ATV alert from Sue Drum...
Hi everyone,
The stakeholder meetings continue. The last meeting was October 9th,2006 and the meeting before that was September 15, 2006, attended by Al Eschenbauch, in my place, who took excellent notes and spoke against ATV trails when necessary. The 16 stakeholders have managed to complete a proposed trail that connects to Iron County trails in Mercer. A field trip was scheduled Sept 28th, 2006 to drive the proposed route and locate conflicts, especially wetlands. Al Eschenbauch went on the field trip in my place. Attached are field notes from the Sept 28 trip and meeting minutes from Sept 15 meeting. As you know one of the criteria the stakeholders were given was to find a trail that attached to existing trails. Iron County has the only ATV trails that come near the NHAL State Forest. The proposed trail route begins at the existing ATV trail along County J in Iron County and follows Cedar Lake Road until it hits Circle Lily Road across J. It follows Circle Lily road to the point where it runs along the County line between Iron and Vilas County and passes in front of about 17 homes on Circle Lily lake. The homes are on private land but the Town of Manitowish plows the road and owns it. The trail then jogs slightly into Vilas County following a powerline and curves back into Iron County following a powerline that runs along the North side of Hiway 51 and is also a snowmobile trail. The trail crosses Hiway 51 just East of Circle Lily Creek on state property that borders Lance's Repair Shop on 51. Still following a snowmobile trail the ATVs ride along Manitowish Access Road toward a Wayside on Hiway 51. When the road stops they have to bushwack a trail on the south side of 51 to the Wayside. This wayside has a canoe landing also used as an undeveloped boat landing, and an old bridge structure on the far side of the Manitowish River. They will build a bridge across the Manitowish to connect to Sandy Beach Road, which is a wide gravel town road and use a logging road to connect to an existing snomobile trail that runs parallel to Hiway 47 back toward Hiway 51 and picks up an existing ATV trails at Chuck's Bar on the corner of Hiway 51 and Hiway 47 and 182. There is a snowmobile bridge across the Manitowish near this corner.
I spoke with Kim Herron, the new Director of North Lakeland Discovery Center, and showed him and Zach Wilson and Mark Charon the proposed map for the ATV trail. Mr. Herron's reaction was, because of his ample past experience with ATV trails, he would want strong assurance that the ATV riders would not follow Circle Lily Road to East Circle Lily Road and into the Discovery Center trail system. He want's to know what sort of enforcement is in place and what action would be taken if trespassing occurs. The Mission statement for Discovery Center is not compatible with ATV use on trails. Also from the past history of ATV riders he believes that they will attempt to reach Dietz gas station in Manitowish Waters.
John Hanson, Chairman of the Town of Manitowish Waters, told me their town has a "No" ATV ordinance for town roads. However he did not see a problem with the use of Circle Lily Road, as this question had already been asked and he said he polled the 17 homeowners along the road and it was about a 50/50 split "for" and "against".
John Bates whose home is next to Chuck's Bar, on the Manitowish River, sent an eloquent letter, which I will attach separately,
opposing the proposed ATV trail and calling attention to the sensitive nature of the Manitowish River wetland area and the designation of the Manitowish as an Outstanding River by the state. I am sending you John's letter along with a reply by Dave Phillips, a stakeholder who has experience dealing with ATV trails as a Member of the Governor's State Trails Committee, and who is very sympathetic to preserving natural lands. He is our ally.
I also plan to contact the owner of Hawks Nest a business on Hiway 51 that rents canoes and rafts for trips down the Manitowish. They depend on the 51 wayside for take out and put in.
Although this proposed trail leaves Vilas County pretty much untouched, it still still places a great deal of sensitive wetland close to the ATV trail. I would like to protect necessary wetland habitat everywhere, not just in Vilas County which is so far untouched by ATVs.
I don't see any clear action that our group can take at this point as far as Stakeholder meetings. Our next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 1st and the one after is Nov. 30th. They are open to the public and any of you who wish to come and listen can do so and can speak at the end of the meeting. As you can see from the attachments they are at Rueland's Catering on Hiway 51 just north of Hiway 70, from 10:00 to 2:00. If you would write a letter to Dennis Leith or Robert Dall expressing your views on the proposed trail and any trail in our State Forest that would be helpful. Dennis.Leith@dnr.state.wi.us Robert.Dall@dnr.state.wi.us
Let me know your suggestions.
Sue Drum
11384 CTH B
Presque Isle, WI 54557
715-686-2655
drumsa@centurytel.net
P.S. I really need your help in regard to a second state trails group, Chaired by Roger Breske, that has the power to make legal changes in state trail policy. I am addressing this problem in a second letter.
