Sounding (the silent sports) Alarm
Causes for concern & action
Minn. DNR closes, limits OHV use in 2 forests
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently classified the Whiteface River State Forest as closed to off-highway vehicle (OHV) use and the Fond du Lac State Forest as "limited." These classifications become effective for Whiteface River on July 1, 2006, and for Fond du Lac on Jan. 1, 2007.
Under the limited classification, trails are closed to OHV use unless
specifically posted as open. OHVs include all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles or "dirt bikes," and off-road vehicles and four-wheel drive trucks.
These classifications were made as part of an ongoing process to evaluate the use of trails and roads on all of Minnesota's state forest lands as directed by the Legislature in 2003. At the time of the 2003 legislation, most of Minnesota's state forest lands were classified as "managed." Under the managed
classification, trails are open to all motor vehicle use unless specifically posted as closed. In 2005, the Legislature classified all state forest lands north of U.S. Highway 2 as managed, unless the DNR commissioner elects to reclassify any of those forest lands as limited or closed.
As a result of these legal changes, "many people have mistakenly assumed that DNR would abandon its efforts to evaluate the classification of forest lands north of Highway 2," said Craig
Engwall, special assistant to the DNR commissioner. "The DNR is committed to reviewing every state forest and, with input from the public and other governmental partners, will make a decision as to the most appropriate classification for each forest. For the Whiteface River State Forest (northwest of Duluth and north of Highway 2), the DNR believes the closed classification is the best fit."
In classifying the Fond du Lac State Forest as limited, the DNR also designated a
number of miles of trails for both motorized and nonmotorized users.
"While most people are aware that DNR's forest review process involves the designation of motorized trails, it's important to remember that the commissioner is also designating nonmotorized trails, such as the cross-country skiing and hunter walking trails in the Fond du Lac," Engwall said.
The process to evaluate all state forests for trail use is expected to take until the end of 2008. Criteria to
decide where OHV use is appropriate include the potential for damage to vegetation, wildlife, wetlands and other sensitive natural resources; existing motorized use patterns within a forest; and the proximity of other motorized and nonmotorized recreational opportunities. The classification and trail designation process includes several opportunities for public comment and input.
For more details about the ongoing reclassification process for state forests, visit the DNR website at www.dnr.state.mn.us.
Snowmobiles barred on Hermantown streets
The Hermantown, Minnesota, City Council voted unanimously on January 9 against allowing snowmobiles on city-maintained streets. Nearly all the residents along the proposed route signed a petition against it out of concern for noise, trespassing and rowdy behavior by snowmobilers.
Minnesotans for Responsible Recreation (MRR) helped residents organize, circulate
the petition and offered testimony at the council meeting. MRR, based in Duluth, seeks oversight and accountability, open government and inclusive public participation in the disbursement of public funds for snowmobile trails.
MRR Executive Director Jeff Brown said, "While unwanted snowmobile trails are often outwardly unopposed in communities, this decision makes clear that the quiet majority of citizens expect peace and quiet and intend to protect it."
MRR member
Brian Bergeron said, "This is a residential community and a snowmobile trail is not a good fit." He added, "A cross-town snowmobile trail is not a good long-term solution to snowmobile problems."
The Hermantown Nightriders Snow-mobile Club sought access to Hermantown Road were the current snowmobile trail route dead-ends. The road route would have served snowmobilers until a permanent trail is secured and owned by the state. The Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources has reached easement agreements for only 40 of the 100 properties the trail might need to cross, according to the Duluth News Tribune.
The DNR is seeking the permanent easements on private property in Hermantown, Rice Lake Township and Duluth to connect the Munger State Trail with the North Shore State Trail. The Minnesota Legislature has allocated $500,000 for a pilot program to purchase the easements. The money won't be spent until a complete route has been plotted.
Enviro study due for Amery-Dresser trail
Planning for the 13-mile Amery to Dresser trail in northwestern Wisconsin is once again under way after Friends of the Lincoln-Osceola-Garfield Greenway (LOG) successfully challenged the DNR to conduct an environmental assessment (EA) of the trail.
LOG anticipates the completed environmental assessment will be made public soon. LOG has argued that the 13-mile trail should be nonmotorized with the possible exception of
snowmobile use over the winter.
"If the EA is thorough and comprehensive, we will follow whatever planning process the DNR lays out," LOG president Brook Waalen said. "If, on the other hand, it does not adequately address key issues, LOG will do whatever it takes to make certain that this trail is developed in a manner that respects its rural nature and the communities it will impact."
The DNR has tentatively scheduled a March 9 public hearing but the time
and place have yet to be determined. In the mean time, LOG continues to circulate petitions among supporters for a nonmotorized Amery-Dresser State Trail.
