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Because of the torrential rains that deluged Southern Illinois during the winter and spring months, some trails experienced considerable damage. This included, not only the trails on FS lands, but those heavily used trails located on private property near the horse campgrounds where impact is high. Trails across the Ovid Barnes property and our (Blackorby) property were rebuilt to sustain the significant horse traffic that these trails experience. Don Cloud, Ovid Barnes, Don Roy, Dick Manders, Bill Barnett and his two hired hands worked on the Barnes trail grading graveling and installing Typar construction fabric under the gravel in areas prone to water problems. John Robards donated use of his skid loader. Tony Giuffre, Manders and Barnett also helped work on the Blackorby trails with their tractors for a few hours. Ken Hill, who has built trails for the FS, worked with Bill(Blackorby) and I on the 2 ½ miles of our trails which we repaired. Ken was hired to build water diversion berms and reshape the trails with his loader-dozer and haul gravel with his dump trailer and tractor. Bill and his tractor-loader logged in 162 hours while I spent 66 hours on the end of a shovel in 90 degree heat smoothing out gravel humps, filling in lightly graveled areas, moving rocks and pulling brush and was assisted on two mornings by Evie Duitsman and Deb Held. It was a tremendous amount of work but the trails are wonderful and should hold up during all seasons and wet weather with minimal work! Unexpectedly, Ron and Carol Scaggs from Highland, IL. who camp at Hayes Canyon sent us $300 in appreciation of the nice trails and our hard work. Thank you for your generosity, Ron and Carol! When people appreciate our efforts, it makes us feel good! We applied this money toward the cost of the culverts that we had purchased. STC received numerous donations specifically for trail maintenance projects but I’ll list only those who donated $100 or more since there are too many to list individually. These include Jerry and Doris Boedeker,, Jim VanGoetham, and Deb Held and Evie Duitsman. Campers at Hayes Canyon Campground presented STC with $286 and Bear Branch has collected donations also but I don’t have that figure at this time. The cost of these two trail projects totaled approximately $6000 with STC paying for half and Bear Branch and Hayes Canyon paying 25% each. WE THANK ALL WHO HAVE DONATED LABOR OR MONEY! Money is being used on these projects and others which are planned in the future. Since the FS will not let us work on anything but the River to River trail, we are working on the important trails which go across private property so that the owners will continue to allow equestrians to use these trails. Some private land owners have threatened to close trails unless their trails are fixed! STC has applied for a grant through IDNR for several additional trail maintenance projects. Our application was ranked second by the Pope and Hardin County Water Shed District Committee out of 10 projects submitted for consideration. The final approval will be done on the state level. This grant will help out tremendously toward keeping trails open as STC does not have the money to do all of these trail projects.

Member Sharon Allen, who is the U of IL 4-H Youth Development and Family Coordinator presented information at the June meeting regarding a $2000 grant funding program sponsored by the National 4-H Council which is available. This program will be presented for grades 1 thru 5 at Pope County Elementary School in Golconda. It follows the Character Counts Project developed by the 4-H which teaches respect and responsible care of animals and the importance of building good personal character. This program will teach the children about horses, their history, care, health, riding activities and cultural heritage through a reading program based in part on Walter Farleys’ "Black Stallion" series and other horse related books. Since this grant is a matching funds grant, Sharon sought support of either money or "in kind" contributions from members who would teach students various aspects of horses including hosting a Fun Day with live horse activities such as shoeing, grooming, saddling, training, care and riding. STC supports this program and will contribute $300 in cash plus $200 of "in kind" contributions. Other equestrian organizations and businesses involved with this project include: IL Trail Riders, Shawnee Back Country Horsemen, IL Farm Bureau, 9-Day Trail Ride, Hayes Canyon Campground, Bear Branch Campground, Hillbilly Horse Shoeing, Jennifer Ambler Training and the Golconda Public Library. This application must now be evaluated along with dozens of others from across the nation by the National 4-H Council.

The Forest Service completed an analysis of the Lusk Creek water shed on Dec 30, 2001 regarding the 22,368 ha of land which comprise this water shed and it’s resources. This creek is 28 miles in length from it’s origin near Delwood to it’s mouth at Golconda where it flows into the Ohio. We became aware of this report recently and several of us have reviewed it. This document blames horses for a host of problems, especially the botanical section prepared by FS botanist, Beth Shimp which sites horseback riders for "trampling, and removal of vegetation, compaction of soils, alteration of natural drainage patterns, erosion and transfer of soil, removal of upper soil horizons and microhabitat modification". She also credits horses (their manure)on user-made trails as responsible for most, if not all, of the Non-native Invasive Species (NIS) which are supposedly overtaking native plant populations. A reference sited indicated that exotic species are higher along trail corridors, however we have reviewed several research studies that indicate that horses ARE NOT a primary source of facilitating the spread of exotics. ( Harmon and Diem) This study concluded that seeds ingested by horses were only 6.7% viable and after 3 months there was only 1 weak plant alive or 1% viability. Also a Colorado study by Bennger-Traux on edge effects of trails found "No documentation that horses are a source of exotics. Seeds are primarily dispersed by gravity, wind, surface water movement, soil erosion, birds, ants, dung beetles and rodents." This same reference is sited in Shimp’s report but she fails to mention these facts. Her negative anti-horse attitude is readily apparent. Unfortunately, this water shed assessment will be of great significance when the new Forest Plan is formulated since the FS is going to put horse trails in according to the water shed analysis. Consequently, many existing trails along and through Lusk Creek and it’s tributaries, Little Lusk Creek, Bear Branch Creek and Little Bear Creek may be eliminated. However, this Assessment has conflicting information between the IL EPA water tests which are conducted every 6 weeks down stream from most horse trails that show Lusk Creek to be a "high quality" non-polluted stream with low sedimentation and the FS report which claims user-made horse trails are the source of excessive erosion and high sedimentation. On a recent field trip along Lusk Creek with Larry Meana, president of the Shawnee Back Country Horsemen, Ms Shimp indicated that the FS is currently working on the Bay Creek Water Shed which is larger in size than the Lusk Creek Water Shed. Bay Creek and it’s tributary Hayes Creek have many extraordinary scenic trails along and through them and are favorites of all equestrians. If the Bay Creek Assessment is as slanted as the Lusk Creek Assessment, horse trails could certainly be in jeopardy.

