Agencies to host OHV open houses in January (2005-12-19)
Itasca, Cass and Beltrami counties are partnering with the Chippewa
National Forest and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to host
a series of open houses in January. People are invited to discuss management
of forest roads and trails to provide motorized vehicle access (cars, trucks
and OHVs) on forest lands in and around the Chippewa National Forest. Five
open houses are scheduled in January and all roads and trails users are
invited.
BUILDING ON COMMON GROUND IN PLANNING PROCESSES
The Chippewa National Forest, DNR and local counties developed a joint
baseline map of inventoried roads and trails within their jurisdictions that
will be made available to the public during the January open houses in Deer
River, Marcell, Walker, Bemidji and Remer. In addition to the Chippewa
National Forest, seven state forests (Big Fork, Bowstring, Blackduck, Buena
Vista, Battleground, Remer and Welsh Lake) are part of the combined planning
efforts. Itasca, Beltrami and Cass county forest lands are also involved in
this planning process.
While there are different timelines for completing the OHV planning as well
as legal and policy differences between the federal, state and county
jurisdictions, these agencies are jointly conducting the initial public
input process and forming interagency working teams to better coordinate
this effort. In the end, each jurisdiction (federal, state and county) will
create its own OHV plan and route designations for lands under its
management.
JANUARY OPEN HOUSES KICK OFF PLANNING EFFORTS
The DNR and Chippewa National Forest will set up several stations at each of
the open houses. The public can gain information on the different agency
policies and review maps of inventoried access routes within each of the
jurisdictions that will be considered in the planning efforts. The public
comments received during this initial stage of the process will be collected
and directed to the appropriate agencies for consideration in the planning
processes.
Public open houses will be held at the following times and locations:
Date/Time Location
Jan. 11, 5:00-8:00 p.m. Deer River, Deer River High School Commons 101 1st
Ave N.E.
Jan. 12, 5:00-8:00 p.m. Marcell, Marcell Family Center 49103 State Highway
38
Jan. 17, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Bemidji, Lincoln Elementary Cafeteria 1617 N.E. 5th
Street
Jan. 18, 5:00-8:00 p.m. Walker, High School Commons Corner of 4th St. &
Highland Ave
Jan. 26, 5:30-8:00 p.m. Remer, Northland High School 316 East Main Street
For more information about the open houses, call the Chippewa National
Forest office at (218) 335-8600 or the Minnesota DNR Regional Office at
(218) 755-3955.
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