whitt_travis
11-03-2005, 09:17 PM
Okie dokie... Reading the local paper today and this jumped out at me. I figured this would be the best place to post it in order to bring attention/get first dibs. I figured this forum was as good as any. Discuss! :-)
_________________________________
Conceptual trail plan for county unveiled
Thursday, November 03, 2005
By Julie Bratvold
Staff Writer
jbratvold@bemidjipioneer.com
As Beltrami County continues to grow in terms of both the number of residents and seasonal tourists, the pressure to open up public lands for recreational use has increased. The Beltrami County Board of Commissioners recognizes the growing demand for more recreational land-use opportunities and last year hired the team of the Headwaters Regional Development Commission and Brauer & Associates to develop a comprehensive trails plan.
Though the plan is still in its infancy, the HRDC held an open house in October share its early concept plans and solicit opinions from the public. They plan to continue to take public comments until January.
“We’re just out there listening right now,” said Joe Czapiewski of the HRDC. “We have no preconceived notion of what the outcome should be. We believe that there is plenty of land out there to accommodate everybody.”
Beltrami County owns and manages 147,000 acres of tax-forfeited lands. Though many recreational users already utilize forest roads and unofficial trails, the HRDC is working on the county’s first-ever comprehensive plan to designate an official trail system.
“That means we are starting with a blank slate,” Czapiewski said.
A task force chaired by County Commissioners Joe Vene and Ron Otterstad and consisting of officials from cities and townships, law enforcement, DNR, U.S. Forest Service, Leech Lake, Visitor’s and Convention Bureau and more than a dozen user groups has been meeting regularly to work with the HRDC on the plan.
Czapiewski said the task force members universally agree that the plan must provide designated trails for all types of users including OHV riders, snowmobilers, bikers, hikers, skiers, horseback riders and dog-sledders.
“Everyone is pretty positive and respectful of common interests,” he said. “We’re trying to provide an outlet for all those kinds of uses.”
The HRDC has developed a conceptual plan that outlines thousands miles of public lands that could become available for trail use. The plan includes designated sections for each specific use, including parts that will be restricted to non-motorized use only.
Czapiewski said that even though many different users will co-exist on the same trail, the plan includes special amenities that will cater to specific users. For example, he said they might clear a large campsite where horseback riders can park their trailers or convert old gravel pits into areas for dirt bikers to ride.
One of the challenges with the county’s current informal trail system is enforcement. The new plan will include a better system of signs to inform users where they are allowed. However, the plan will rely mainly on frequent users to educate their peers on how to use the trails in a way that will protect the environment and please all the different types of users.
“It’s awfully expensive to have sheriff’s deputies and whoever go through the thousands of acres of land to catch people who (violate the law),” Czapiewski said. “We want users to take ownership of the trails and hold each other accountable.”
Czapiewski added that sustaining the forests and other natural resources is the main goal of everyone involved with the trail plan. He said they will categorize each trail to determine what kind of use it will be able to withstand and will also survey the trails periodically to ensure they are being maintained.
He noted that the task force understands that the primary use of the land is timber management. They will not designate any trails that may harm the sustainability of the forests, he said.
Czapiewski declined to provide an estimate of what the trail project will cost. “We haven’t defined a cost or even looked at what resources are available yet,” he said.
However, he said they plan to look at obtaining state and county aid. They will also rely heavily on user groups to design and maintain their portions of the trails.
Another priority, Czapiewski said, is hiring a full-time county employee to manage the trail system. Though they haven’t started the hiring process, Czapiewski said the county board is receptive to the idea of hiring a trail manager.
The HRDC hopes to have the trail plan completed and ready to be presented to the county board by spring 2006. Czapiewski said they will begin implementation as soon as they get county board approval.
Until then, Czapiewski said they are interested in getting feedback and suggestions from the public. He urges those with comments to call him at 218-444-4732.