Attachments
Attachment scanning provided by:
The stakeholder meetings continue. The last meeting was October 9th,2006 and the meeting before that was September 15, 2006, attended by Al Eschenbauch, in my place, who took excellent notes and spoke against ATV trails when necessary. The 16 stakeholders have managed to complete a proposed trail that connects to Iron County trails in Mercer. A field trip was scheduled Sept 28th, 2006 to drive the proposed route and locate conflicts, especially wetlands. Al Eschenbauch went on the field trip in my place. Attached are field notes from the Sept 28 trip and meeting minutes from Sept 15 meeting. As you know one of the criteria the stakeholders were given was to find a trail that attached to existing trails. Iron County has the only ATV trails that come near the NHAL State Forest. The proposed trail route begins at the existing ATV trail along County J in Iron County and follows Cedar Lake Road until it hits Circle Lily Road across J. It follows Circle Lily road to the point where it runs along the County line between Iron and Vilas County and passes in front of about 17 homes on Circle Lily lake. The homes are on private land but the Town of Manitowish plows the road and owns it. The trail then jogs slightly into Vilas County following a powerline and curves back into Iron County following a powerline that runs along the North side of Hiway 51 and is also a snowmobile trail. The trail crosses Hiway 51 just East of Circle Lily Creek on state property that borders Lance's Repair Shop on 51. Still following a snowmobile trail the ATVs ride along Manitowish Access Road toward a Wayside on Hiway 51. When the road stops they have to bushwack a trail on the south side of 51 to the Wayside. This wayside has a canoe landing also used as an undeveloped boat landing, and an old bridge structure on the far side of the Manitowish River. They will build a bridge across the Manitowish to connect to Sandy Beach Road, which is a wide gravel town road and use a logging road to connect to an existing snomobile trail that runs parallel to Hiway 47 back toward Hiway 51 and picks up an existing ATV trails at Chuck's Bar on the corner of Hiway 51 and Hiway 47 and 182. There is a snowmobile bridge across the Manitowish near this corner.
I spoke with Kim Herron, the new Director of North Lakeland Discovery Center, and showed him and Zach Wilson and Mark Charon the proposed map for the ATV trail. Mr. Herron's reaction was, because of his ample past experience with ATV trails, he would want strong assurance that the ATV riders would not follow Circle Lily Road to East Circle Lily Road and into the Discovery Center trail system. He want's to know what sort of enforcement is in place and what action would be taken if trespassing occurs. The Mission statement for Discovery Center is not compatible with ATV use on trails. Also from the past history of ATV riders he believes that they will attempt to reach Dietz gas station in Manitowish Waters.
John Hanson, Chairman of the Town of Manitowish Waters, told me their town has a "No" ATV ordinance for town roads. However he did not see a problem with the use of Circle Lily Road, as this question had already been asked and he said he polled the 17 homeowners along the road and it was about a 50/50 split "for" and "against".
John Bates whose home is next to Chuck's Bar, on the Manitowish River, sent an eloquent letter, which I will attach separately,
opposing the proposed ATV trail and calling attention to the sensitive nature of the Manitowish River wetland area and the designation of the Manitowish as an Outstanding River by the state. I am sending you John's letter along with a reply by Dave Phillips, a stakeholder who has experience dealing with ATV trails as a Member of the Governor's State Trails Committee, and who is very sympathetic to preserving natural lands. He is our ally.
I also plan to contact the owner of Hawks Nest a business on Hiway 51 that rents canoes and rafts for trips down the Manitowish. They depend on the 51 wayside for take out and put in.
Although this proposed trail leaves Vilas County pretty much untouched, it still still places a great deal of sensitive wetland close to the ATV trail. I would like to protect necessary wetland habitat everywhere, not just in Vilas County which is so far untouched by ATVs.
I don't see any clear action that our group can take at this point as far as Stakeholder meetings. Our next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 1st and the one after is Nov. 30th. They are open to the public and any of you who wish to come and listen can do so and can speak at the end of the meeting. As you can see from the attachments they are at Rueland's Catering on Hiway 51 just north of Hiway 70, from 10:00 to 2:00. If you would write a letter to Dennis Leith or Robert Dall expressing your views on the proposed trail and any trail in our State Forest that would be helpful. Dennis.Leith@dnr.state.wi.us Robert.Dall@dnr.state.wi.us
Let me know your suggestions.
Sue Drum
11384 CTH B
Presque Isle, WI 54557
715-686-2655
drumsa@centurytel.net
P.S. I really need your help in regard to a second state trails group, Chaired by Roger Breske, that has the power to make legal changes in state trail policy. I am addressing this problem in a second letter.
Attachments
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posted by Mark Haag at 6:34 PM
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