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EnglishWhat is Back Country Horsemen of America (bcha.org)?
Updated
Back Country Horsemen of America (BCHA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to keeping America's trails open for all users, with a focus on preserving commonsense horse use in back country and wilderness areas. Its members volunteer time and stock to maintain trails on public lands, working alongside local and federal land management agencies. The bcha.org site serves prospective members, current members, and the general public with information on the organization's mission, education, events, membership, grants, sawyer resources, and volunteering.
What BCHA Does
BCHA describes itself as the only national equestrian trails service organization. Its work falls into three connected areas:
- Trail maintenance: Volunteers clear and maintain trails on public lands in partnership with trail partners and land management agencies.
- Advocacy: BCHA advocates at the local, state, and national level for the protection of trails and the riding experience on public lands.
- Support for agencies: Members assist government and private agencies in the maintenance and management of these resources.
The scale of this volunteer work is significant. According to the site, BCHA volunteers spend 300,000 hours each year maintaining trails on public lands—a value of $11.2 million in donated trail work. Since 1995, members have contributed a value equal to $126.47 million in volunteer hours, traveling over 1.1 million miles to reach work locations.
The Mission Statement
The site lists five mission points:
- Perpetuate the commonsense use and enjoyment of horses in America's back country and wilderness.
- Work to ensure public lands remain open to recreational stock use.
- Assist government and private agencies in maintaining and managing these resources.
- Educate and encourage wise use of the back country by horsemen and the general public.
- Foster the formation of new state Back Country Horsemen organizations.
Membership is grassroots-based, with members across the United States and Canada carrying out this mission through local chapters.
What You'll Find on bcha.org
The site is organized around several audiences and functions:
| Section | What it offers |
|---|---|
| About / Mission | Organization background and mission statement |
| Membership | Information for future and current members |
| Chapter locator | Zip-code search (with radius options from 10 to 1,500 miles) to find local chapters |
| Education | Educational resources |
| Events | Organizational events |
| Grants | Grant information |
| Sawyer Resources | Resources related to sawyer/trail work |
| Public Lands | Advocacy and public lands information |
| Volunteering | Ways to get involved |
| Youth | Youth-focused content |
| Giving / Estate Planning | Donation and planned-giving options |
The site also carries news feeds from the American Horse Council and the National Park Service, and a "Member Home" area for existing members.
Who It's For
- Prospective members who want to join a local chapter or support trail access work.
- Current members looking for forms, documents, and member resources.
- Riders and trail users who want to understand the organization's advocacy and volunteer work.
- Anyone interested in public lands who wants to donate or volunteer.
How to Get Involved
If you want to find a local chapter, the site's chapter locator asks for a zip code and a search radius, then returns nearby results. For those who want to support the work financially, the site links to a donation checkout page. The Volunteering and Membership sections describe other ways to participate.