“We’re working on how we’re going to continue to be able to work with the public and get the message out there,” he said. “If anybody at any time wants to get involved with this they are certainly welcome.”
_________________________________
Conceptual trail plan for county unveiled
Thursday, November 03, 2005
By Julie Bratvold
Staff Writer
jbratvold@bemidjipioneer.com
As Beltrami County continues to grow in terms of both the number of residents and seasonal tourists, the pressure to open up public lands for recreational use has increased. The Beltrami County Board of Commissioners recognizes the growing demand for more recreational land-use opportunities and last year hired the team of the Headwaters Regional Development Commission and Brauer & Associates to develop a comprehensive trails plan.
Though the plan is still in its infancy, the HRDC held an open house in October share its early concept plans and solicit opinions from the public. They plan to continue to take public comments until January.
“We’re just out there listening right now,” said Joe Czapiewski of the HRDC. “We have no preconceived notion of what the outcome should be. We believe that there is plenty of land out there to accommodate everybody.”
Beltrami County owns and manages 147,000 acres of tax-forfeited lands. Though many recreational users already utilize forest roads and unofficial trails, the HRDC is working on the county’s first-ever comprehensive plan to designate an official trail system.
“That means we are starting with a blank slate,” Czapiewski said.
A task force chaired by County Commissioners Joe Vene and Ron Otterstad and consisting of officials from cities and townships, law enforcement, DNR, U.S. Forest Service, Leech Lake, Visitor’s and Convention Bureau and more than a dozen user groups has been meeting regularly to work with the HRDC on the plan.
Czapiewski said the task force members universally agree that the plan must provide designated trails for all types of users including OHV riders, snowmobilers, bikers, hikers, skiers, horseback riders and dog-sledders.
“Everyone is pretty positive and respectful of common interests,” he said. “We’re trying to provide an outlet for all those kinds of uses.”
The HRDC has developed a conceptual plan that outlines thousands miles of public lands that could become available for trail use. The plan includes designated sections for each specific use, including parts that will be restricted to non-motorized use only.
Czapiewski said that even though many different users will co-exist on the same trail, the plan includes special amenities that will cater to specific users. For example, he said they might clear a large campsite where horseback riders can park their trailers or convert old gravel pits into areas for dirt bikers to ride.
One of the challenges with the county’s current informal trail system is enforcement. The new plan will include a better system of signs to inform users where they are allowed. However, the plan will rely mainly on frequent users to educate their peers on how to use the trails in a way that will protect the environment and please all the different types of users.
“It’s awfully expensive to have sheriff’s deputies and whoever go through the thousands of acres of land to catch people who (violate the law),” Czapiewski said. “We want users to take ownership of the trails and hold each other accountable.”
Czapiewski added that sustaining the forests and other natural resources is the main goal of everyone involved with the trail plan. He said they will categorize each trail to determine what kind of use it will be able to withstand and will also survey the trails periodically to ensure they are being maintained.
He noted that the task force understands that the primary use of the land is timber management. They will not designate any trails that may harm the sustainability of the forests, he said.
Czapiewski declined to provide an estimate of what the trail project will cost. “We haven’t defined a cost or even looked at what resources are available yet,” he said.
However, he said they plan to look at obtaining state and county aid. They will also rely heavily on user groups to design and maintain their portions of the trails.
Another priority, Czapiewski said, is hiring a full-time county employee to manage the trail system. Though they haven’t started the hiring process, Czapiewski said the county board is receptive to the idea of hiring a trail manager.
The HRDC hopes to have the trail plan completed and ready to be presented to the county board by spring 2006. Czapiewski said they will begin implementation as soon as they get county board approval.
Until then, Czapiewski said they are interested in getting feedback and suggestions from the public. He urges those with comments to call him at 218-444-4732.
“We’re working on how we’re going to continue to be able to work with the public and get the message out there,” he said. “If anybody at any time wants to get involved with this they are certainly welcome.”