The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has instituted a new license structure
that now includes a use fee for mountain biking in Wildlife Management Areas (WMA).

The complete TWRA licence schedule is below.
The section that includes mountain bikes is highlighted.

A message from MSTA.

The letter and email campaign to TWRA Commissioners has ended.
MSTA achieved our goal of entering into a dialog with TWRA on the subject of
user fees for mountain biking.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to send messages to the TWRA Commissioners. Commissioner Bill Cox, who serves our district, put MSTA in contact with TWRA Assistant Director for Field Operations Steve Patrick. MSTA communicated the situation to Steve and received the reply below.
MSTA is evaluating what steps to take next to bring some sanity to this situation.

From: "Steve Patrick"
Sent: Tuesday, June 9, 2015 11:10:18 AM
Subject: High Impact Habitat Conservation Permit

There are a number of alternatives that someone wishing to ride horses, ATVs or bicycles may choose from. Resident or non-resident youths under 13 are exempt from the requirement to possess a Resident High Impact Habitat Conservation Permit.

Residents and non-residents may do one of the following on designated WMAs:

Residents may purchase the Resident High Impact Habitat Conservation Annual Permit (type 035) - $74.00

Residents may purchase the High Impact Habitat Conservation Daily Permit (type 036) - $15.50

Non-resident may purchase the Resident High Impact Habitat Conservation Annual Permit (type 037) $233.00

Non-resident may purchase the Resident High Impact Habitat Conservation Daily Permit (type 038) $37.50

Anyone who possesses the necessary licenses and permits to hunt on designated WMAs are exempt from the requirement to possess the High Impact Habitat Conservation Permit (HIHCP). The following are some examples of the license and permits that either residents or non-residents may have but it does not cover all possible annual license types and permits. Annual Sportsman licenses and Lifetime Sportsman licenses also cover the HIHCP.

If a resident has a hunting and fishing license (type 001 - $34.00) and the big game gun license (type 009 - $34.00) and either the big game management Permit (type 087 - $25.00) it is not necessary for them to have the HIHCP. Or they may also have the type 001 and the WMA small game permit (type - 093 $21.00) or the WMA waterfowl/small game permit (type 091 - $62.00) or the WMA 1-day waterfowl/small game permit (type 092 - $12.50), and it would not be necessary for them to have the HIHCP.

Non-resident who have an annual hunting license excluding big game (type 071 - $111.00) and either the type 091, type 092, or type 093 are not required to have the HIHCP. Non-resident youths 13-15 who have the junior hunt/fish no big game (type 070 - $11.00) and either the type 091, type 092, or type 093 are not required to have the HIHCP.

On designated Agency Fishing Lakes individuals possessing the following licenses do not need to possess the HIHCP.

Residents who have the type 001 plus either the Daily Agency Lake permit (type 191 - $6.00) or the Annual Agency Lake permit (type 193 - $48.00)
Non-residents who have the annual fishing no trout (type 076 - $50.00) and either the type 191 or the type 193 permits.
Residents who have a one day fishing license (type 021 - $6.50) and either the type 191 or 193.
Non-residents who have a three day fishing license no trout (type 077 - $20.50) and either the type 191 or 193.
Non-resident youths who have the junior hunt/fish no big game (type 070 - $11.00) and either the type 191 or 193.

There are other possible combinations involving other hunting and fishing license types but these will probably be the most common that hunters and fishers may have that would preclude them needing the HIHCP.

I know this seems complicated but most people who hunt and fish have been buying these combinations of licenses and permits for decades. I hope it helps.

The wildlife management areas and agency lake that provide either horseback riding, ATV and bicycling opportunities and require the HIHCP will be listed on our web page www.tn.gov/twra/ by Thursday of this week. There are other State owned properties that are also WMAs but are under the jurisdiction of other State Departments that allow these activities and will not require the HIHCP.

Steve Patrick
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Assistant Director for Field Operations
P.O. Box 40747
Nashville, TN 37204
615-781-6557 Office
615-781-6551

MSTA replied to Steve Patrick with information about the mountain bike community's involvement with the trail at Herb Parsons Lake over the years. The trail originally was a horse trail which was abandoned. Very early in the history of mountain biking the trail was reclaimed by local riders and has been maintained by the MTB community ever since. All this was done at no cost to TWRA. They don't seem to care.
From: Steve Patrick
Date: June 9, 2015 at 2:16:50 PM CDT
Cc: Alan Peterson
Subject: RE: High Impact Habitat Conservation Permit- Response from Mid- South Trails Association

Jim, the fees were set to be comparable to what a person who has a hunting or fishing license would have paid to use a given WMA or Agency Lake. I believe all the states you mentioned run their programs by getting an appropriation from the state. We do not get any general fund tax dollars to operate any of our WMAs or Agency Lakes.

The best Agency people to meet with would be the Region I manager and his staff. Alan Peterson is the manager and can be reached at alan.peterson@tn.gov. All management actions by the Agency begin with these Regional staffs and then are forward up to the appropriate Division and then to the Director for his consideration and then possible submission to the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission.

I hope this proves to be useful information.

Steve Patrick
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Assistant Director for Field Operations
P.O. Box 40747
Nashville, TN 37204
615-781-6557 Office
615-781-6551 Fax

When sent my emails to the TWRA commissioners on June 8, 2015, I also sent a letter to the governor. Below is the reply I received from the governor's office.
- Brad C

TWRA Postpones implementation of fee for mountain bike use at Herb Parsons!

After receiving the news of the fee postponment,several of us at MSTA emailed Bill Cox, the TWRA Commissioner for our district, thanking them for listening to our side of the discussion. Here is Bill's reply.

We are going to try to separate biking from High Impact designation and establish fees accordingly. I should have caught that, but did not.

Best Regards,

Bill Cox

From MSTA President Jim Morgan, June 22, 2015.

Hello everyone,

I just got of the phone a little while ago with Steve Patrick, TWRA Assistant Executive Director, Field Operations. Very nice guy, and we had a great conversation. He did confirm that the fee will not apply to Herb Parson for at least a year.

Also, I was able to get MSTA onto the agenda at the next TWRA Commissioners meeting on Thursday September 17th at 1:00 PM in Nashville. Steve welcomed us with open arms. We will be able to walk through our Power Point Presentation on Herb Parsons, discussing the history that mountain bikers, and MSTA, have had with the trail, and the Land Managers, it also lists many of the projects, supported by pictures, etc. We will also have the opportunity to discuss the future of Herb Parson for mountain bikers and make our case.

This is our opportunity to make a difference. Thanks for everyone's support.

MSTA to meet with TWRA.

This meeting was canceled whan the information above came to MSTA.

TWRA can't charge the High Impact fee at Herb Parsons Lake unless they change their regulations.

Brad,

As the legislation is now written, the “High Impact User Fee” only applies on Wildlife Management Areas. It does not apply on Herb Parsons Lake, since HPL is not a WMA. Unless the rules are rewritten to designate the lake as a WMA (not likely), or rewritten to apply the user fee to other areas in addition to WMAs, the user fee will not apply at Herb Parsons. The Commission can revise anything at any time. However, I do not believe the Commission will even consider revising anything about the user fee in the near future.

Alan Peterson
Regional Manager
TWRA, Region I
200 Lowell Thomas Drive
Jackson, TN 38301
alan.peterson@tn.gov

Received September 16, 2015.
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