Shoals State ATV Park $1.1M ATV project
Proposal had public resistance with NEPA issues; the project was not approved. - GA DNR Projects for 2018, preliminary $2M to develop OHV trails.
Overview on Land Use:
Adventure Off Road Park:
- change of ownership in 2017
- Committed to hosting Trailfest May 3-6 2018
- Troy discussed conversations with Shawn and his continued commitment to the AOP.
Big Creek Rocks LLC Uwharrie NC
- Mapping by Cartotracks/ campsites built / entrance gate and fencing installed / road repaired and shelter pad rocked.
Busted Knuckle Off-Road Park, Stevenson AL
- Monitor progress of BKOR / hosting SFWDA M&R March 3, 2018
Coalmount TN Southern Gulf Off Road Park:
- Roger Theurer provided status of construction.
- TN RTP grant – purchased 1340 acres with an additional RTP grant for Construction
- Started the project in 2010; $528K construction grant coming in.
- Will need volunteers to help complete this park.
- Will be requesting SFWDA grant to help maintain water issues and road access.
- Target is to open in end of year 2018.
Golden Mountain Park – Sparta Tn
- Property is for sale and was reclassified for tax purposes.
- GMP loss significant monies in recent periods.
- DR31 & DR32 on GMP calendar, but no firm commitment if property sells.
- Review findings of Event Planning Committee in the 2018 SFWDA calendar building portion of meeting. SFWDA will continue to monitor progress of any potential investors.
Tread Lightly updates
Al Sweeney: Master Trainer Regional training projected schedule
- July in Troy NC
- November in Greenville SC
- Support of UNF Interpretive trail and SFWDA Educational Initiatives
- Membership discussion on cost, time and requirements for having a Master Training Class with individual clubs in the Southeastern area.
ORBA and UFWDA
- ORBA association of motorized offroad related businesses formed to promote and preserve off road recreation.
- One Voice: explanation of the purpose and what is stands for “one voice to our government leaders”
2018 Grant opportunities:
- Regional Tread Lightly Training
- Educational Videos
- Organizational Support
- Charity Contributions
- UNF Mapping Project
2018 Organization support
Charity Contributions
- Grant request to continue annual commitment to $1K each to TreadLightly, UFWDA, ORBA, and BRC
- Grant request to donate $2500 each charity Crawling for Reid and 4 wheeling for a Cure
UNF Interpretive Trail System Project
- Scope: create printable map of 173 miles in UNFTS which includes OHV, hiking, mountain bike, horse back and Kayaking trails. Key part of Treadlightly interpretive trail project.
- Start Dec 2017 / projected complete date May 2018
- Total cost $10,954 / Carolina Beach Jeep Go Topless contributing $5954/4 Wheels Parts $10,000
- Approved $5K SFWDA grant to help support
