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, February 23, 2007

Quiet Island....

Unexpectedly, things are very quiet up north. We were expecting a snowstorm, but it hasn't arrived. No snow for skiing means no snow for snowmobiling, which means that things are very quiet. Good time for a walk.

Quiet is not an absence...any more than a view of the woods with no houses is an absence. Quiet is a "thing". We need quiet seasons and quiet places, quiet celebrations and for all of this to happen we need....quiet hunters! People who search out silence actively, and promote and defend it aggressively.

I hope for the snowmobilers and skiiers that we get a blizzard tonight. But for now, quiet rules!

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Dennis McCann: Leopold's passion still burning

Taxing silence....

By the way, I have been busy, in spite of not posting!
- I had an essay published in Silent Sports I believe titled "Taxing Silence". I don't think you can link to it, but you should subscribe, anyway! I actually haven't read the published version, as I "put it in a safe place" before I had a chance. You should
- I went ice fishing for the first time last week at Devil's Lake. I will say more about that this weekend.
-I watched three ATV's running all over the wetland area near Pamperin Park in Green Bay. (No, that can't be right, ATV owners don't do that)
-I sent another letter to the Stakeholder's group. You can read my first one there or on the NCRS site (linked in a previous post).
-I am working on my letter to the Natural Resources Board.

If you have anything you want published here, let me know. Just remember that ATV people read this blog too.

sorry for the lack of posts lately....

I have been thinking about this blog recently, esp. after I may have inadvertently posted some "strategy" ideas that were copied by people with different goals than mine. I don't want to be the "Rex Grossman" of the Silent Sports cause!

When I began quietnorth in 2005, the DNR had proposed a "loop trail", after the residents of Vilas County clearly registered their opposition to ATV's. I noticed that the other websites hadn't been active recently, so I started this blog as a way of publicizing issues related to silent sports.

Now, The NCRS site is back up and active. Silent Sports Magazine has a regular action feature. And it seems that silent sports enthusuasts are actually becoming more organized.

So while I will continue to post news topics related to silent sports in the Vilas County area, I will be a little more circumspect about posting strategy pieces. There are many other ways of getting that information out there.

If there is something you don't want me to publicize on the blog, please let me know.

I am going to be making some other changes in the blog format as well. I will keep you posted.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Northwoods Citizens for Responsible Stewardship

Please find details here about the fight against All Terrain Vehicles in the Northern Highland-American Legion forest.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Climate Change in the Northwoods: A Nicolet Exhibit

Dear Friends and Colleagues -

A good friend and associate, Terry Daulton and her partners, are kicking off the first leg of their Northwoods Climate Change Exhibit at Nicolet College next week.

Paradise Lost? Climate Change in the Northwoods is a new traveling art and science exhibit focusing on climate change in the Lake Superior region. It will be hosted by Nicolet College Art Gallery from February 16 to March 19, 2007. Gallery Hours will be: Mon - Thurs 8-8; Fri & Sat 8-4 and during most Theatre events. The exhibit is the culmination of over a year’s work involving 20 artists, seven scientists, six educators and numerous partner organizations.

February 17th, Nicolet will host a number of educational forums and activities on climate change. A poster session from 1:30 – 5 pm will highlight research and education projects. A 2 pm panel discussion will feature scientists, artists, and an energy efficiency expert. The focus of the panel will be research on climate change in our region, views on how art can help communicate science concepts, and information on what citizens can do to address climate change. The speakers will include Dr Tim Kratz (UW Trout Lake limnologist), Dr. Mark Kubiske (USFS researcher), Mary Burns (weaver), Helen Klebesadel (painter) and Sara Windjue (KEEP energy conservation educator). Following the panel will be films (including Inconvenient Truth and a documentary on the Paradise Lost exhibit), and activities for youth and families.

There will also be an evening reception with scientists and artists. The reception will begin at 7 pm with a viewing, followed by a presentation by Dr. Tim Kratz ( UW- Trout Lake ) on climate change and northern lakes and wetlands. Writer, John Bates, and musician, Charles Thomas, will share their work with the project. The afternoon events and show reception are free and open to the public.

Also, Terry offers any of you with relevant displays you may wish to exhibit the opportunity to join in. Her contact info is below. This is a great opportunity to interact with local and regional experts, as well as your neighbors, on this important topic. Please feel free to pass this on to any other folks who may be interested.


Thanks,

Mike Meyer

Climate Change in the Northwoods: A Nicolet Exhibit

Dear Friends and Colleagues -

A good friend and associate, Terry Daulton and her partners, are kicking off the first leg of their Northwoods Climate Change Exhibit at Nicolet College next week.

Paradise Lost? Climate Change in the Northwoods is a new traveling art and science exhibit focusing on climate change in the Lake Superior region. It will be hosted by Nicolet College Art Gallery from February 16 to March 19, 2007. Gallery Hours will be: Mon - Thurs 8-8; Fri & Sat 8-4 and during most Theatre events. The exhibit is the culmination of over a year’s work involving 20 artists, seven scientists, six educators and numerous partner organizations.

February 17th, Nicolet will host a number of educational forums and activities on climate change. A poster session from 1:30 – 5 pm will highlight research and education projects. A 2 pm panel discussion will feature scientists, artists, and an energy efficiency expert. The focus of the panel will be research on climate change in our region, views on how art can help communicate science concepts, and information on what citizens can do to address climate change. The speakers will include Dr Tim Kratz (UW Trout Lake limnologist), Dr. Mark Kubiske (USFS researcher), Mary Burns (weaver), Helen Klebesadel (painter) and Sara Windjue (KEEP energy conservation educator). Following the panel will be films (including Inconvenient Truth and a documentary on the Paradise Lost exhibit), and activities for youth and families.