While area residents disagree whether snowmobiling should be permitted on the trail, LOG is steadfast in its opposition to opening access to ATVs.
"ATV'ers have already proven that they are able to win year-round access to this trail. That is absolutely unacceptable considering the damage they have thus far inflicted on
public lands and trails," Waalen said.
For more information, contact Waalen via e-mail at brookwaalen@lakeland.ws or write to Friends of LOG Greenway, P.O. Box 203, Amery, WI 54001.
Upper Miss Refuge plan needs Paddlers' support
Canoeists and kayakers who want to weigh in on the draft conservation plan for the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge have one last chance to do so now that the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has extended the comment period to March 6.
With more than 3 million visitors per year, the 240,000-acre "Upper Miss" Refuge covering 261 miles of the Mississippi River Valley from Wabasha, Minnesota, to Rock Island, Illinois is the most visited refuge in the country. The refuge is part of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin and Driftless Area
National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa.
The draft conservation plan for the refuge is the result of input from the public, conservation groups and agencies provided during public meetings and workshops in 2005. USFWS agreed to extend the public review and comment period by 30 days. The deadline for comment on preferred Alternative E is now March 6.
The preferred alternative plan for the refuge would add 15 new canoe trails totaling 135.5 miles of water routes in Minnesota, Iowa,
Wisconsin and Illinois.
The plan also proposes to designate six areas (down from 17 in a previous plan) for watercraft powered by electric motors and nonmotorized means only, and create eight new "slow, no wake areas" where, from March 16 to October 31 each year, watercraft must go slow and no airboats or hovercraft are permitted.
The new canoe trails proposed:
WISCONSIN
Nelson Dike, 4.6 miles (Pool 4, Buffalo Co.); Ambrough Slough Canoe Area, 1,853 acres
(Pool 10, Grant Co.)
MINNESOTA
Finger Lakes, 4.7 miles (Pool 5, Wabasha Co.); Halfmoon Lake, 5.3 miles (Pool 5, Wabasha Co.); Reno Bottoms, 11 miles (Pool 9, Houston Co.)
IOWA
Johnson Slough, 9.7 miles (Pool 10, Clayton Co.); Mud Lake, 3.2 miles (Pool 11, Dubuque Co.); Keller's Island, 6.7 miles (Pool 13, Jackson Co.); Gomer's Lake, 3.5 miles (Pool 13, Jackson Co.); Rock Creek, 4.1 miles (Pool 14, Clinton Co.); Cordova Slough, 5.3 miles (Pool 14, Clinton Co.)
ILLINOIS
Ferry Landing, 5.5 miles (Pool 12, Jo Daviess Co.); Blanding Landing, 3.8 miles (Pool 12, Jo Daviess Co.); Miller's Hollow, 5.4 miles (Pool 13, Carroll Co.); Potter's Marsh, 7.5 miles (Pool 13, Carroll Co.)
Currently there are four canoe trails in the Upper Mississippi Refuge at the Straight Slough in Minnesota as well as on Long Lake, Goose Lake and in the Wyalusing State Park in Wisconsin.
The six proposed electric motor and nonmotorized areas would include Island
42 (Pool 5, Wabasha Co., Minn.), Snyder Lake (Pool 5A, Winona Co., Minn.), Mertes Slough (Pool 6, Trempealeau Co., Wis.), Browns Marsh (Pool 7, La Crosse Co., Wis.), Hoosier Lake (Pool 10, Grant Co., Wis.) and Guttenburg Ponds (Pool 11, Dubuque Co., Iowa). This is a total area of 1,947 acres that will be off-limits to airboats, hovercraft, bass boats and jet boats and other nonelectric watercraft.
The eight "slow, no wake" areas proposed are Nelson-Trevino Bottoms (Pool 4,
Buffalo Co., Wis.), Blue Lake/Target Lake (Pool 8, Houston Co., Minn.), Black River Bottoms (Pool 7, La Crosse Co., Wis.), Princeton (formerly Rock Creek, Pool 14, Clinton Co., Iowa), Nine Mile Island (Pool 12, Jackson Co., Iowa), Reno Bottoms (Pool 9, Houston Co., Minn.) and Denzers Slough (Pool 5A, Winona Co., Minn.).
Refuge paddling enthusiasts are encouraged to register their support for preferred Alternative E with USFWS.
For more information, go to www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/uppermiss/. All questions or comments should be directed to the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, 888/291-5719; r3planning@fws.gov or USFWS, Upper Mississippi Refuge, Attention: CCP Comment, 51 East 4th St., Room 101, Winona, MN 55987.
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