NEWS &VIEWS You Can Use Trail Riding Troubles at Assateague and WSSC
The Future of Horseback Riding on Assateague According to Ron McNab, chairman of the
Maryland Horse Council’s Trails & Greenways Committee, the U.S. Park Service and Fish and Wildlife Service are developing plans for the Virginia portion of the Assateague Is- land National Seashore, the large sand- bar island which runs southward along the coast below Ocean City, Maryland to the east of the city of Chincoteague, Virginia. When folks say “Assateague Island”, they are usually referring to the Maryland side, while “Chincoteague Island” refers to the Virginia side. T e U.S. Park Service manages most of the entire Assateague Island National Seashore, while the U.S. Fish and Wild- life Service manages the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge located in Virginia. Two of the four alternate plans would eliminate horseback riding around Tom’s Hook, at the southern tip of the island, where horseback riding has long been permitted. Recently, a tour of Chincoteague was hosted by Lou Hinds, Manager of U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Trish Kicklight- er, Superintendent of the National Park Service for Assateague Island. T e tour, accord- ing to local horsewoman Nancy Kupelian, was to inform the public of the proposed plans of both the FWS and NPS. Nancy told T e Equi- ery that she specifi cally asked why some of the plans eliminated horseback riding, and that she was told by Manager Hinds that his agency “has several items in which they provide servic- es and access to the public within the park. He counted them on his fi ngers; maintaining the park, providing education to the public, mak- ing the park accessible to the public, providing recreation. Horseback riding is not a recreation the park supports.” So, Chincoteague, Assateague…is this a
Maryland issue? While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may eliminate horseback riding from the Chin- coteague National Wildlife Refuge (including Tom’s Hook) in Virginia, according to Trish Kicklighter, the U.S. Park Service Superin- tendent for Assateague, in an email to MHC
Chairman McNab, says: “[horseback riding] is and will remain an activity allowed on NPS land at Assateague.” Regardless, emotions are high in the area, as
riders are concerned that the trail closures at Tom’s Hook would be the proverbial nose of
T e Equiery that equestrians continued to press their case at the WSSC Commissioners’ meet- ing on September 21, 2011, emphasizing their desire to work with the WSSC to make the bridle trails as environmentally sound as pos- sible. However, no policy changes have yet been made, and as November 15 looms, Debby is urging everyone that “now is not the time to slow down! Please continue to write and call about this issue.”
Letters can be sent to: Mr. Jerry Johnson General Manager, WSSC Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission 14501 Sweitzer Lane Laurel, Maryland 20707
cust-relations@wsscwater.com
On all letters please cc the following people: Ms. Charlett Bundy, Esq. Corporate Secretary to the Commissioners, stakeholder team:
jPrice@wsscwater.com,
cbundy@wsscwater.com, ckoenig@wsscwater.
Marylanders Karen Mack, Barbara Mack and Fran Severn at Tom’s Hook (VA) on the Assateague Island National Seashore (MD/VA)
the camel under the tent: that the trail closures there could be used to justify trail closures on the rest of Assateague – which does make this a Maryland issue. For more information visit
http://www.chin-
coteague.com/preserve-access.
WSSC To Close Bridle Trails
November 15, 2011. T is is a date to look upon with dismay by equestrians who ride in the Rocky Gorge or Triadelphia Reser- voirs or on any other lands owned by the the Washington Suburban Sanitation Commis- sion (WSSC), as this is the day that WSSC intends to shut its gates to horseback riders until April—unless trail riders are able to stop it. And they are trying. And after the initial meeting this June (see
equiery.com), it seemed as if they were going to have some success, as several commission- ers expressed concern about the actions of the WSSC staff . Belle Cote Farm’s Debby Poole reports to
com,
mhabibi@wssc.dst.md.us, jneusta@wss-
cwater.com,
mchandl@wsscwater.com, mdz-
wonchyk@tribune.com, GCounih@wsscwater. com,
ggumm@wsscwater.com, mHdavis@wss-
cwater.com,
jHemphi@wsscwater.com, ihus-
don@wssc.com,
GMCEO@wsscwater.com,
rMoore@wsscwater.com,
jsirk@wsscwater.com,
ewillia@wsscwater.com, kWinela@wsscwater. com,
kWright@wsscwater.com
Are you prepared to pay 15¢ more per gallon of gas?
Find out more at
equiery.com
IF YOU HAVE NEWS, VIEWS OR UPDATES TO CONTRIBUTE, PLEASE SEND THEM TO Editor at The Equiery, P.O. Box 610, Lisbon, MD 21765 • FAX: 410-489-7828 • email
editor@equiery.com.
Be sure to include your full name, phone number and address. All submissions become the property of The Equiery. 8 | THE EQUIERY | NOVEMBER 2011 800-244-9580 |
www.equiery.com
Nancy Kupelian
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