December 2021/January 2022 Issue

Page 6 December 2021/January 2022 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN Equine Land Conservation Resource (ELCR) is participating in a nationwide trail etiquette campaign, “Trails Are Common Ground,” with a national coali- tion of trail user groups. Any trail user will tell you there are more people on the trails than ever before. According Equestrian Groups Support Nationwide Trail Etiquette Campaign to a study commissioned by the Outdoor Industry Association, 8.1 million more Americans hiked in 2020 than in 2019. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, au- tomated counters at trail systems nationwide recorded four times as many users as in the same timeframe in 2019. The Rails- to-Trails Conservancy reported a 79% spike in usage nationwide between March and July of 2020. In response to the expanding community of trail users, ELCR and Backcountry Horsemen of America joined an unprece- dented consortium of advocacy groups, brands, and media outlets to create the public awareness campaign, “Trails Are Common Ground,” which elevates the im- portance of respectful, inclusive, safe, and enjoyable experiences on trails. Many new trail users re- cently discovered a love for the outdoors. It’s a complex ecosys- tem with lots of moving parts: people and animals moving in different directions, in lots of different ways, for lots of differ- ent reasons. Trails Are Common Ground aims to build a commu- nal perspective on the mutual use of, and respect for, trails and for one another. Advocacy groups and indus- try leaders began collaborating in February 2021 to discuss the need for this campaign. The coalition shaped the campaign to reinforce the many local, regional, and user-specific trail respect programs in existence by promoting kindness and aware- ness while elevating the work of these programs. More than 20 organizations, along with outdoor industry brands, land managers, representatives with BIPOC communities, and adap- tive trail users, have provided input. Coalition members repre- sent all manner of activities that take place in the dirt, including hiking, trail running, equestrian, mountain biking, and motorized singletrack. The website, trailsarecom- monground.org , offers tips for various user groups. For equestri- ans, the site suggests: • While other trail users should yield to equestrians, be prepared to yield to enhance everyone’s safety. Be especial- ly cognizant what users with a disability might need. • Pass slowly as horses can be intimidating. • Kindly request other users to move to the down hill side of the trail, far enough for your horse to pass. Participating organizations include American Motorcyclist Association, American Trail Running Association, American Trails, Back Country Horsemen of America, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Eastern Band of Cher- okee Indians, Equine Land Con- servation Resource, International Mountain Bicycling Association, Latino Outdoors, NavajoYES, PeopleforBikes, Teton Adaptive Sports, Tread Lightly!, US Trail Running Conference, Vermont Mountain Bike Association, and Washington Trails Association, among .others Equestrian trail users across the country are invited to support the Trails Are Common Ground campaign. The cam- paign includes a website, social media, and creative assets that can be shared and personalized by brands, nonprofits, content creators, and all passionate trail users who want to rise together to share the message of Trails Are Common Ground. Visit www.trailsarecommonground. org and follow on Instagram and Facebook @trailsarecommon ground. Remember...tell our advertisers you found them in East Coast Equestrian! The news East Coast horse owners need to know