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SKIJOR RACES AT FIFTH ANNUAL ST. PAUL WINTER CARNIVAL FEB. 5-6
Phalen Golf Course, St. Paul, Minnesota
Hosted by Midwest Skijorers
Pro & Sport Classes sponsored by Canterbury Park
Novice & Junior Classes sponsored by Midwest Mountaineering
$1,000 Pro Purse & lots of door prizes
Phalen Golf Course hosts several major Nordic races including the King Boreas Ski Race. This excellent ski
trail was made available for skijoring exclusively for this very special event. Expertly groomed Nordic trails wind through the golf course and over gentle hills.
Location: 1615 Phalen Drive, St Paul (Note: Clubhouse parking lot is reserved for racers.)
Class Description Junior: 12 and under, Novice: New to sport, skijored only a few times, Sport:
Recreational skijorers, experienced dogs or skijorers, Pro: Able to compete and share trail with very experienced teams.
Registration/Fees Register by mail or on race day. For more information, including complete schedule and a printable registration forms, go to www.skijor.org
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RECORDS FALL AT THE 24 HOURS OF TELEMARK
Cable, Wisconsin Cross-country skiers who think the idea of skiing around the clock sounds like fun rather than some bizarre perversion of the sport were greeted by fast conditions at the fifth annual 24 Hours of
Telemark January 8-9.
The event attracted skiers ranging from a Dane County dairy farmer who'd been on skis once in his life and
just three days before the race to a guy with a prosthetic leg who classic skied into the dawn with a smile on his face and a smooth steady stride.
There were also teams with names like Lukken 4 Sno, Las Skinoritas, and Davisson Brothers Q-Less (four brothers whose name honored the absence of fifth brother Quinn).
The very serious skiers were on hand, too. The six-person Sawmill 6 took advantage of the fast conditions to crank out 94 laps of the 5-kilometer loop for 470 kilometers total.
The premier categories, the 24-hour Solo Freak classes, produced new records in both men's and women's divisions and the most exciting contest of the race.
The much anticipated duel between last year's solo men's winner Matt Aro and three-time winner and record-holder Chris Ransom didn't disappoint anyone who could stay coherent enough to follow it through
the night. In last year's event, Ransom had a token presence as he skied with one arm in a cast. This winter he wanted his title back.
Aro held a consistent lead into the early daylight hours on the eight other solo men when Ransom began to charge, cranking out 18- to 19-minute laps. Aro responded quickly and held his lead to finish with a total of
335 kilometers, one lap ahead of Ransom and a new 24-hour record.
While the women's Solo Freak class only had one contestant, Stacey Dean, the lack of competition didn't
stop her from knocking out 220 kilometers and bagging a new 24-hour record as well.
When all was said and done, 139 three-, six-, 12- and 24-hour skiers covered a total of 11,680 kilometers
an average of 84K per skier.
One of the wonderful things about T-24 is that everyone going for the long haul finishes around 10 a.m. on
Sunday. So, as the super-fit are being cheered for their mega-K feats, a team like Meet Me At The Bar is chanting, "We're number 7! We're number 7!" You can probably guess where they were headed.
For complete lap-by-lap results, log on to www.itiming.com. For more information on 24 Hours of Telemark or other Team Sports Events, visit www.teamsportsinc.com.
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WOMEN'S WINTER TOUR RETURNS TO TRAVERSE CITY FEB. 6
Traverse City, Michigan The Women's Winter Tour has evolved over the past seven years into an international series of noncompetitive outdoor events held in communities from Colorado to Quebec between mid-January and early March.
The Traverse City stop on the Women's Winter Tour is the day after the February 5 White Pine Stampede. Kaye Krapohl, founder of the Women's Winter Tour, is a repeat champion of this successful Nordic ski
race. Ski the Stampede on Saturday and participate in the Traverse City Women's Winter Tour on Sunday and women who do both will automatically be entered in a grand-prize drawing.
The Women's Winter Tour has spread to nine locations across North America, including Minneapolis. But most of the events still cluster around the laid-back Michigan resort town of Traverse City, where the tour
got its start back in 1999 and where the original WWT event the Madeleine Thomas Memorial Tour will take place on the traditional February 6 Super Bowl date.
Krapohl, 41, first began cross-country skiing when she moved to Traverse City in the early 1990s, and was quickly convinced that it was the perfect exercise for women who weren't interested in aerobics classes or
other organized indoor activities. She put together the first Women's Tour to honor a fellow outdoor enthusiast, local attorney Madeleine Thomas, who had been killed the previous summer in a white-water
rafting accident.
