Dennis Leith
Superintendent
Northern Highland-American Legion Forest

Mr. Leith;
I just read the article on ATV's in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. I was dismayed, Dennis, to have read your "Let's give them a chance" remark. You are aware, of course, that ATV's have been creating havoc in the state for a number of years. I would think ATV users have had their "chance", but by any reasonable way of thinking the "second chance" ATV users deserve is the chance to clean up their act on trails already established.
As I review my correspondence with you, I notice that you promised to send me information from the meetings of the ATV committee regarding the decision to create a loop trail. At this point, I have not recieved that information. In the meantime, I have revised some of the questions, and would like information about the following: 1. What research and literature did the committee review to assess ATV environmental impact on other areas in the state? I would like to have the references to the research the committee used.
2. Given that you are presenting this trail as a research tool, what standards have been developed to judge if the trail is or is not a success?
3. Who will evaluate whether the standards have been met?
4. Does the ATV committe believe that a successful experiment with a loop trail represents a valid measure of the impact of a larger trail system in the Northern Highland-American Legion forest?
5. I would like to be made aware of any plans, however hypothetical, for a trail system in the NHAL state forest, discussed by the committee.
More generally, I would like to know where I can access any information from Master Plan discussions regarding this trail, including the Department of Natural Resources subcommitte on ATV's.
I would appreciate if you could send the above references via email.
Yours,
Mark Haag