PETITION TO END ANNUAL WINTER CLOSURES OF OHIO STATE FOREST TRAILS TO EQUESTRIANS

 

To: The Governor of the State of Ohio, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Division of Forestry, Ohio State Legislature, and other appropriate Ohio state officials

 

We, the undersigned Ohio residents, equestrians, trail users, outdoor enthusiasts, and supporters of responsible public-land access, respectfully petition the State of Ohio to end the annual blanket closure of Ohio State Forest trails to equestrians during the winter months.

 

WHEREAS,

 

Ohio’s state forests belong to the people of Ohio and should be managed in a manner that provides reasonable, responsible, and equitable access for the public;

 

WHEREAS,

 

Horse riders have a long history of responsible trail use in Ohio’s state forests and have demonstrated their willingness to follow trail regulations, respect natural resources, and help maintain the trails they use;

 

WHEREAS,

 

Winter conditions do not inherently make equestrian trail use unsafe or more damaging than other permitted recreational activities. Frozen ground can, under appropriate conditions, reduce soil displacement and erosion compared with periods of saturated soil;

 

WHEREAS,

 

The original justification for the annual closures included protecting trails during the wettest months of the year. However, Ohio’s wettest periods are not necessarily limited to the winter months, and conditions can vary significantly from one location and season to another. A blanket winter closure does not account for actual trail conditions;

 

WHEREAS,

 

Equestrians themselves provide substantial, ongoing trail stewardship. Riders routinely remove fallen limbs, report hazards, clear obstacles, identify erosion problems, assist with trail maintenance, and contribute their own time and resources to keeping trails usable;

 

WHEREAS,

 

The absence of equestrian users during the winter months can actually reduce the amount of routine trail monitoring and volunteer maintenance occurring on the trails. Riders frequently discover fallen trees, damaged trail sections, erosion, and other hazards precisely because they regularly use and monitor these trails;

 

WHEREAS,

 

While some noticeable trail improvements were made following the initial implementation of the closures, improvements, on many trails have subsequently stalled and in many cases have stopped completely.

 

WHEREAS,

 

Winter closures can result in trails accumulating fallen trees, limbs, branches, washouts, and other obstacles that may remain undiscovered until shortly before trails reopen in the spring, potentially creating additional safety concerns for equestrians and other trail users;

 

WHEREAS,

 

Experienced equestrians are capable of evaluating weather, ground conditions, trail conditions, and their own abilities before deciding whether riding is appropriate. A blanket seasonal closure eliminates this personal responsibility and discretion rather than addressing specific trails or conditions that may actually present a problem;

 

WHEREAS,

 

Many horse owners rely on access to public trails as an important means of maintaining year-round exercise and conditioning for both horses and riders. Extended loss of access can negatively affect conditioning and may increase the risk of injury when horses and riders return to strenuous trail use after an extended period of inactivity;

 

WHEREAS,

 

Ohio’s equestrian community contributes significantly to the state’s rural economy through spending on feed, boarding, veterinary services, farriers, tack, trailers, transportation, lodging, restaurants, fuel, and other businesses;

 

WHEREAS,

 

Equestrian tourism brings visitors to Ohio communities and state forests. Maintaining year-round trail access can help support rural businesses and encourage visitors from outside Ohio to participate in equestrian recreation;

 

THEREFORE, WE PETITION THE STATE OF OHIO TO:

 

1. End the blanket annual winter closure of Ohio State Forest trails to equestrians.

 

2. Replace blanket seasonal closures with a condition-based trail management system that considers actual soil, weather, erosion, and trail conditions on an individual trail or area basis.

 

3. Allow responsible equestrian use of trails when conditions are suitable, just as other responsible trail users are permitted to make decisions based on current conditions.

 

4. Recognize and formally incorporate equestrian trail users into Ohio’s trail stewardship and maintenance efforts.

 

**5. Increase communication and cooperation between the Ohio Division of Forestry, equestrian organizations, and individual trail users regarding trail conditions, maintenance needs, hazards, and closures.

 

6. Provide clear, measurable justification for any trail closure, including the specific trail conditions, environmental concerns, safety issues, or documented damage that require the closure.

 

7. Evaluate the actual environmental and trail-maintenance impacts of equestrian use using objective data, rather than relying on assumptions or blanket seasonal policies.

 

8. Maintain reasonable year-round recreational access to Ohio’s state forests for equestrians whenever trail conditions allow.

 

OUR REQUEST

 

We support responsible trail management and temporary closures when specific conditions genuinely require them.

 

We are asking for fair, science-based, condition-based management rather than an automatic annual closure of all equestrian access during the winter months.

 

Ohio’s equestrians are not simply trail users. We are trail stewards, volunteers, taxpayers, horse owners, tourists, and supporters of Ohio’s state forests.

 

We want to work with the Ohio Division of Forestry—not against it—to protect Ohio’s trails while preserving reasonable public access.

 

WE ASK THE STATE OF OHIO:

 

STOP THE BLANKET WINTER CLOSURES.

 

OPEN OUR TRAILS.

 

LET CONDITIONS—NOT THE CALENDAR—DETERMINE WHEN TRAILS ARE OPEN OR CLOSED.

 

We respectfully ask Ohio state officials to review the current policy, engage with the equestrian community, and establish a fair, evidence-based trail management policy that protects Ohio’s natural resources while preserving responsible year-round access.

 

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SIGN THE PETITION

 

I support ending the annual blanket winter closure of Ohio State Forest trails to equestrians and support condition-based management that allows responsible equestrian use when trail conditions permit.

 

Name: __________________________________________

 

City/Town: _______________________________________

 

County: __________________________________________

 

ZIP Code: ________________________________________

 

Email (optional): __________________________________

 

Signature: ________________________________________

 

Date: ____________________________________________

 

Additional Comments (optional):

 

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PLEASE SHARE

 

If you support year-round access to Ohio State Forest trails for responsible equestrian use:

 

Sign this petition.

Share it with other horse owners and trail users.

Send it to your Ohio state representatives.

Ask your local equestrian organizations to support it.

 

Together, we can make our voices heard.

 

STOP THE CLOSURES

 

OPEN OUR TRAILS

 

OHIO EQUESTRIANS DESERVE YEAR-ROUND ACCESS