Promoting quiet recreation in Wisconsin.
Opposing the coming attempts to sell off Wisconsin's natural heritage.
Fighting denial about climate change. When are we hitting the streets?


Friday, September 16, 2005

Squaring policy with plans...

Ideas to present at the meeting-from a letter I received:

I think the drafters of the All-Terrain Vehicle Use on Department Lands Policy should be asked how their policy would be applied in respect to the following specific situations.

The Northern Highland American Legion Forest in Vilas County
The July 2004 conversion of 0.6-mile of the Tuscobia Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail to an ATV trail.
The draft includes the following guideline which seems to apply to NHAL:

1. Are social/economically sustainable --Are accepted and/or substantially supported by affected parties.

How does this square with placing an ATV trail in a county where by referendum the citizens voted against ATV trails on public land? The people's desire for Vilas County to be the quiet county is a legitimate goal. I personally would like to see at least one haven where Wisconsin citizens could excape the cacophony of motorized recreation. There certainly must be a number of state forests where social sustainability is more compatable. The Department's first application of their new policy by placing a trail in Vilas County, strikes me as a in your face retalitory action advanced by ATV proponents.


The draft includes the following provision covering the Ice Age National Scenic Trail:

Using the criteria contained in this document, State Natural Areas, State Parks, Wild Rivers properties, and State Ice Age and North Country Trail Areas will generally not be suitable for ATV use. On these properties, ATV use will only be considered by exception (Secretary sign-off) and will generally be restricted to a select few larger properties where the trail siting criteria can be met. (underscoring supplied)

This is weasle worded provision provides no protection for the Ice Age and North Country Trails, since the Secretary merely has to sign-off on an exception. I imagine the Secretary may have given his approval for giving a portion of the Tuscobia Segment of the Ice Age Trail to ATV users.

Finally, the policy of placing ATV trails should provide some remedy and compensation for a user group that is displaced by ATVs on a property that was previously available to them. In the case of the Tuscobia Segment of the Ice Age Trail, ATV proponents gained valuable infrastructure including a substantial bridge at no cost and no volunteer effort. On the contrary Chapter volunteers will spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of volunteer hours as they attempt to scratch out an alternate route over who knows how many years. Hikers will have to use the paved shoulder on a bridge of a busy state highway for a water crossing where a pedestrian bridge was available.

I hope this will provide additional insight to the folks in attendance at the meeting and representing Sue's viewpoint. This outcome of this meeting could well determine if silent sports enthusiasts, especially in Northern Wisconsin, are destined to become an endangered species.

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