The tour is much bigger than its first year when some 200 women took part. An estimated 5,000
participants are expected this year, and organizers have had to limit registrations at the Traverse City event
to 1,500. The emphasis is still on fun and fellowship rather than speed. Funds raised by registration fees are earmarked for charities that provide help to women and their children.
Originally confined to cross-country skiers (until recently it was known as the Women's Ski Tour), the WWT has responded to the growing popularity of snowshoeing by adding a series of snowshoe events.
In Traverse City, the tour is held on the extensive groomed trail system created for the North American Vasa, a highly competitive national ski race held February 12.
Tour entry fees for women 18 years and older are $35 up to four days before an event, and $50 on event day. Girls 17 and under are $10 anytime, while college-age women may register for $20 by showing their
college ID.
For more information about registration and lodging for the Women's Winter Tour, as well as other winter
activities and attractions in the Traverse City area, log on to the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau's extensive Web site, www.mytraversecity.com. Or call the bureau's toll-free number,
800/872-8377 (TRAVERS). Also see www.womensskitour.com.
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NEW TRAIL MARATHON ON GRAND ISLAND, LAKE SUPERIOR
Munising, Michigan Several trail-running hounds from the Upper Peninsula have found what they believe to be one of the finest venues for a summer trail marathon in North America: Grand Island, Michigan, a beautiful forested island in Lake Superior with white sand beaches and 300-foot sandstone cliffs on its shores is that place.
Jim Engel and Jeff Crumbaugh, two self-confessed Yooper trail freaks, have been dreaming this event up for several years now. Crumbaugh presented the idea to Janel Crooks and Dick Anderson who administer
the island for the U.S. Forest Service. Grand Island is a designated recreation area in the Hiawatha National
Forest. Anderson and Crooks approved the idea and eagerly look to hosting trail runners on the island this summer.
The inaugural event will take place on Saturday, July 30. Runners must take a short ferry to the island. The course follows the 23-mile perimeter trail of the island plus an inland trip to Echo Lake to add on an
additional 3.2 miles.
"I ran the course on a hot August afternoon last summer and I was cool the entire way. Most of the trail is
either shaded by dense forest or exposed to breezes off Lake Superior. It is hard not to stop and enjoy the
views, especially atop the high cliffs on the north end of the island," commented Crumbaugh, one of the race directors.
Falling Rock Cafe in downtown Munising will serve as marathon headquarters and will be the place runners pick up their race packets on Friday before the race. The cafe will also be the venue for a post-race concert
Saturday night.
A 10K will be held in tandem with the marathon and will follow an inland loop to Duck Lake and back along the southeast coast of the island.
Contact Jeff Crumbaugh at runskikayak@hotmail.com for more information.
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KEWEENAW TRAIL RUNNING FEST CHANGES COURSES
The Keweenaw Trail Running Festival event with 25K, 10K and 5.8K races, an 821-foot hill climb and a 2K kids race will be held July 9-10 in Keweenaw County, Michigan. This year, two of the race venues will be moved farther north into Keweenaw County. The 10K and 2K youth runs will be held on a new trail system called Gratiot River North.
The land is owned by the North Woods Conservancy, an organization the event has supported for four years. Funds from the event have helped establish a trail system that includes a spectacular section of rugged
Lake Superior coastline.
Gratiot River North is about 10 miles north of Calumet and lies between the Gratiot River and Sevenmile
Point. The land is wild and undeveloped and will stay that way forever, thanks to the conservancy.
"Most of the trail was constructed in the summer of 2004, and to my knowledge, fewer than 20 people have
hiked it to date," said Jeff Crumbaugh, race director for the Keweenaw Trail Running Festival for the past
five years. "I hiked the trail last fall with some friends, and when we reached the coast we were speechless. It is beautiful."
The 25K is being moved from the Maasto Hiihto/Churning Rapids System in Hancock up to Copper Harbor. The last and longest race in the KTRF trio will now start and finish at the Keweenaw Mountain
Lodge and will ramble through the back country of northern Keweenaw County. Sections of the course travel along Lake Fannie Hooe, Lake Manganese and French Annie Creek.
The hill climb will retain its popular route from the beach in Eagle Harbor to the summit of Mount Lookout.
Runners will still be able to enjoy a post-race plunge into Lake Superior followed by the now traditional lasagna and peach cobbler dinner at the Shoreline Cafe.
