justnorth posted on January 22, 2008 03:50 :: 542 Views
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will begin motorized access planning for state forests in Koochiching and east Itasca counties this winter and will kick off the process with public open houses in late January. The planning will cover the Koochiching, Smokey Bear, Pine Island, George Washington, and Golden Anniversary state forests and scattered lands in Koochiching and eastern Itasca counties. Motorized access planning is a cooperative effort between the DNR and the counties.
The DNR and counties are co-hosting open houses so the public can review maps of inventoried access routes and comment on current and desired future public uses (motorized and non-motorized) of DNR and county administered lands within the project area. The planning team will use the public comments to produce preliminary proposals for motorized use classifications and road and trail designations. County land managers are also seeking input for uses on county tax-forfeit lands.
The open houses are scheduled for 4:30 to 7 pm at:
- International Falls: Wednesday, Jan. 23, Rainy River Community College, Room H118, 1501 Highway 71
- Northome: Thursday, Jan. 24, Senior Citizens Center, Hwy 46 (blue building next to the fire hall)
- Big Fork: Tuesday, Jan. 29, Big Fork Village Hall, 200 Main Avenue (Corner of Main Avenue and Ash Street), Big Fork
- Grand Rapids: Wednesday, Jan. 30, Grand Rapids Public Library, 140 NE 2nd Street
The goal of the coordinated planning effort is to create consistent access plans, which will best serve forest users. While the DNR and county land managers will ultimately develop their own forest road and trail plans for lands they manage, the agencies have formed this interagency working group to better coordinate plans.
Public comments will be shared among cooperating agencies, so interested parties need only submit comment once. Maps for the entire planning unit will be available at each meeting to facilitate convenient public participation in the process. DNR and its partners will consider the comments in development of proposed forest classifications and road/trail designations.
For more information about the open houses, contact Jack Olson, DNR Trails and Waterways planner at 218-833-8716 or jack.olson@dnr.state.mn.us. Public information and maps for the Koochiching/East Itasca planning effort will be posted on the DNR Web site at www.findthetrails.com or www.mndnr.gov\ohv
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