This was in todays paper.
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twinci...0881286.htm?1c



Posted on Sat, Feb. 12, 2005

Group faults plan on ATVs

DNR says it can run bigger trail network
BY DENNIS LIEN
Pioneer Press


Often criticized for how it manages off-road vehicle trails, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources nonetheless contends it could oversee a trail network up to five times larger than today's system at no extra cost.

But a leading environmental group Friday challenged that assessment as being way too high.

"They haven't shown they can take care of the miles that they have already,' said Matt Norton, a lawyer for the St. Paul-based Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy and a critic of the vehicles' impact on state forests and wetlands.

The mileage estimate is part of a study requested by the Minnesota Legislature two years ago and released this week. It is expected to guide the agency's efforts in building a larger network of trails to accommodate the state's 240,000 all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes and off-road trucks.

In 2003, Minnesota's legislative auditor concluded the DNR had done a poor job planning a trail system to handle the state's growing number of off-road vehicles. It recommended that the agency improve its understanding of how many trail miles its budget would support.

So far, the state has designated about 1,100 miles of trails for off-road machines. As part of its plans for 13 of the state's 58 forests, it has proposed almost 400 more miles of trails. It will take an additional four years, however, to complete plans for 45 other forests.

In the report, the DNR estimates this year's $3.3 million in off-highway vehicle budgets would be enough to operate and maintain as much as 3,765 to 6,290 miles of trails for ATVs and dirt bikes.

Most such trails would occur on the 11,164 miles of existing roads and trails in state forests or on DNR-administered lands outside state forests, said Laurie Martinson, head of the DNR's trails and waterways division.

More enforcement is necessary now, the report said. But that should change as more riders learn and obey the laws governing off-road use.

The legislative audit also recommended the DNR devote at least as much enforcement effort to ATVs and to dirt bikes as it does to snowmobiles.

The MCEA's Norton called the DNR report confusing. For example, he said the estimates for operating and maintaining trails don't include money for environmental monitoring or for additional enforcement.

"The idea that by calling (trails) managed things will get better is fantasyland,' Norton said.

"We do not have a good monitoring program right now,' Martinson acknowledged.

Ray Bohn, a spokesman for off-road groups, hadn't seen the report Friday. But he said it is encouraging that the DNR believes it could operate a substantially larger trail system and still stay within its current budget.

"From my vantage, that sounds pretty good,' Bohn said.

As the trail system expands and gives users more opportunities, they'll be willing to contribute more money for even more trail miles, he added.

"I would view (the report) as a starting point for us,' Bohn said.

In a survey of outdoor recreation preferences of Minnesotans, the report said off-road ATV driving and snowmobiling were tied for 22nd place, behind inline skating and ahead of downhill skiing.

Ten percent of the population has said they participate in ATV riding or snowmobiling. The top activity, at 54 percent, is hiking.

 

First I'd like to day that I am not a MN resident, but form what I have been reading over the past year about the politics going on there, I think I have a handle on what is going on. Fisrt off, I think the DNR has done a poor job in planning. The trails they built in the past, and the methods used in building them were OK for that moment in time, but in today's world, where we have some environmental storm trooper behind every tree with a camera and a ruler to measure every tire track to determine the impact it had on the marsh land... it is CLEAR to me that the methods used then are lacking in today's war zone.

New trail building, and trail maintenence methods and materials are out there. Until they start incorporating them into their trail designs, they are p-ing into the wind. The really sad thing is that if the DNR was to ask the environmental groups to work WITH them to develop new methods, and encorporate them... BOTH parties would have a win win situation on their hands. Unfortunately, the two groups are sitting on opposite sides of the table thowing stones and playing the my ego is bigger than your's game, with the enthusiast caught in the middle.

Both groups could get what they want if they would just work together. As enthusiasts and activists, it is time that we take our elected officials aside and let them know that enough is enough. The courts need to throw out the frivalous legal cases and tell them point blank to play nice together. Certainly the amount of funds being expended in legal representation could have paid for it by now...

