United Trails

[Austin]

Update on the AI / Land Use .... thing…. that I'm calling United Trails for now.

So a few weeks ago I threw up a post about fundraising for a machine to run some AI tasks… And like usual, this place did its thing and funded it in a few hours. “Nicest group of assholes on the internet” still undefeated.

Where we’re at: Machine is here, it was up, it was running ..... I’ve already had it gathering data, tore it down, rebuilt it better, had it gathering data more efficient .... and it's back off for now. It’ll do exactly what I hoped it would do.

Here’s the problem… Now we can gather info in this manner ... what to do with it? ..... I don’t think this is a “me + AI solves it” situation.

Land use fights aren’t won by one guy, or one bot.

They’re won by awareness, coordination, people actually giving a **** early enough to matter

We’ve all seen it… Closures get announced --> everyone freaks out --> it’s likely already too late.

Meanwhile the other side ....they’re organized, informed and already 10 steps ahead ... likely as the cause of it.

PBB used to be really damn good at this awareness.

I think it’s time we pick that torch back up…but do it bigger, better and way more connected than before.

Not just irate. Everyone. More Inclusive.


Where I need input:
I jumped the gun a bit sharing the unitedtrails idea earlier.
What I actually need to figure out first is way more basic:

What do we DO with this data?

• How should it be shared?
• What actually makes people pay attention?
• What format doesn’t get ignored after 2 clicks?
• How do we get people talking before it’s too late?
• How do we connect the right people without turning it into noise?

I’m not trying to build some top-down thing here. If this works… it’s because a bunch of pissed off, motivated people start pulling in the same direction. THATS the goal.


I’ve got something I want to share (with permission) that really got my gears turning on this…but be sure to read the rest of my post under the this quote to get back to the point of this thread ....

The desert doesn’t close all at once. It shrinks quietly one route, one permit, one ruling at a time until riders look up and realize the map is smaller than it used to be. This isn’t about blaming one side or rehashing old arguments. It’s about asking a hard question: are we actually built to defend long-term access for motorized recreation? The OHV world is strong at building machines, experiences, and culture, but weaker at building the institutions that protect access through policy, advocacy, and stewardship.


Meanwhile, the groups shaping land-use decisions often operate as long-term institutions with funding, legal structure, and patience. Whether we agree with them or not, they are built for endurance. So here’s the conversation starter: are we trying to protect access with passion alone while others are playing a longer game? What needs to change from riders, manufacturers, and advocacy groups if we want the next generation to have somewhere to ride?

The OHV world is built around consumption, not institution-building.

• Riders finance machines easily.
• Industry sells freedom and adventure.
• Advocacy, education, stewardship, and legal defense remain underfunded.

Environmental NGOs involved in access issues often operate with:

• Large professional staffs
• Legal teams
• Long-term funding models
• Significant assets and annual revenue streams

OHV advocacy groups tend to rely on:

• Volunteers
• Membership dues
• Event-based income
• Smaller organizational infrastructure

Access is usually lost through:

• Administrative processes (management plans, route designations)
• Environmental review requirements
• Litigation focused on procedural compliance
• The fight often happens before a judge ever rules.
• Agencies respond to risk, documentation, and credible stakeholders.

Key tension:

• Manufacturers profit from access-dependent products.
• Advocacy investment appears small relative to industry size.

OHV culture emphasizes:

• Independence
• Individual freedom
• Personal ownership of the experience

Advocacy requires:

• Collective action
• Long-term funding
• Institutional thinking
• Environmental organizations function as institutions.
• They plan for decades, not seasons.
• They build legal and scientific infrastructure.
• Stewardship and compliance matter.
• Data and science matter.
• Participation in planning processes matters.
• Coalitions matter.
• Litigation is a tool, not a strategy.

So .... given the fact that we can hunt and gather data much faster ... automate graphing relationships about the data (cross referencing related data, making connections that are not obvious) ... and incorporate other AI intelligence .... I want to hear how YOU think this should work.

What would actually get your attention?
What would make you act instead of just scroll past it?

Let’s figure this out.

 

[Clb]

Something like blue ribbon coalition?
I don't know if using the state level groups are big enough...
I'll

 

[90supra]

I feel like it needs to get picked up by the offroad content creators. Thinking the flexrocksrollovers, dirthead Dave, maybe Rory and Matt's offroad recovery. I don't think its about what gets our attention, most here will already notice. It's what will get the people that don't pay attention to forums.

Also is there a way to tie this in with other forums? E.g. rme4x4 and badlinesgoodtimes? Everyone has their opinions about this, some positive some negative.

There have been times that I'll read something here, mention it to some buddies and then weeks later hear about it when it comes through on another information channel

 

[Arickvan]

I'm not sure what kind of data you're able to get, but quick idea that popped in my mind was a "live" map ATAC/red vs blue style, blue trails are open and red trails are closed and orange are at jeopardy

something that at a quick glance someone can see the overall scope of how we're losing, might help connect individual trail to bigger area advocacy and vise versa too

.... or itll look like a jackson pollock painting on top of a map

my initial thought was the helldivers map

 

[KOH-OG#13]

Any luck with this Austin?

 

[Austin]

Any luck with this Austin?

Not as far as direction as how to communicate, build and share the data we mine ... meaning a new forum here, a new site, emails ..... or?

You and Del's recent stuff on LinkedIn are hitting the nail on the head ... as far as people getting involved.

 

[KOH-OG#13]

Not as far as direction as how to communicate, build and share the data we mine ... meaning a new forum here, a new site, emails ..... or?

You and Del's recent stuff on LinkedIn are hitting the nail on the head ... as far as people getting involved.

I've got two more in the can. I'm still exploring that project we discussed, there are a lot of moving pieces and the sands keep shifting.

 

[Austin]

I've got two more in the can. I'm still exploring that project we discussed, there are a lot of moving pieces and the sands keep shifting.

Keep me updated

 

[Weasel]

PLWA (local group in Montana) has a neat program where user's can put in issue they find on the ground and then it's launched into their legal machine.

I see Blue Ribbon has a nice map now that shows what's going on it States and Nationally.

I like maps and exploring them so tying into Blue Ribbons maps with hotspots identified that are clickable might be a good way to get it out. As for notifications, beats me. Email is probably what I scan most often.

Beyond that non of the Data makes much sense to me right now.

PLWA access issues map, would be neat to have this on a national level.