Help Protect Access for Hunting and ORVs in the Florida Everglades!

DATE:  May 16, 2006
TO: USF & NRA Members and Friends
FROM: Marion P. Hammer 
NRA Past President 
Executive Director Unified Sportsmen of Florida

This Alert from Barbara Jean Powell - Everglades Coordinating Council needs your attention.  We must act to protect access for hunting and ORVs.

IMPORTANT NOTICE, PLEASE FORWARD TO YOUR CLUB MEMBERS AND SPORTSMEN'S NETWORK.

The NPS [National Park Service] will hold three public meetings to gather input on Wilderness classification and Off-Road Vehicles (ORV) access in Big Cypress National Preserve Addition. The Everglades Coordinating Council supports ORV access and vehemently opposes Wilderness classification, so it is important that sportsmen have a strong turnout at these meetings.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY AS THE MEETING FORMAT WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO.

The meetings will take place on:

Tuesday, May 23, 2006, 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Everglades City School, 415 School Drive, Everglades City, FL 34139

Wednesday, May 24, 2006, 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Edison College, 7007 Lely Cultural Parkway, Naples, FL 34113-8977

Thursday, May 25, 2006, 4:00 - 7:00 p.m., University of Florida/IFAS Ft. Lauderdale Research & Education Center, 3205 College Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 3314-7719

The format of the meetings will be three one hour workshops beginning at 4:15 p.m., 4:45 p.m., and 5:15 p.m. with an overview by the Superintendent. The NPS requests that people wishing to attend one of these workshops are asked to RSVP by May 22, 2006 by calling Mary Stefanos at 239-695-1103.

They further request that attendees only take part in one session per person, per evening. Walk-in participants will reportedly be accommodated in the group workshops as space allows.

Sportsmen are encouraged to press for the Big Cypress Addition to be managed as Congress intended, with hunting and ORV use on a designated trail system that will provide access to the entire Big Cypress National Preserve Addition.

Say NO to the Wilderness designation being promoted by anti-hunting organizations. Prior to the meetings, the Everglades Coordinating Council will distribute additional information to help sportsmen provide informed input.

It is VITAL that we have good participation as the anti-hunting groups are going to be making a hard push for locking us out of these lands on which Congress intended hunting, fishing, frogging, and other traditional recreational activities to take place.

Barbara Jean Powell
Wildlife and Resource Management Liaison
Everglades Coordinating Council

[email protected]