[mou] Conservation...RE: SF850/HF1077 Conference Committee

[Andrew D. Bicek]

Hello all,

I thought I would post an alternative view to the OHV Bill email that urged
you all to support this manner.  If you are not interested in politics
please delete this message.

In regards to the OHV bill, I read in the paper, that it would limit off
road travel by all vehicles (including cars and trucks) not only ATV's on
forest service roads/trails not marked open (please correct me if I'm wrong
here as that will relieve me).  This scares me as it should all birders.  I
take this to mean that travel on forest service roads will be severly
limited.  In the northern part of our state, the forest service roads go
every where in our state and national forests.  Would this bill limit that
to only trails that are marked open?  If it would, that is scary.  Currently
travel by vehicle is open on these roads/trails and is a great way of
accessing these remote locations.  I personally use them all the time for
access to our state and national forests for birding, hunting, and fishing
and I don't use them with ATV's.  Many of these roads are logging
roads/trails that lead into the forest, and are great for birding and
hunting or accessing remote lakes for fishing or camping.  In addition, many
of these roads/trails lead to private land where people have their cabins.
If we limit travel on these roads, we are effectively making these areas
unaccessable as the only other way in would be hiking, and how many of us
would walk in further than a couple miles (many of these roads go for miles
on miles, and are the only "roads" that lead into the forest).  There is
already land set aside that does not allow travel like the BWCA.  Do we
really want to further limit access to the northern part of the state?
Please do not support this as it will limit access to areas where we
currenly bird, and the roads we are currently allowed to bird on.

My opinion is that birders are being careless here in an effort to stop ATV
use.  My feeling is that the cause for concern about ATV damage has been
when ATV riders ride in the ditch of a road and go up and over driveways and
cause visible ruts.  I agree that this is very frustrating, but why not just
limit ATV driving in the ditch and then step-up enforcement.  The forest
service roads in our state and national forests are a real treat to drive
and explore remote locations.  If you have never been on them, I urge you to
travel on some of them and see what new areas you can explore.  Why would we
want to limit travel on these already established roads/trails?  When the
DNR tried to limit feeding of deer, the states birders got mad because it
would limit their bird feeding.  This is another case perhaps where the
birders do not realize if they support this, they will effectively be making
access to their remote birding locations more difficult.

Sincerely,
Andy Bicek


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Just a little more background on this legislation, from Mississippi
Headwaters Audubon.

Randy Frederickson


>
>The Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society (MHAS) supports SF850 as was
>passed by the full Senate yesterday.   We would also urge your
>committee not to make any further amendments to this bill.
>
>
>
>We believe that OHV uses on public lands should be on established trails
>and  these trails posted open to OHV travel. If not posted open the trail
>is closed.  Additional enforcement is needed and OHV funds must pay for
>damages. OHV users  are not the only users of our State forests.
>
>
>
>With all the damages occurring in our road rights-of-ways, we also
>believe that the determination of which road right-of-ways are to be open
>to ATV use, should be the decision of the local unit of government.
>
>
>
>It is obvious that the cross-country ATV closure that became law last year
>did nothing to lessen the damages.  We need this legislation now!
>
>
>
>MHAS is located in North-central Minnesota, headquartered out of Bemidji,
>and  is one of 14 Audubon chapters in Minnesota. We were organized in the
>early  1970's and as one of our founding members put it: "to serve as a
>sounding  board for local and regional environmental issues and a
>conscience for the  protection and proper management of the natural
>resources of northern  Minnesota." Presently we have about 400 members
>within the area from  International Falls to Grand Rapids, Walker, Park
>Rapids, Fosston, and  Warroad.
>
>
>
>Thank you very much for considering our request and hope that you support
>SF850 and the end result that will protect our Minnesota resources first
>and  foremost.
>
>
>
>Jerry Maertens
>
>
>
>Issues Co-Chair
>
>
>
>Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society
>
>
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>885 Bootleg Lake Road SW
>
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>
>Bemidji MN 56601