During the past 35 years, although many changes have been implemented to improve operations, reduce impacts, and expand public benefit, there has not been a comprehensive management review of the horse operations. While proposals for facility improvements have been made by the operators, the NPS has not been able to evaluate those proposals in the context of a broader facility site plan. With the proposed Plan, the NPS can properly evaluate any proposed expansion or enhancement of equestrian facilities in southern Marin. There is a need to determine the appropriate number of horses to be stabled in GGNRA southern Marin stables in consideration of site capacity, horse health and financial feasibility for business operations. There is also a need to determine appropriate facilities for horses and visitors. Short term permits hinder business planning. Short term authorizations - from monthly to five years – do not reflect the long term management goals of the NPS. A consequence is that the operators’ ability is restricted for long-term planning, program development, staffing, and facility improvements, resulting in limited public programming and poor conditions at certain site facilities. Important operating parameters, such as the number of permitted horses and permitted extent of developed facilities, have not been evaluated for long-term authorizations. There is a need to establish a formalized NPS inspection process to ensure compliance with permit conditions. There is a need to provide the broader equestrian community the opportunity to operate these facilities through a request for proposals and competitive selection. Additionally, providing fair economic return to the NPS for the assigned use of land and facilities would be required. For example, fair economic return could include payment of a Service District Charge or rent or improvement to Park facilities. Business operations need to be financially feasible; this is essential to the long-term sustainability of the GGNRA and equestrian operations within it.

A high-quality grade infill material would be obtained in particular when using cost-effective rotary-cut hardwood veneers for the core layer and sliced or sawn veneers for the face layers. Within a review of the utilisation of hardwoods for LVL manufacturing, Ozarska (1999) highlighted the superior strength properties of hardwood and LVL made of it. It was mentioned that mechanical properties could be further improved by increasing density, either by compression during processing or by impregnating some or all of the veneers with polymerized material. Such impregnation resultsin better weathering properties. In the case of localizing the denser material in regions of high stress (face layers), properties could be improved further. Colak et al. (2007) found the static bending strength of solid wood to be lower than that of LVL, however, the impact strength of beech solid wood issignificantly higher than that of beech LVL. Brittle glue lines between the veneer layers may cause a decrease in impact strength. The lack of further studies on the shock resistance of LVL indicates the need for research on this topic, which may show contrary results. Strength properties of beech wood (Fagus sylvatica) (Volmary, 2005), (Fagus orientalis) (Aydin, 2004), red maple (Acer rubrum) (Wang et al., 2003) and rubber wood (Hevea brasiliensis) (Kamala, et al. 1999) LVL have been published, while no information on the shock resistance is given.

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