Developing a County Strategy to Protect Recreational Trails

There have been several excellent articles on the deterioration of the hiking, biking and riding trails, not only in Orange County but in the state and nation as a whole. Recreation for the public is taking a back seat to development and private economic expansion. The Forest Service has blamed inadequate funding and loss of experienced employees for the mounting problems.

In Orange County, we have an excellent master plan for hiking, biking and riding trails that was adopted in 1965 and updated in 1982. The importance of the trail system is well documented; however, lack of funding and experienced personnel has resulted in a number of trails being incomplete and developers not being made aware of the location or the extent of trail development.

The newly formed Orange County Recreational Trails Committee, a volunteer advisory board, hopes to identify all of the problem areas by working with county agencies and development companies. Through cooperative efforts and the interest of the public we may: implement the Master Plan of regional riding and hiking trails proposed by Orange County; provide useful and efficient public regional riding and hiking trail system; place an emphasis on trail linkage opportunities between community, county, and state open spaces and recreation facilities, and provide an environment for pleasant and safe outdoor recreational activities.

The establishment of an official trails committee, by the county supervisors, to watch over the implementation of the recreational trails is essential. Once we lose these trails, allowing them to be built over, they are gone forever.

JANICE GRAHAM

MARLENE SANDLER

Laguna Hills

Janice Graham is president and Marlene Sandler is secretary of the Orange County Recreational Trails Committee.