Paul Bunyan ATV Proposal

[Dave]

ATVAM Members:

Positive comments on the Paul Bunyan State Forest/Hubbard

County Forests plan are still needed. Currently the

opposing comments are running about 10 to 1. If the OHV

community remains silent, we are in very serious danger of

losing a number of the trails that remain in this proposal.

The January 28, 2005 deadline is rapidly approaching.

Comments can be sent to either of these offices:

Helen Cozzetto, Natural Resources Planner, 6603 Bemidji

Ave. No., Bemidji, MN 56601 or e-mail

[email protected].

Written statements on the Hubbard County portion of the

proposal may be submitted to Bob Hoffman, Natural Resource

Management Office, Public Works Building, 101 Crocus Hill

St., Park Rapids, MN 56470.

These links will let you see what is proposed:

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/input/mgmtplans/ohv/designation/hubbard_plan.pdf

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/input/mgmtplans/ohv/designation/hubbard_classification.pdf

Here are a few points that could be highlighted when

submitting comments:

The current 149 miles of proposed ATV trails represents

only 1/20 of 1 percent of the total 217,000 acres covered

in this proposal.

Closing the small spur trails that were old logging trails

is not acceptable. It would make more sense to post as

closed, any of them that may lead to sensitive areas,

rather than just doing a blanket closure of all of them.

The connecting trails that will link the separate riding

areas are vital to a contiguous trail system. By

establishing routes that will provide access to services in

different areas the resulting dispersal of riders will

lessen the concentration of use in a particular area.

Since the total number of miles available to ATVs has been

drastically reduced under this plan, question the 421 miles

of "undesignated routes" as inventoried. Certainly there

are suitable areas that could be opened for ATV use in

those areas.

See also an article in the Park Rapids Enterprise:

http://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/article.cfm?Article_Id=3012

OHV comments are still coming in

Jean Ruzicka, Reporter

Park Rapids Enterprise

01/22/2005

Comments on the proposed off-highway vehicle (OHV) trail

designation in Hubbard County continue to arrive, currently

reflecting approximately 10-to-one opposition to the plan,

according to Paul Swenson, the Department of Natural

Resources? (DNR) northwest regional director.

The opponents, he said, argue the proposal offers ?too

much motorized access to the forest.?

To date, more than 300 comments have been e-mailed and

mailed to the DNR and county on the OHV trail designation

and forest classification. The deadline for submission is

Friday, Jan. 28 at both offices.

To see full article from the Park Rapids Enterprise use

this link:

http://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/article.cfm?Article_Id=3012

Please, get those comments in.

[Dave]

TTT