The whole situation is/was a double edged sword at best.
We started with the entire Sabine and Angelina National Forests and quickly whittled the areas down to twelve likely suspects because of the resource issues that we faced.
The committee was
- Brandt Manchen
- Larry Shelton
- Steve Thompson
- Tony Eeds - aka 'me'
Steve and I represented the OHV community while Larry and Brandt represented ... well ... other interests (identified and otherwise).
There was a group of forest folks as well that were involved, most notably Catherine Albers out of the Lufkin Headquarters, Cam Lockwood with Trails Unlimited Enterprise Unit, and Eddie Taylor - District Ranger for the Angelina and Sabine National Forests.
The entire process lasted slightly over two years with meetings at about monthly intervals. After a few sessions in the Lufkin office to create a criteria matrix and review we whittled the original twelve likely suspect areas to five that we ground proofed.
Each of the five had some positive as well as negative attributes and as you can imagine it depended upon your point of view mostly. For me, I quickly dropped from consideration any areas that simply replicated what we have in the Sam Houston National Forest. With the cost of fuel, I could not see how anyone out of Houston would come to an area that replicated something closer. As we were trying to draw the largest crowd to assure success of the system, I was shooting for 'unique'.
In my opinion we found unique. Unique in topo, amenities, location, yada yada all exist with the Red Hills Unit. Situated just north of Milam Texas, the approximately 4500 acre unit offered a set of attributes designed for success as an OHV area. Camping facilities and a small swimming lake are nestled in a northern slope at one end and iron ore deposits provided hardened trail opportunities galore. The lack of nearby neighbors was also a plus. Perhaps the most tangible plus of all was the support of the local officials. Without local support nothing succeeds and this project had garnered a lot.
The Recreational Trails Program Grant Committee (I am a member) earmarked 500K for initial development of the system in the 2010 grant cycle so seed funding existed. Cam Lockwood had completed an initial trail layout and cost estimate based upon what I put in ArcGIS based upon his design thoughts, so we thought things were going quite swimmingly ... but alas there was a large fly in the ointment ... the dramatically growing deficit in Austin and Wash DC.
The project was put on ice specifically because there was no clear path to funding to complete construction of the system. Frankly, I believe that volunteers would have come forth had the decision been made to move forward, but the critical first steps included resource surveys required to complete a NEPA analysis for the project.
As you can imagine, every funding source is little more than a spider web of requirements with the money being the ever illusive goal of traveling towards the center. At every juncture in the path there are side paths that have to be addressed to keep the entire process towards the ultimate goal stabilized (assuming that a positive outcome is desired). The problem is that the entire process is fraught with opportunities for opponents to destabilize the process. Now, don't get me wrong, getting it right in the right thing to do, but many of the issues faced were illusions at best. In any case, we never got to that point because funding was rescended back to the RTP program and redistributed during the 2011 grant cycle, which just occurred.
During the process, I answered every complaint raised regarding the impact of a trail system but alas, forces far bigger than I could address ultimately caused the plug to be pulled on the project after it flat lined.
For me this is doubly sad because the same forest ecosystem supports a really nice trail system just east of Red Hills in Louisiana and it is a an asset to both the forest and the surrounding communities in the area.
Simply stated, I do not understand the resistance to the system ... actually I do, but frankly the resistance is mostly based upon illusionary rather than real issues. This is a product of the times and until the silent majority steps up and takes back the reigns of government from those currently piloting the bus the process will not change.
Deep East Texas can best be described as poverty stricken with pockets of economic vitality in areas like Lufkin and Nacogdoches. There are other areas as well, but unfortunately all too many times opportunity pass the area by because there is too little the area can offer.
I could go on and on because downtown revitalization, economic development and historic preservation is what I do in real life ... but alas I'll stop.
I will include a copy of the map of the trail system to close the loop.
Please feel free to download and peruse. The trail system can be seen in the eastern part of the Red Hills unit.
If you get a hankering to ride some trails, come check out our two parks we own and operate ... Barnwell Mountain near Gilmer and Escondido Draw near Ozona.