Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

Just got this on the Blower.

I have asked for and been granted permission to re-post this.

I don’t mean to be redundant to the point of being a pain. But we have an extended opportunity.

If we don’t speak, then the fault will be our own. I would much rather be a pain that let that happen. I ask myself if we don’t, then who will? This is happening with the Buffalo as well.

One way or the other, let your voice be heard.


By all means post as far and wide as possible. Rep. Emerson from that district came out against any changes to Management plan from status quo. Very disappointing but not surprising.

Public comment period has been extended for Ozark National Scenic Riverways (Current River and Jacks Fork) until Sept. 11. Click on link below to submit comments online and other link at bottom for article from Springfield News-Leader for info about extension.

I just got off float trip on the Current River from Two Rivers to Van Buren and was fairly shocked and dismayed at some of what I saw. In my opinion there are several issues that need to be addressed.

1. Horse back riding and ATV crossings are everywhere and are being allowed to degrade the river.

2. Illegal access roads have been allowed to become established and seem to allow motorized vehicle access to nearly every gravel bar on the river.

3. Scenic Easements are not being properly enforced and have gotten out of control in regard to development and structures.

4. Outboard motors are becoming the weapon of choice and more restrictive horsepower limits are needed.

The status quo is allowing the rivers to be loved to destruction and unless action is taken more serious degredation will accelerate and continue take place in the next fifteen to twenty years that the new managment plan under consideration must address. Please pass this along to everyone you know that has an interest to submit comments ASAP.

http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm ... ntId=27597

--- On Sat, 8/15/09, ----------------------------------- wrote:

From: ------------------------------------------------
Subject: Deadline extended for park input
To: --------------------------------------------
Date: Saturday, August 15, 2009, 8:58 PM



You have been sent an online news article from david stokely as a courtesy of news-leader.com.


Article Title:
Deadline extended for park input

To view the contents on http://www.news-leader.com, go to:
http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... /908150366

Thanks Terry,
I too paddled the Current River this summer, for the first time, with some MO friends who have paddled these rivers all their lives and as soon as I got back I went online and filled out the survey. What amazing rivers!!! and what a terrible shame they are being so abused. I love horses, and even worked with an equine rescue group, and I know that some of the towns, like Eminence, are economically hanging by a thread, and view the riders as dollar signs, but I saw first hand what too many with little restriction can do. Interesting thing too, my MO friends tell me that they tried to blame the situation on the small band of wild horses (which I was lucky enough to get to photograph) that now have park protection. I agree with your post and I hope more folks will take the extension as an opportunity to research and post their thoughts. We may be preaching to the choir here, but it would be helpful to tell others you know how important these issues are to the future of all ozark rivers. I took the links earlier in the summer for both management plans, Current and Buffalo,and posted them on Paddling.net, a broader forum in hopes of spreading the word. We are blessed to have these beautiful ozark rivers so close to home (ok, it's a 6 and 8 hour drive for me) but that's still relatively close. They need our voices.
Leigh

Thanks for posting this. We do need as many of you as possible to make comments on these management plans. Take advantage of the extension and send your comments now!

DeBo has now sent comments as a "official representative" (of the ACC), and I have sent in "private individual" comments.

Once again, thanks for calling this to our attention.

I started to use the smilie, but in this case it just somehow didn't seem appropriate...

I have sent in my comments for both this and the Buffalo.

But I was wondering. I am a new member with the ACC now (yeah, finally got off my dead butt!) and don't really know how things necessarily work yet.

But without putting anyone to too much trouble, or being too much of a pain, would it be possible to know what our "official comments" are or what our 'official position" concerning these issues are?

And if I say "please"? And if I use the smilie would it be appropriate in this case?

OK, so you joined, but have you come to one of the torchlight induction meetings and been taught the secret handshake?

Nah, good point. I'll see if I can find the files on DeBo's computer. Also, DeBo's comments as an "official" representative will be a matter of public record regardless, but we probably can and should make them available to ACC members long before the official report comes out.

Yeah. No torchlight induction meeting, no secret handshake.

Sent in the box tops with my app and no Super Secret Decoder Ring either! No whistle that blows at a frequency that only ACC members can hear. No wind up Boater Toy. No change back from my dues payment!

But hopefully I'll get something back that $$ can't buy! In fact, I already have!

Contacted my stockbroker and he told me that since everything I have is in the crapper, might as well invest in something that will for sure show a return!

I'm waiting on that Ring!