Race applications and more info are available at www.keweenawtrails.com.
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U.S. SKI HALL OF FAME NAMES NEW PRESIDENT
Ishpeming, Michigan The U.S. Ski Hall of Fame and Museum has named Thomas West of Calgary, Canada, its president and CEO, following a nearly yearlong international search.
The selection comes on the heels of a dramatic makeover of the organization's governing body and management structure, according to chairman-elect David Holli of Ishpeming, Michigan.
"We have operated for 51 years almost totally with volunteers, including top management," Holli said, "and now we feel we are poised to assume a true position of national leadership in the field of preserving and
promoting snow sports history with the hiring of a full-time professional."
Holli said the board now more closely reflects the snow sports community with members representing
competition, manufacturing, retailing, consumer participation and resort operations.
West has held leadership positions in the International Association of Sports Museums and Halls of Fame
and was the founding president of the Canadian Association for Sports Heritage.
From 1987 to August 2004, he was senior manager of the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and Museum in
Calgary and, thus, deeply involved in helping host the Calgary Olympic Games of 1988. For 17 years, he performed senior management responsibilities with the Calgary Olympic Development Association.
Upon being named president and CEO, West said, "I'm complimented that the search committee realized I have the qualifications, knowledge, background and abilities for this position, but more importantly that I
have the passion and drive to take the organization to the next level of recognition in the U.S. and worldwide ski community."
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GARST FAMILY CREATES LARGE PRESERVE IN WEST-CENTRAL IOWA FARM COUNTRY
Coon Rapids, Iowa The Garst family of Coon Rapids, Iowa, have donated their farm and surrounding lands to create a land conservation area in west-central Iowa that will eventually total over 5,000 acres.
When completed, this will be one of the largest land donations ever made in the Midwest. The project's vision, ranging from prairie restoration and sustainable agriculture to ecotourism and new forms of
public-private partnership, is extensive.
In the middle of a heavily agricultural state, the donated lands are mostly hilly pastures, river-side bluffs and
timber, wetlands, native prairie, and rare oak savanna areas.
An initial land donation of 1,290 acres was made December 28, 2004, to the Iowa Natural Heritage
Foundation (INHF) which has leased the property and plans to transfer ownership to the Whiterock Conservancy, a new nonprofit formed to manage the entire Garst land donation.
Whiterock's mission is to protect and restore the area's diverse habitats, as well as its special geologic features and dark night skies. It will also engage in research and modeling of ecologically and economically
sustainable methods of land management, such as ecotourism, alternative pasturing methods, paid hunting, and conservation-friendly farming practices. Finally, it will provide for low-impact public recreation and
environmental education.
Whiterock Conservancy is also a public-private partnership experiment. It was formed in November in
coordination with the nonprofit INHF, the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture of Iowa State University and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
This innovative conservation project reflects the Garst family's relationship with the land. Roswell Garst founded the Garst and Thomas Seed Corn Co. in 1929. The colorful Roswell promoted his agricultural
theories worldwide and even hosted Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev at his family farm in 1959.
Roswell's son, Stephen, was an early supporter of erosion control measures such as waterways and no-till
farming, and was a leading force behind a local conservation board and bike trail. His daughters have promoted biodiversity and sustainability. Liz Garst has been running the ecotourism business Garst Farm
Resorts from her home on the wooded property.
When Stephen died in 2004, his heirs unanimously decided to donate their beloved conservation lands,
extending eight miles along the Middle Raccoon River and worth $6 million, to ensure their long-term protection. A 5,000-acre tract of conservation and recreation land such as this is extremely rare in Iowa.
"We are hoping that the protection of such a large contiguous area can help sustain ecological diversity, including wildlife and bird habitat, in this heavily farmed state," Rachel Garst said.
The Garst family has long allowed local residents to freely picnic or fish on the property, and the Conservancy will continue this tradition by opening parts of the preserve for varied public uses, including
education, research and low-impact recreation such as hiking, fishing, camping and bird watching.
Once Whiterock Conservancy obtains nonprofit status, the family will also be donating their current
ecotourism business, including the historic farmhouse (now a B&B) where Roswell Garst hosted Khrushchev. They expect visiting tourists and researchers to bring significant economic benefits to Coon
Rapids, population 1,200.
The project has been endorsed by Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack for "contributing to the environmental and economic diversity of our state."
For more information, contact Liz Garst at the Whiterock Conservancy, www.farmresort.com, gresorts@pionet.net, or at 712/684-5240.
