The NorthEast Association of 4WD Clubs, Inc. (NEA4WDC) and its member clubs gathered together to help support a thirty-two year old commitment, called “Earth Day”.

On April 22, 1970, a well organized group of concerned citizens altered the course of our nation, giving way to an opportunity for each of us to make a difference of how our actions, (for better or worse) would impact the earth for future years to come. The continued Earth Day celebrations serve as a reminder for all of us to take notice and make a commitment toward our environment all year long.

The NorthEast Association’s Earth Day contribution was to gather together and clean up a specific parcel of land. This commitment was based upon the growing public concern for the amount of trash being left behind or illegally dumped on private and public property. Individual 4x4 clubs, which make up the backbone of the Association, have throughout the years made enormous strides in cleaning up our environment. Many of these groups have spent hundreds of hours picking up after those who feel the earth in which we live in is just one big dumping ground.

The 2002 Earth Day clean-up site for this collaborative effort was based in New Hampshire, near the Massachusetts border, in the towns of Mason and Brookline. However, the unfortunate part of this selected location is that this is the third effort to keep this area clean. Other volunteer clubs removed tons of trash in that very area for the last three years! Because of situations like this, the NEA4WDC joined together with the NH Fish & Game to patrol such areas and educate the public, work collectively with the landowners, government agencies and volunteers, to ensure (once the land owners have given the proper written authority to the Association), they could survey and document an area and move forward with the cleaning and maintenance process. Thus their effort will help these existing areas stay clean and safe for wildlife and other trail users that have the proper permission to use them.

Many landowners in the North Eastern states are closing areas to the public because of the lack of respect for the land. This Association feels that all recreational groups and individuals should be working closely together in an effort to keep a peaceful co-existence in managing land use. The overall effort is to keep these areas open and clean for enjoyment and discouraging the misuse of land for dumping. All members have been encouraged to leave the land they use with more than they brought in, stay within the boundaries of the trails and not create new stress on the eco-system. The NEA4WDC’s efforts go beyond Earth Day, they are everyday!

While the Earth Day Clean-up was going on, there were several Association Safety Patrols monitoring the same area. The patrols, which carry first aid kits, hazmat kits and educational materials were able to contact many operators of Off Highway Recreational Vehicles (OHRV) traveling through the land and educate them about the current NH OHRV and Landowner Permission laws, as well as informing them about the on going clean-up.

At days end, the Clean-up Crews and Safety Patrollers collected all the trash that was picked up and met at the Brookline Transfer Station to dispose of it. Over all, there were 35 discarded tires, 8 trucks and Jeeps loaded with metal, hazardous material, various junk and wood products.

The NorthEast Associations of 4WD Clubs hopes its efforts in the celebration of Earth Day 2002, will make a difference for the surrounding residents and landowners. May everyday be an Earth Day in all our lives.

Special recognition and thanks go out to those 30 volunteers who participated in the Clean up. The following is a list of volunteers to make this celebration happen:

From the Brookline Transfer Station - Maurice Marshall graciously offered to open the station, which is generally not open on Sunday’s for the group to dispose of all the trash gathered.

NH Fish & Game- To Captain Tim Acerno for the coordinating the permission from the landowners to hold the Earth Day Clean-up in these towns.

From New England 4 Wheelers, Inc. - MA: Rhonda Pratte (Pres. NEA4WDC), Barry Pratte, Scott Hatch (VP NEA4WDC), Steve Nordby (Treasurer NEA4WDC), Peg Nordby, Rosco Brandt, Carl Merrick and Paul Regish

From Baystate Jeepers, Inc. - MA: Paul Kelly (Delegate NEA4WDC), Paul Maxwell, Pat Charron, Ron Clapp, Jacob Levine, Kevin Wyrsch, Cindy Olsen, Ansel Freniere and Sharon Perron

From Deepwoods Extreme, Inc. - NH: Roy VanGemert (Delegate NEA4WDC), Tammy Lynne Luck and Russ Cook

From North East Willy’s Jeep Organization, Inc. - NH: Shane Beard (Delegate NEA4WDC), Marty & Robin Chacon and Rob Horton

From Code 3 Off-Road, Inc. - MA: Mark Supernor (Delegate NEA4WDC) and Chris Bourgeois

From Elias 4WD Center - MA: Lou Kiklis (Member of several 4x4 clubs).

Non Association Volunteers: Rich Banfield (Patriot Jeepers, MA), Sid Anthony and Kristine Beleau, NH, David Navison, NH and Chuck Colfax, NY