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Wisconsin Trail Patrol Program
Trail Ambassadors Promote Safety
If you ride All-Terrain Vehicles in Wisconsin, you
may come across them.
Or, if you're lost, they may come across you.
They're certified trail Ambassadors—volunteers who
ride the trails of northeast Wisconsin. You'll also find them on popular ATV
trails in other parts of the state. There are over 300 Trail Ambassadors
statewide.
 Randy Harden, president of the
Wisconsin ATV Association (WATVA) in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, came up with the idea
for Wisconsin Trail Ambassadors in late 2001.
Harden saw that kids were getting safety
training and being taught to wear proper safety gear, but when they got out on
the trails they saw adults who didn't have that same concern for safety. At that
point, all that safety training the kids got just undid itself, Harden says. So
he thought that educating adults on the trails would help.
State lawmakers apparently agreed, since they
authorized the trail patrol and funding. Your ATV club has several certified
trail ambassadors which patrol the ATV trails. But, we are always looking for
more!
What is a trail ambassador?
A trail ambassador serves three main purposes:
- He / She helps to protect the ATV trail system by
patrolling the trails periodically to monitor and alert authorities to possible
ATV violations.
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- He / She helps to protect the ATV'ers by patrolling
the trails to alert emergency services and/or to render basic aid to stranded or
disabled riders.
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- He / She helps to educate both young and adult
ATV'ers through training and public assistance.
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Don't worry, it's allot more fun than it sounds.
How do I become a trail ambassador and patrol the
ATV trail system?
 Trail
Ambassadors must be state Department of Natural Resources ATV safety instructors
so that they are experts on ATV rider safety. They also get training in laws
related to ATVs, and learn how to approach people safely on the trails.
The National Off-Highway Vehicle Insurance &
Services group (NOVIS) provides free training several times a year. All you have
to do is contact our club and we can find you the earliest and closest location
to take the course.
But what's in it for me?
For you? Are you serious? Our ATV trails are
precious investments for the clubs and you. Without these trails, clubs like
ours, would have NO place to ride ATV's. Ok - Yes, there are some parks
that allow ATVs in them. But, you have to admit - riding in circles on a 40 acre
park gets boring fast. So, as a club - we construct new trails for our members
to explore and enjoy. Now, there are some people out there that, well - like to
cause trouble. Yes, it's true!
Toss into the mix, private land owners allowing
clubs to cross there property. What do you think would happen if trail
ambassadors didn't patrol the trail systems and alert authorities to ATV
violations. That's right - we would loose our trails quickly. It happens every
year - someone does something stupid and the next thing you know - "Trail
Closed" is posted.
Now, consider your child or your friends child
riding along on an ATV trail and there machine breaks down or they get hurt....
Would you feel safer knowing trail ambassadors are out there patrolling those
very same trails aiding in that child rescue?
That's what's in it for you....
Please help us to help others and join our trail
patrols.
We are always looking for more help!
Contact us about becoming a certified Trail
Ambassador
and patrol Wisconsin's ATV Trails with us.
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