Dear BCHA members,
Yellowstone National Park recently announced the start of an Environmental Assessment (EA) to review its “Parkwide Commercial Stock Outfitter Concessions Contracts.” Public comment letters during the initial scoping of the project are due by April 15th, 2013. For details, go to: http://parkplanning.nps.gov
This process is VERY important to BCH and will be closely monitored. Members that have ridden in Yellowstone, or plan to in the future, should participate in the EA process, attend public meetings (if you live in ID, MT or WY) and—importantly—submit written comments to the Park by April 15th. BCHA’s Advisor for Wilderness & Recreation has included talking points at the end of this alert that you should consider including in your letters.
We are learning, our written comments often do carry weight, particularly if a great number of members submit personal comments (versus form letters). We all need to respond so the Park Service understands how important Yellowstone is to horse and mule riders nationwide.
1) Review the newspaper article below
2) The link to the project’s website and our talking points
3) Then submit a short, courteous letter to Yellowstone National Park by clicking on the “Comment on Document” link given on the website or by mailing your letters to:
Yellowstone National Park
Attn: Parkwide Commercial Stock Outfitter Concession Contracts/EA
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190
We are seeing more and more National Parks going through a process that includes the potential for new limits or restrictions to outfitted day rides or a reduction of stock use in the backcountry/wilderness. If you live near or ride in a National Park or National Monument, please serves as our eyes and ears and alert BCHA if this process appears in your area. It is imperative that horsemen be in on the ground floor when an agency is considering limits on commercial stock use, as some outfitters are prevented from speaking out against reductions in guided day or backcountry tips. Moreover, we’ve seen some public land agencies move toward reducing private stock use after they’ve justified making reductions to commercial stock.
Yellowstone Park reviews horse use Revised Stock EA Scoping Newsletter BCHA Talking Point