The following article by Southeast Endurance Riders Association (SERA) President Truman Prevatt goes to show what can happen when endurance riders put forth the effort in a major trail preservation effort. SERA has taken and continues to take a very active role in trail preservation in the Southeast. Their continued support of SETC, their involvement with trail preservation and their commitment to sustainable trails makes SERA a true leader in the trail preservation business.

Trail preservation for us begins when we get off our horses and hit the ground with the tools we need to accomplish a given task. By keeping track of certain work projects we are involved with I have been able to determine that somewhere between 5% to 10% of endurance riders are involved with hands-on trail preservation.

It goes without saying, no trail, no ride. Each state trail advocate works for trails' succecess in their home state. Take the time to find out who your trail advocate is and volunteer your time to work on projects. If you don't have the time please make a contribution to our trails fund.

The next ten years will be a critical time in the evolution of our preservation efforts. The AERC board of directors is committed to supporting our efforts. We need the hands-on, down-in-the-dirt work to take place. Like I have always said, "The pay for trail preservation stinks, but the rewards are fantastic once you complete a project." In conclusion, if you have the opportunity to ride the Alabama Yellowhammer Ride, don't miss it. You will see the bridges the riders built and ride the trails that have been rerouted. It's a wonderful feeling to know that we have the capacity to do quality engineering on our trails. Remember, all you need is a horse and a trail. Jerry

Sometimes people ask me, "Why should I join SERA?" I have several good reasons. It supports the sport of endurance riding, supports our rides and ride managers and provides other benefits like our horse scales and other things we are looking to buy in support of our riders. I want to share an incident that happened at the Alabama Yellowhammer Ride. What happened on Halloween night in 2003 is the best reason I know for people to join SERA. It shows what a good organization and dedicated people working together can accomplish.

What happened that weekend started four years ago at the SERA convention. We discussed and made the decision to support the Southeast Equestrian Trails Conference (SETC). At that time we knew we needed to be involved in trails but were not sure how to best do it. We sent people and bought a sponsorship to SETC. At the same time two of our lifelong members, Candace and Brian Bourne (Brian is a founding father of SERA), were going to the National Trails Conference and SERA raised money to help support them through Ridecamp. The folks on Ridecamp came through.

At the next SERA convention we were still grappling with how to address the burgeoning problems facing our trails--we had already lost two rides (Bankhead and Talladega) because of trails issues. Then Harry Parker stands up and says, "We need to make a financial commitment--we need to commit money to trails." We didn't know what that meant but we set aside a large amount of money for the trails fund.

Some of us thought it was putting the cart before the horse but the membership was smarter than the officers as it turns out.

Two years ago when we were looking for a location for the 2002 Hungry Buzzard Ride, Talladega National Forest came up. Sarah Engsberg and Joe Schoech stepped forward and agreed to look into the area for a ride site. With the guiding hand of Brian Bourne, they made contact with the Shoal Creek Ranger District and a union was formed that has shown when people work together they can move mountains. Work training days were formed to train volunteers how to build sustainable trails. Our people were trained and sensitized to the special problems with water and soil conservation. The National Forest Service gained a group of hard-working volunteers.

When progress was threatened because of needed bridge construction, the SERA board voted to buy materials with funds set aside for the trailsÑa vote that was unanimous. While we didn't get to ride the new trails at the 2002 Hungry Buzzard, a brand new 14-mile loop with five bridges was open for the Alabama Yellowhammer!

This was an absolutely marvelous trail. Instead of riding on ridge lines and roads in the heat, it wound down around numerous finger ridges in the coolness of one the prettiest forests you will ever see, crossing numerous streams and back up to the top of the ridge and into camp. The trail was cut to be sustainable and have minimal impact on the environment. Through this effort everyone won. The forest service has a wonderful new trail to offer recreation in the forest. This is a wonderful place to run rides. The local trail riders can share these new trails. The water quality in the forest streams and the mussels that inhabit the streams have been protected.

A wonderful surprise came Friday night at the ride meeting where the head ranger at the Shoal Creek Ranger District formally recognized SERA for this effort with a plaque that states: "Presented to the Southeast Endurance Riders Association in recognition of aquatic resources stewardship for your exemplary and proactive effort in trail relocation and bridge construction on the Warden Station Horse Trail System."

While I have this plaque in my possession it belongs to every member of SERA that had the foresight to commit to trails. It belongs to Joe Schoech for his work as the SERA trails chairman. It belongs to Brian and Candace Bourne for their stewardship in trails over the past several years and their work continuing into the future.

But in particular it belongs to Sarah Engsberg for her tireless effort working with the forest service out in the forest, finding trail, clearing trial and building bridges over the past two years.

This is something for which each and every SERA member can be proud and is the best reason I know to tell people when they ask, "Why should I join SERA."

My hats off to all that made this new trail possible. Happy trails.