Beyond the Beaten Path
provided by Barbara Sollner-Webb and Ma- ria Schwartz For decades, the Washington Suburban
Woodstock Adds Outdoor Ring and Cross-Country Course
Later this summer, the Woodstock Equestrian
Park will be opening its 230 × 350-foot outdoor arena as well as a six-acre cross-country course. T e arena and cross-country course will be open to the public on a fi rst-come, fi rst-served basis from dawn to dusk. T e cross-country course will have several beginner novice height fences as well as a water complex, ditches and bank. Portable show jumps will be available for per- mit holders. Groups or organizations can also reserve the facility for shows or other activities. T e 872-acre park currently has 16 miles
of riding trails, two parking lots, information kiosks and a portable toilet. T e park houses several untouched historic buildings as well as the renovated Seneca Stone Barn and recently reconstructed J.E.B. Stuart Trail Bridge.
Sanitary Commission allowed equestri- ans to enjoy their magnifi cent, environ- mentally sound trail that runs parallel to but safely distant from the Rocky Gorge reservoir. Last year, WSSC banned use of the trail, claiming its runoff makes their water harder to treat and brings massive sediment into the reservoir. WSSC moved riding to their access road (previously deemed too steep and eroding to ride) and banned all winter riding (claiming those months have the most rainfall). In contrast to WSSC’s claims, certi-
Need-to-Know News About Maryland’s Trails & Land What’s Up With the WSSC?
fi ed trail masters have assessed this trail as excellent, supporting WSSC’s previ- ous Environmental Advisory Commit- tee’s determination of negligible reservoir impairments from the trail use. In addi- tion, Maryland’s Department of Environmen- tal Resources credited equestrian vigilance for preventing massive sediment coming into the reservoir from an uncontrolled construction project.
Letter to the WSSC’s Patuxent Watershed Trails Study Team
T e following letter was submitted by the Maryland Horse Council and was presented at the June public meeting.
Patuxent Watershed Study c/o EA Engineering, Science and Technology 15 Loveton Circle Sparks, MD 21152
To: Patuxent Study Team: I am the Vice President of the Maryland Horse Council, which is the trade association representing
Maryland’s equestrian farms, businesses, interest associations and enthusiasts. Together, our member- ship represents over 30,000 Marylanders, many of whom live, own property and/or ride in the Patux- ent Watershed. We are aware of the recent actions taken by the WSSC to restrict public access to its watershed
lands. We are very interested in your study and welcome the opportunity to express our views on its scope and conduct, as well as on the historic importance of the watershed to equestrian users–and, we would argue, on the importance of equestrian users to the watershed. Horse back riders and other recreational users have had access to these lands for generations. T ey
have in many cases taken on the role of volunteer stewards of the land and water, and it can be said that their routine presence as eyes and ears “on the ground” has contributed vastly to the security of the water, the land and the public at large. In this time when citizen confi dence in government and public institutions is at historic lows, it is imperative that the conduct of this study be transparent, objective and grounded in observable fact and provable data. If adverse impact by recreational users including horseback riders cannot be proven by clear and verifi able facts, the recently imposed restrictions should not continue.
Respectfully, Jane Seigler
www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580
U.S. Department of Interior head Ken L. Salazar (center) was honored for his national leader- ship in historic and rural preservation by U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA), gaited horse owner Dave Turner and Maryland horse advo- cate State Senator Anthony Muse (D-PG) dur- ing a holiday party held at Turner and Randy Crawford’s Mieza farm in the Broad Creek His- toric District.
T ere has been great public outcry about this
trail closure, with over 1,200 signatures on pe- titions and letters, people agreeing that if the claimed equestrian-induced damage is real, riding there should be banned to protect the water, but if those excessive-sounding claims are unfounded, the previous equestrian use regulations should be reinstated. Elected of- fi cials are also getting involved on the eques- trians’ behalf, asking for a scientifi c basis for the trail closure. Recently, documents obtained through
Maryland’s Public Information Act revealed that WSSC’s own data show the reservoir’s water quality actually improves as it runs along the length of the equestrian trail and the winter months have the least rainfall, plus more information that also refutes the claims WSSC used to justify the trail closure. We remain cautiously optimistic for a posi-
tive resolution on the WSSC trails. To help, please consider signing the 2012 WSSC trails petition at
http://www.change.org/petitions/ restore-access-to-the-wssc-equestrian-trails. On June 18, a meeting was held to voice concerns and questions about riding at the Rocky Gorge Reservoir. T e Baltimore Sun reported that over 86 people were in atten- dence, causing the meeting to be moved to a larger venue. EA Engineering, Science and Technology, a Maryland-based compnay that was contracted by WSSC to conduct inde- pendent watershed protection studies, lead the meeting. Company offi cials stated their report to WSSC would present fi ndings, not specifi c recommendations on trail use. EA
Engineering is scheduled to present their re- continued...
JULY 2012 | THE EQUIERY | 15
Joseph Pruden
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