There will also be an evening reception with scientists and artists. The reception will begin at 7 pm with a viewing, followed by a presentation by Dr. Tim Kratz ( UW- Trout Lake ) on climate change and northern lakes and wetlands. Writer, John Bates, and musician, Charles Thomas, will share their work with the project. The afternoon events and show reception are free and open to the public.

Also, Terry offers any of you with relevant displays you may wish to exhibit the opportunity to join in. Her contact info is below. This is a great opportunity to interact with local and regional experts, as well as your neighbors, on this important topic. Please feel free to pass this on to any other folks who may be interested.


Thanks,

Mike Meyer

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

From Kim Kost: The Manitowish Waters Town Board Meeting

"...there was a town board meeting last night
on the agenda once again was "DNR request to use approx. 900 feet of Circle Lily Lake Road for ATV trail"
the short story- after much hemming, hawing and apologizing, the board voted not to allow ATVs on Circle Lilly road
Mike Bartling made the motion to deny; John Hanson seconded
both Mike and John voted for the motion (hesitantly), Henry Bauers abstained, saying he wasn't ready to make a decision

the board really wanted to help out the stakeholders, but said because of all the calls they have received against an ATV trail in MW, they were left with no choice but to deny

not really sure what this decision means
Bill Schuman and Mike ?, from the stakeholders group, who were both at the meeting last night, said the trail will still be a go
it will just cost more money to construct bridges and board walks..."

The interesting quote here, which we should use when we talk about this trail, is "...because of all the calls they have received against an ATV trail in MW...." People weren't opposed just to using the road. They were opposed to a trail. Why doesn't the DNR get this? Agian, there is a story here yet to be written.

Manitowish Waters says No to ATV's on Circle Lily Road

OK, I want to confirm this before I give you the source: But someone who attended last night's Manitowish Water's town board meeting said the board opposed letting part of Circle Lily road be used for the ATV trail!

Add this to the growing list of examples: When people are asked if they want ATV trails, they say no. So why is our tax money pushing the trails? There is a story there yet to be written.

This is also an example of the power of getting the message out.

Friday, February 09, 2007

Bike Trails articles in Vilas County News Review

Buy this week's print version of the Vilas County News Review to get the "Progress" section. In it, there are two excellent features on Silent Sports trails:

First, a description of the progress on the Three Eagle Trail in Three Lakes.

Secondly, an excellent article by Joe Constanza on Bike Trails in Vilas County. Joe lays out how little money is actually spent on bike trails, compared to the tourist dollars it brings in. He describes the bike trail developed in St. Germain, and community plans to build other trails.

The Steamroller stalls for a moment...

Its not in the online version of the Lakeland Times, but the paper last week reported that the steamroller that is the ATV Stakeholder's group has stalled because they missed a Manitowish Waters town meeting. They need permission from the town to run the northern trail along Circle Lily Road. I am sure anyone living on the road would have been happy with the ATV's running day and night. I am sure the ATV Stakeholder's group would have waited to be sure EVERYONE who lived along the road would have approved.

Lets hope this is one of many glitches in a process that so far has worked perfectly for ATV interests.

Read the article. It is clear Dennis Leith's committee has ignored all contrary evidence up to this point. I don't know if it is a done deal, but it will be forces outside, and not inside, the committee that will stop these trails from being approved. Remember, Vilas County Residents voted 3/1 against ATV trails, and the state feedback against ATV's during the NHAL planning process was huge. This process is driven by a minority of interests that have power over the DNR through the State Legislature.

Think of this: The committee consistently refused to lay out the standards they were using to judge whether a trail impacted other user groups. Dennis Leith has said that the two currently planned trails are a "test" for other trails. Since no standards are laid out, is there any reason to think that the DNR won't call the trails a success, and allow trails throughout the forest, just like snowmobiles?

Sunday, February 04, 2007

8 Snowmobile Deaths

Snowmobile deaths ARE down from last year, but the article misses the point that most of the snowmobile season we had no snow. Has anyone made a "open trail" statistic, how many deaths per open trail?

The fantasy and the reality of driving...

I have writtten in the past about how technology is going to challenge "car culture". Here are two devices that can monitor a car's speed and energy consumption, and even set off an alarm if the car goes more than 70 miles an hour.

How many lives a year would be saved if cars couldn't go over 70 miles an hour without sounding an alarm? Why doesn't every car have an alarm like this? The answer is, we care more about the fantasy of driving than we do about saving lives. And it is fantasy of driving that sells expensive cars.

Mark

Friday, February 02, 2007

ATV corridor runs East of Star Lake, north to K!

Take a look at this draft of the ATV trail. I guess I have been sleeping, I wasn't aware that the committee was seriously planning a trail just east of Star Lake, to highway K. The purpose of this trail will not be to "dead end" on Highway K, but surely to link either to Land O Lakes to the east or Boulder Junction-and on to the other trail in Manitowish Waters.

Remember, Dennis Leith has said these trails will be a test.

From Joel Patenaude:ATV Windfall

I'm sure you've all seen this by now, either through a previous email
or
in the February issue of the magazine. But my diatribe is now on the
website, in case you want an easy way of sharing it with others.


Joel

(click on the above link to access the article)

The draft maps are posted!

Wow! Those of you who live or play in Vilas County need to look over these maps of the two proposed ATV trails. It is one thing to hear about plans for the trails, but seeing where the corridors will be is a real shocker.

Keep in mind;

-An ATV corridor is wider than the mere trail in will run on. There is also a much wider "sound corridor" that will include any nearby lake or river.

-These trails are only the beginning. If they are completed, and even before they are completed, ATV folks will be working on connecting the two trails.

We need to start notifying the public!