One last thing too.. people need to stop funding environmental groups. PERIOD. ALL OF THEM. You don't realize that the dollar you gave them to save the whales, is actually being used to support the legal teams trying to take away our right to ride. Believe it folks.. It is happening right now.. There is not a bigger scam in the world that can compare to the environmentalists pleas for financial support.

 

sounds like once again the dnr doesn't have their stuff together imagine that and so draggin when are you gonna move to minnesota and take up poltics here?????

 

HB,is there a club,or clubs up there that have adopted sections of trail systems and work in conjunction with the dnr in trail maintenance and clean up?not that clubs can police trails from all irresponcible riders, but working with the dnr on maintenance, and quite importantly on erosion issues,will give the dnr more value for their dollar.if we as responsible and respectable riders donate a fraction of our time in an effort with the dnr to maintain some areas they will have a very legitimite platform to stand on regarding trail expantion.

 

Minnrider, Consider joining ATVAM, which is the state orginzation, which helps all of us who ride in mn, even those from out of state, and those that dont belong to a club.. Alot of the dues go for keeping trails open. There are also opportunities to volenteer, and to join local clubs. I joined atvam, but still havent joined a local yet. Most seem to lean towards sport riding, and I want to join one which is more 4x4, and rides at a slower pace.

 

Funny you should ask. I either saw or read about a riding club up your way that is spending thier club time building bridges on the trail system... Sounds like a noble idea if you ask me. They get their materials from the DNR, and put them in where the environement needs them to keep from damaging fragile terrain. Sounds to me that someone needs to make this work known to the legislature, and environmentalists in the region.... and more people need to join in their efforts. We need to get some positive press going to let people know of all the good things that ATV enthusiasts are doing...

As for local politics... never gave it a thought... maybe you can buy me a beer some time if I am in the area and we will talk about it. Until then, work with those that are on our side...

 

For the record. The DNR has been fighting with the environmental groups for over 10 years to improve the existing trails and to add additional riding areas. These battles have been not only been in the legislature but also in the courts with hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on attorneys to defend the trails we have now.

Unfortunetly - It wasn't untill the 2003 legislature where they passed a law to prevent the enviromental groups from getting court ordered enviromental impact studies completed for every 50 yards of new trail.

Today - The State is moving forward with an aggressive plans to open 400% more trails in the very near future with 10 times that amount being planned by 2007. In a state where nearly everything is prohipited - this is one area that is actually making headway.

Unfortunely there are those few butt-heads who continue to tear up the ditches, parks, baseball fields and run with loud pipes that make it 100 times more difficult to get the new trails approved.

If you want to point the finger at who is causing the delays and extraodinary expense - See the ruts in the football fields and the missing grassy areas becuase someone thought it their right to have fun.

 

Unfortunetly, this is the biggest problem. Some of our own brothers, are our worst enemys. There are people who believe its their right to drive where ever they please, but its not a right, its a priviledge, which can be taken away. The anti's use the offenders to paint the picture to the public, that this is the norm.

 

The solution is not going to come from the efforts of the DNR... it is going to have to come from the enthusiasts themselves. It will take activism, leadership, positive reenforcement, and self policing to make a dent in what has become a major black eye. Lastly, it is going to take people to stand up and challenge the environmentalists data when it is presented in court and media. They would like to make everyone believe that ALL ATV enthusiasts can be lumped together into one category. And that is not the case.

I know the MN DNR is working hard to expand. I also know that the citizens are getting tired of the fighting going on. I just wonder how much can be accomplished if everyone worked together. If you want or need an example of how that can work, all you have to do is look at West Virginia's example on the Hatfield/McCoy system.. if you want to see how locals, state and federal officials and agencies can work together for the financial betterment of the state and it's citizens... Litterally millions of dollars are pouring in to strengthen the local economies. Whole industries and support mechanisms are springing up, and the end result is the state is reaping a windfall of tax dollars, that go for things like schools, roads, infrastructure etc...

The bickering and finger pointing must stop... The Environmental groups and the DNR need to put aside their differences and work together in building trails that are acceptable environmentally. The important thing is that the DNR has to ask them to join their efforts.. not meet them in the courts.

A new age, a new partnership.... Wouldn't that be a nice concept...