5/30/2007
DNR to hold public meeting June 21 on motor vehicle use proposals for
state lands in Crow Wing County
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold a public
meeting on June 21 in Baxter on its motor vehicle use classification and
route designation proposals for state forest lands in Crow Wing County. The
DNR will present information and receive comments on its proposals. The
meeting will be co-hosted by the DNR and Crow Wing County.
PROPOSED FOREST CLASSIFICATIONS
The motor vehicle use classification provides the framework for managing
public motor vehicle use on forest lands. State forest lands are currently
classified as managed, which means trails are open to motorized use unless
posted closed. The proposal would classify the majority of state forest
lands in Crow Wing County as limited, which means the land would be closed
to motor vehicle use unless posted open. About 15 percent of the state
forest lands would be classified as closed under the proposal, which means
off-highway vehicle (OHV) use would not be allowed.
PROPOSED ROUTE DESIGNATIONS
The DNR is also proposing designations for the 104 miles of existing routes
on the 25,000 acres of state forest land in the county. The route
designations will determine where all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), off-highway
motorcycles (OHMs), off-road vehicles (ORVs) such as 4x4 trucks, and
highway-licensed vehicles (HLVs) may operate.
The proposal would designate 25 miles as minimum maintenance state forest
roads that will be open to HLVs, ATVs, OHMs and ORVs. An additional 20 miles
of existing routes would be designated as trails for ATV and OHM use. Five
miles are proposed for designation as hiking or hunter walking trails that
would be closed to motor vehicle use.
About half of the existing routes would remain nondesignated. The 45 miles
of nondesignated routes on forest lands classified as limited would not be
available for motor vehicle use except for certain big game hunting and
trapping related uses allowed under state law. The nine miles of
nondesignated routes on forest lands classified as closed would not be
available for any public motor vehicle use.
PUBLIC MEETING IN JUNE
A public meeting on the proposals will be held on Thursday, June 21, from 5
p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Northland Arboretum, 14250 Conservation Drive, Baxter.
The first hour of the meeting will be an open house where the map and
summary materials can be viewed. DNR and Crow Wing County land managers will
then present the proposals, respond to questions and accept comments.
PROPOSALS AND MAPS AVAILABLE NOW
The classification proposal, road and trail designation plan and related
maps are on the DNR Web site at
www.findthetrails.com.
Written comments on the draft proposals will be accepted through Friday,
July 6. Written comments, questions, or requests for copies of the planning
documents should be sent to Jack Olson, Minnesota DNR, 1601 Minnesota Drive,
Brainerd, MN 56401; or
jack.olson@dnr.state.mn.us.
