BFTA Member? “So What?”

You may recall when you were a youngster, having proudly stated to your friends, you were part of something that was important to you.  It could have been a team, church, scouts, or a class play.  Some, usually the jealous ones, would respond with “So what?” or “Who do you think you are?”   Well fortunately, as adults, we have grown past that, but you may still ask it of yourself when you participate in and support a group like the Black Forest Trails Association (BFTA).  So what?  Who do you think you are?

I am the current President of the BFTA, so let me tell you who I think you are!  As a member of the BFTA, you are greatly valued by your BFTA Board of Directors and the Black Forest community at large!  Let me tell you why:

Members Give BFTA Clout! BFTA is primarily a lobby group with the county and private land owners, who we approach, on behalf of our members, to encourage maintenance and development of a strong network of trails throughout Black Forest.   How do members help in this?  It’s simple!  The more members we represent, the more likely the parties we approach will listen and respond to our requests.  Your membership directly results in the county expending limited resources in our neck of the woods.  At BFTA’s request, significant county efforts have come our way.  For example:

• The county has spent a great amount of time and resources getting Black Forest Regional Park back on its feet after being devastated in the 2013 fire.  The burnt trees were removed from pathways, erosion barriers were installed and a new network of trails have been built!

 

• The Pineries network of trails is nearly complete with over 12 miles of new trails opening to the public in 2020!  This has been your Association’s number one goal for the last 5 years and it is extremely gratifying to see the county’s consistent application of resources to complete this very important project!

 

• The county recently announced a commitment to build a Nature Center for this end of the county in Fox Run Regional Park.  Or neighbors to the South have long benefitted from the Bear Creek Nature Center and now we will have one of our own to enjoy and help teach our children to value and protect our trails and natural settings!
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• Members Provide BFTA Resources! BFTA relies upon modest membership dues and gifts to further our mission to “create a safe, legitimate, non-motorized, multi-use recreational trail system that connects Black Forest neighborhoods to each other and the El Paso County Regional Trail System.” How?  Once again it is simple!  BFTA carefully stewards your gifts to:

• Construct new trails that cross privately owned lands.  When new housing developments show up in Black Forest we are quickly in contact with the developer to encourage inclusion of open spaces and a supporting trail network.  Also, when our current neighbors open up their border land for connecting trails we are there to assist in the creation of the trail.  In both cases we apply our funds to construct the trail bed and erect and maintain signage and fencing.

 

• Enhance county trails with commemorative benches that provide those using our park trails to rest and recuperate in scenic settings.  These projects are often completed in conjunction with Eagle Scout projects that get our youth involved in stewarding nature.

 

• Leverage BFTA funds with the county to insure completion of costly park construction, support facilities, and trail maintenance.  Section 16 is a great example where BFTA provided the county an upfront “incentive” gift to jump start construction of the trailhead restroom facility and the county responded by covering all remaining costs for the much needed facility .  Also, in the 1990’s, the actual Section 16 Trail was constructed by BFTA at their own expense and handed over to the county to maintain.  Dollars well spent!

So I ask you “So what?”  So, your involvement as a member of the Black Forest Trails Association has a far reaching consequence for you and our community!  For all current members a big THANK YOU!  For past members PLEASE REJOIN AGAIN!  For our other fellow trail users PLEASE JOIN NOW! The larger we are, the more we are heard!

Sincerely, Larry Fariss
President BFTA