|
 | | |||
EDITOR'S LETTER by Joel Patenaude Join the organized nonmotorized
Dear friends of Wisconsin's outdoors, The next time you find yourself out enjoying Wisconsin's natural beauty, stop for a moment and listen. Amid the bird calls and whistling wind, you may hear a distant rumble. That sound, growing ever louder as it comes up the trail, is likely coming from one of two sources. What you are most likely hearing, unfortunately, is motorized traffic encroaching on your serenity. But there is a chance that the exact opposite is making itself heard. Raising its collective voice is the truly "silent majority" the 85 percent of outdoor recreationalists in this state who, like you, want to safeguard quiet trails, public parks and wild areas. (2005-2010 Wisconsin Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan) The truth is, Wisconsin spends less of its budget on state parks, forests and trails than almost any other state. (The National Association of State Park Directors reported in 2005 that only 0.07 percent of Wisconsin's expenditures go to maintaining and developing its parks, ranking it 49th in the nation.) We have millions of acres of public land and many miles of trails, but they are insufficiently cared for. "The commons" is suffering from neglect and abuse. So to the defense of hikers, cyclists, cross-country skiers, paddlers and other self-propelled recreationists comes the Wisconsin Public Land & Trail Council (WPLTC). As a pro-forest, pro-trail and pro-"silent sports" organization, WPLTC will work to advance efforts at the grass-roots and legislative levels that lead to better management of parks and trails as well as expanded opportunities for nonmotorized recreation and habitat preservation. To that end, WPLTC aims to work directly with citizen's groups, lawmakers and land managers. WPLTC is a growing coalition of citizens, nonprofit organizations, businesses, sustainable forest managers and government officials working together as a positive force for environmental protection by promoting nonmotorized recreation and healthy lifestyles. If we want to live in a state that values open space, tranquility and wildlife, we need an organization engaged in the processes that shape Wisconsin's future. Several long-standing defenders of quiet recreation and resource protection have already committed themselves to the WPLTC, but we need more such people like you at the table. If you wish to do more to promote human-powered sports, eco-tourism and habitat preservation, as well as fight budget cuts and the proliferation of motorized damage on public property, please join our mailing list. By joining the WPLTC e-mail list, you will be kept informed of several campaigns, including: The establishment of a legislative committee to study funding problems and solutions for nonmotorized trails, as supported by the Governor's State Trails council. (See resolution, next page.) The advancement of draft legislation recommended by the Special Legislative Committee on State Trails Policy and advanced last month by the Joint Legislative Council (Senate Bill 185) that would: 1) establish an ATV trail damage fund for the first time; Unfortunately, SB 185 would also increase the DNR's ATV Fund by millions of dollars annually, as would Gov. Jim Doyle's proposed biennial budget. A windfall for this fund would only hasten the expansion of motorized recreation onto more public lands and further denigrate the experience of nonmotorized trail users. WPLTC will lobby against this happening. Visit the Special Legislative Committee on State Trails Policy web page for more information: www.legis.state.wi.us/lc/committees/study/2006/TRAIL/index.htm Don't hesitate to contact a member of the WPLTC, some of whom are listed here. To get on the organization's "call to action" email list, please send your contact information to Brook Waalen at brookwaalen@lakeland.ws. Help us promote self-propelled recreation and conservation on public lands throughout Wisconsin. Let's make some noise in defense of silence on our trails and in our parks! Sue & Alan Drum Mark Haag Michael McFadzen Philip Nelson Joel Patenaude Brook Waalen Support the establishment of a nonmotorized trails by Joel Patenaude As mentioned in this issue's Editor's Letter (above), SB 185 includes several provisions that would greatly improve nonmotorized recreation opportunities in Wisconsin. The bill would also give law enforcement more tools to deal with rogue ATV'ers. Much less palatable, however, is the "superfunding" of ATVing that would occur, to the great detriment of silent sports enjoyment, if this bill became law. The seemingly contradictory measures in SB 185 are the result of the committee that drafted them the majority of whose members were ATV proponents. Opposition to increasing ATV funding from $6 million to more than $11 million a year caused the silent sports advocates on the committee to vote against the entire package. In fact, the bill was narrowly approved on a 7-5 vote. Largely overlooked by the largely pro-ATV committee was the $1 million surplus in the state ATV fund in 2005 or the chronic underfunding of biking and hiking trail development and maintenance. (About $1.5 million is needed to repair existing rail-trails alone, according to DNR officials.) The committee process demonstrated, if anything, the need to focus attention on nonmotorized trails and find the means to improve and expand them. To that end, the Governor's State Trails Council unanimously passed the resolution (click here to view) that would establish a committee to study nonmotorized funding issues. The fact is, the state ATV and snowmobile programs have millions of dollars in registration fees and gas taxes with which to maintain trail. Nonmotorized trails do not have a comparable, dedicated funding source and consequently their users are much less organized than ATV and snowmobile clubs. The draft legislation described here was advanced by the Joint Legislative Council in mid May. The JLC has yet to act on the proposal to establish a nonmotorized study committee. There is still time to let JLC members know that such a committee is greatly needed. JLC co-chairmen Sen. Fred Risser and Rep. Steve Wieckert must hear from us. So, too, should the other 20 members of the JLC listed below. If these legislators are in your district, you are strongly encouraged to contact them. Their contact information can be found at www.legis.state.wi.us/lc/committees/jointcouncil/index.htm. Joint Legislative Council
| ||||
Back to the top Waupaca Publishing: 717 Tenth Street * P.O. Box 152 * Waupaca, WI 54981 © 1999-2008 Site last updated 10/01/08 Designed by PBW |
||||
|