Representatives from STC, IL Trail Riders, IL Farm Bureau, IFOR and the Shawnee Back Country Horsemen met on June 25th with forestry officials, Dick Johnson and Nick Giannettino to discuss the Lusk Creek Water Shed Assessment and our concerns about this biased document. Interestingly, Beth Shimp was the main person responsible for locating the boundary lines of the "natural areas" most of which are much larger than they are supposed to be in the Forest Plan. These areas were deliberately expanded without legal authority to eliminate horse trails and the FS refuses to reduce their size. The judge will decide. According to our attorney, Paul Turcke, the court will soon set a date for our lawsuit to be heard on the "natural areas" and the failure of the FS to complete the required 1995 court ordered environmental studies regarding ATV trails.

Jerry Fruth of Evansville, IN, a member of the Recreation Committee of the AHC, has been appointed to work with the US Forest Service in Washington DC, the regional FS office in Milwaukee, the Harrisburg office and local equestrian groups in hopes of resolving some of the trail issues in the Shawnee. Representatives from STC, local campgrounds, IL Trail Riders, IFOR and Shawnee Back Country Horsemen met with Fruth on two recent occasions following his meeting with Forest Service Recreation Director, Chuck Myers in Washington this spring. More meetings with Myers and FS Chief Dale Bosworth will be held in late summer and fall according to Fruth. AHC is a highly respected national organization representing the interests of the horse industry particularly concerning legislative matters. It is a powerful ally with Washington lobbyists who keep Congress informed on issues and laws which might effect horses or their owners. View information about the Horsemen’s Council of IL at HCI is a state affiliate of the American Horse Council. As a member of HCI, you’ll receive their very informative newsletter. Horse people need to join several organizations, become informed and get involved if they are going to continue to be able to enjoy recreational activities on their horse and ride places they like to ride. HCI has prepared a survey for equestrians which is enclosed so please take the time to fill it out and return it to them. The economic impact of the horse industry is very important to our elected officials.

* The 2 wildlife food plots which were adopted by STC and IFOR are growing nicely thanks to the efforts of Don Roy who planted the Ladino clover in February. The FS has allowed some 33 small wildlife plots to be maintained by individuals and organizations for the benefit of wildlife such as deer, quail, wild turkey and birds.

* Please remember to feed your horse an electrolite supplement or Morton’s Lite Salt which have the necessary potassium needed to replace the potassium which is sweated out in this hot weather. Unfortunately, a horse recently died on the trail from a heat stroke near Bear Branch Creek. If your horse becomes wobbly or disoriented, get it cooled off as quickly as possible either by sponging cool water on him, especially on the top of his head and neck or getting him in front of a fan. If a creek is nearby, use it! Call a veterinarian immediately who will supply intravenous fluids to him. Out of condition or over-weight horses are particularly susceptible but any horse can become over-heated in hot humid weather when being ridden hard. It’s safer to ride earlier in the morning and return to camp around noon to avoid the hottest part of the day giving your horse the opportunity to drink whenever possible. Tragically, horses die every year from heat stroke all across the country.

* Our prayers and best wishes to Cheryl Casper of Verona, IL who was thrown from her horse July 14th at Matheson State Park near Ottawa, IL. Cheryl sustained a brain concussion and spent 2 days in the hospital but is back home slowly recuperating. More tests are scheduled. We are disappointed, though, that she and husband Tom will not be able to go on a trail riding vacation with us to Colorado and Wyoming next week.
 

* PLEASE PURCHASE RAFFLE TICKETS FOR THE BEAUTIFUL WALNUT COLORED CIRCLE Y WESTERN TRAIL SADDLE WHICH STC IS RAFFLING ON LABOR DAY. TICKETS ARE $1 EACH OR 6 FOR $5. JOE PERINA IS CHAIRMAN AND CAN BE CONTACTED AT 618-252-0077 OR SEND YOUR MONEY TO THE STC ADDRESS AND WE’LL GET TICKETS TO YOU. PLEASE HELP US OUT AND BUY SOME TICKETS. THE SADDLE CAN BE VIEWED AT MANY OF THE HORSE CAMPGROUNDS IN SHAWNEE OVER THE SUMMER.

All meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month at Dolly’s Restaurant located on Rte # 146 at the east edge of Vienna at 7 pm. Come at 6 pm and eat dinner before the meeting. Please attend.

Tread Lightly and Leave No Trace,

Cheryl Blackorby

newsletter editor and STC director

e-mail: or call 618-672-4768

YOUR STC OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS WORK HARD TO KEEP TRAILS OPEN FOR ALL USERS!

We need your continued membership and financial support. If your membership has expired or will be soon, please send in your renewal today so that you will continue receiving this newsletter and stay informed on important issues which concern all trail users . Dues and Donations are tax deductible. THANK YOU!

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