2008 UFWDA MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
People - If you are a person who wishes to join UFWDA you can do so in one of two ways:
- Directly to UFWDA. You can join online or download an application
- Through your local club or state association. To find a club or association in your area click here.
Clubs or Associations -
Click here for the list of benefits of joining UFWDA as a Club or Association
Businesses – Graduated scale based on benefits selected by business as published in the UFWDA Business League Program. Contact UFWDA Business Development Manager Marti Pugh at 1-800-44-UFWDA or email to Business(at)ufwda.org.
BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
By joining UFWDA, your organization can make a real difference in the effort to keep our public lands open to recreational four-wheel drive. UFWDA is a member driven organization. Thus, the more you get involved with UFWDA, the more you stand to get from being UFWDA. You can use UFWDA to help your organization grow. UFWDA organizations are listed in our quarterly newspaper, The Voice and on the UFWDA Web Site. You are encouraged to submit articles to the Voice Editor that tell the world about what you all do and about your organization. Pictures are a plus!
Two of the many reasons for joining UFWDA are to promote the sport of four wheeling and to unify local, regional and state four-wheel drive organizations. Currently, there are nearly 450 clubs that are members of United Four Wheel Drive Associations. On April 1, 1993, UFWDA opened a Legislative Advocate position in the Washington D.C. area. This position enables us to provide a substantial lobbying presence where it is needed in support of national and local issues; increase our land use information network; and be available to work closely with D.C. land managers, elected officials, agencies, etc. Below is a list of specific items that UFWDA is working on.
- We work with manufactures and other advertising executives to correct advertising depicting improper use to avoid perpetuating the myth that we're all just weekend yahoos tearing up the land and streams. We have solicited DaimlerChrysler Jeep Division for the past several years to reinstitute its Jeep Environmental Council. UFWDA served on this council since its inception in the mid 1990s. The council was designed to preview TV and print ads from Jeep to correct any user ethics violations occurring in the advertising. Seated on this council were UFWDA, Jeep Jamboree USA, TreadLightly!, US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. UFWDA has requested the implementation of similar programs in other manufacturers such as Ford and Toyota Trucks. Similarly, UFWDA sends written correspondence to other companies who already advertise us in a negative way.
- In 1993 UFWDA developed its 4WD Awareness Program in order to reach out to 4x4 users on proper driving techniques and user ethics. The program continues to grow among our member organizations every year.
- UFWDA is a charter member of TreadLightly! and as such we work closely with TreadLightly! to educate the public and users on proper user ethics, what constitutes "trail riding", and on restoration grants to repair environmentally sensitive areas.
- UFWDA drafted portions of the current national fee program to ensure that those areas utilized heavily by 4x4 recreation have a means for pumping money into the area where the use occurs.
- UFWDA has a grant-writing workshop for obtaining grants through the Recreational Trails Program. These grants include trail repair but can also include money for educational material to prevent renegade use such as our Volunteer Trail Patrol program and our Public Land Owner's Manual.
- UFWDA works with federal land management agencies to educate their employees on our use preferences. This outreach includes participation in trails symposiums, user ethics conferences, and agency congresses.
- UFWDA supports the pending bill in Congress that makes renegade illegal use of federal lands a Class 1 felony uniformly from one federal agency to the next. This legislation not only unifies penalties for criminal use of federal lands it also informs our Congressional Representatives and land managers that UFWDA clearly separates the legal, reasonable, and appropriate 4x4 use from renegade and improper users.
- At the state level UFWDA has worked on policing issues with land managers in several states. UFWDA has worked with local organizations and provided input and guidance in dealing with various issues relating to trail access.
- Our policy goals at UFWDA are to address 4x4 image on the public sector side as well as work with local, state, and federal agencies to clarify what experiences legitimate users are after.
Join UFWDA and be a part of organized four wheeling. Call us anytime at 1-800-44-UFWDA, or email membership (at) ufwda.org.
For inquiries outside of the United States, please contact IntlVP (at) ufwda.org.
