Standing by my upstairs window this morning I saw two bald eagles drifting in circles above my pasture. They glided on the updraft from the 60-foot high cliffs along the Lake Erie shore that mark the northern boundary of our property. I have seen them many times before, an adult with his white head and tail and an all-brown youngster, larger and very playful as he swoops at his parent.

What makes this sight so amazing goes beyond the obvious. The proliferation of the bald eagle in this area where they have never been before is a testament to the work of a dedicated nation. By the 1970s, this majestic bird was nearly decimated in the lower 48 states due to pesticide use and diminishing habitat. With perseverance and dedication by many people, the raptors have now been delisted from the endangered species act and are flourishing.

The fact that they are living and nesting on the shore of Lake Erie is another amazing feat of humankind. Growing up here in the '70s I witnessed firsthand the pollution of this, the shallowest of the Great Lakes. I walked the shore when tons of dead fish, litter and mountains of seaweed rotted along the beaches.

Officially declared "dead," Lake Erie has been the subject of massive cleanups, the regulation of industrial waste and restocking of fish. Today, the eagles soar over sparkling breaking waves and clean beaches.

What could this possibly have to do with endurance riding?

We are losing our trails. Historic, private and public trails are disappearing at an alarming rate, either closed to horses in general, or to organized competitions, or simply recreational use. We have to fight to retain them and educate the powers-that-be to the facts of land use as it pertains to horses.

One recurring issue is misinformation that horses spread noxious weeds. AERC has helped to fund a study that proved that it is not true, yet the misinformation still lingers. We must work together every day to put that information in the right hands. Fact-based decision making is important.

There is power in numbers and to join with other horse and user groups to work with land managers is of high priority to AERC. Our membership in the American Horse Council helps us to maintain a national presence in the areas of trail preservation and horse welfare. Members of AERC attended the annual Issues Forum in Washington, D.C., in mid-June. Through lobbying and grassroots efforts, we can effect change.

Just like the determination that brought back the bald eagle and Lake Erie, we can change the tide of land use in this country. It will take all of us, and it won't be easy. Here's what you can do:

Volunteer for trail work. Join up with the local bike group or form a horse group to help maintain local trails. Call your public land managers and find out how you can help.

Be aware of land use issues in your area and write to your lawmakers, both local and national, to keep trails open to horses and recreational users. Educate yourself on environmental impact issues of horses and other users and be able to state them clearly to those who make the laws but don't always know the full story. Join with other users to maintain and build trails. When trails are closed to hikers, mountain bikers, cross-country skiers and other users, they will be closed to us.

Share trails. Many times areas are closed to one or more users because they just don't get along. Be tolerant of fellow trail users and be courteous. Remember that shared-use trails best accommodate the needs of the most users.

Stay off trails when damage is most likely to occur! It is easy to blame horses for trail damage when riders use wet and muddy trails. Be good neighbors and it will be easier to state your case for continued trail use.

As longtime AERC trails advocate Jerry Fruth always says, all you need is a trail and a horse. But we are all going to have to work to keep those trails open. It will take all of us and we won't always be successful, but like the bald eagle and Lake Erie, we can win this fight.