The purpose of this symposium was to address the issues surrounding a rising intensity of use of forest trails by horseback riders. Symposium speakers dealt with: (a) horse impacts on forest trails and the considerations for managing those impacts, (b) equestrian-other forest user conflicts, and (c) management of horse trail campgrounds.

The scope of the symposium was national in terms of landscape, audience, and speakers. Speakers represented state and federal agencies, nongovernment organizations, and private landowners. The opening session featured Dr. Jack Ward Thomas, past Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, Ms. Pam Gluck, Executive Director of American Trails, and Mr. Steve Ralls of the American Horse Council.

Thirty-one speakers from throughout the Nation represented the viewpoints of state and federal agencies, non-government organizations, and private landowner interests. One hundred and seventy-three registrants came from 33 states plus Washington, D.C. The geographical distribution of registrants was as follows: Southeast - 62%, Northeast - 14%, Midwest - 13%, and West - 11%. Federal agency employees, mostly from the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service, accounted for 32% of the registrants. State agency personnel accounted for another 12%. Pleasantly surprising was the fact that 56% of participants were non-government agency people. This level of interest by the citizenry should be of particular interest to the managers of public lands.

Planning Team

Gene Wood, Co-Chairman, Professor of Forest Wildlife Ecology, Clemson University, Clemson, SC Tomas Gimenez, Co-Chairman, Professor of Animal Science, Clemson University, Clemson, SC Donna Arterburn, Program Coordinator, Strom Thurmond Institute, Clemson University, SC Larry Hudson, Horse Extension Specialist, Clemson University, Clemson, SC Wayne Link, Director of Continuing Education, Tri-County Technical College, Pendleton, SC Bob McLellan, Professor of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC Steve Muzal, Forestry Extension Specialist, Clemson University, Clemson SC

Executive Committee

Stan Clark, SC Forestry Commission Larry Hultquist, National Park Service Verida Marchette, SC Horsemen's Council Billy McTeer, SC Department of Natural Resources Mitch Overend, US Army Corps of Engineers Ervin Pitts, SC Parks, Recreation and Tourism Jim Schmid, Trails Coordinator, SC Parks, Recreation and Tourism Skip Starkey, USDA - Forest Service Buzz Williams, Chattooga River Watershed Coalition