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LAKE SUPERIOR COLLEGE OFFERS CREDIT TO GRANDMA'S MARATHON RUNNERS
Duluth, Minnesota Talk about a tough final! Imagine running 26.2 miles as your final exam in a college course. Duluth's Lake Superior College (LSC) is now offering new online courses that allow students to earn two physical education credits by training for and running Grandma's Marathon or one PE credit for completing the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon.
Enrolled students will be required to complete online coursework, participate in and document a personal training program, and run a race to earn grades in the courses.
The courses begin March 21 and end June 24. In addition to tuition and fees, a special fee of $60 will be charged to provide guaranteed entry to the June 18 Grandma's Marathon or Half-Marathon in Duluth and a
unique LSC running shirt (choice of styles). To maintain flexibility for distant learners, students may also complete the course requirements by training for and running a comparable race at a different location.
Grandma's Marathon is run along the scenic north shore of Lake Superior between Two Harbors and the Canal Park district of Duluth. Last year's marathon, half-marathon and the William A. Irving 5K held on this
same weekend in June drew over 16,000 participants from 30 different countries and all 50 states. For more information, see www.grandmasmarathon.com.
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REPORT CHICAGO-AREA BIKE CRASHES
The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation is assembling data from those involved in bicycle crashes in Chicago over the past year.
If you have experienced such a crash, please take five or 10 minutes and fill out the survey at www.biketraffic.org/crash.
Please contact Matt Maloney at matt@biketraffic.org with any questions or problems with the survey.
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WALK WISCONSIN LONG-DISTANCE EVENTS SET FOR JUNE 4
Stevens Point, Wisconsin Health advocates, working with the Walk Wisconsin Committee and the Community Foundation of Portage County, are planning a major initiative this spring to encourage the simple exercise of walking. The effort will culminate on June 4 with three noncompetitive walks of varying distances, the longest of which will cover a full 26.2-mile marathon.
The event on National Trails Day, including a half-marathon and a fourth-marathon (6.5 mile) walk, will largely take place on the Green Circle Trail around Stevens Point.
The marathon walk will begin from the riverfront area at 8 a.m. The half-marathon will begin from the east side of town at noon. The shortest walk will begin from the north side of town at 2 p.m. Most participants
should finish back at the riverfront between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., depending on their pace.
Participants in the half- and fourth-marathon walks will be transported to the starting areas from the
riverfront. All logistics, maps and services will be spelled out with registration confirmations.
There will be regular stops along the way for nutrition, fluids and nature calls. There will also be information
and fun activities along the way to entertain and educate the walkers.
At the end, there will be a celebratory meal, entertainment, finisher recognition and a running total of our
collective mileage goal for the day 10,000 miles.
Since walkers will need to prepare, we will be offering preparatory information on walking, nutrition and
foot care to registrants. There will also be a series of training walks starting in mid-March.
Participants will receive a waist pack, water bottle and event shirt. All finishers will also receive a
commemorative medallion and photograph of themselves at the finish. The cost to participate will be $25.
Training sessions are free the dates, times and places will be sent to registrants and available on the Web at www.walkwisconsin.com.
Walk Wisconsin Committee partners include Ministry Health Care, the National Wellness Institute, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the Portage County Business Council, Wisconsin YMCAs, the local
public school system and area sports commission.
For more information, contact the Central Wisconsin/Stevens Point Area Sports Commission at 800/236-4636 or check out www.walkwisconsin.com.
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'LIGHTEN UP WISCONSIN' KICKS-OFF SECOND YEAR
Madison, Wisconsin - Registration for the statewide health initiative program Lighten Up Wisconsin is open. Lighten Up Wisconsin is a five-month team challenge that encourages members to become healthier through increased physical activity and healthier food choices.
Team competition will recognize achievement in two areas: weight loss due to healthy eating and physical
activity, and accumulated activity. Last year, over 1,700 people participated, resulting in a weight loss of over 12,000 pounds.
Lighten Up focuses on small, realistic changes in diet and exercise that result in permanent lifestyle changes. The team approach provides participants with the support system needed to help keep them on track and
motivated.
Co-workers, friends, church members, family members or any two to 10 people can form a team. Registration is $10 per person and includes a Lighten Up Wisconsin T-shirt, weekly motivational strategies
and a Lighten Up Wisconsin handbook. Throughout the five-month program, participants receive weekly health and wellness tips to help them reach their goals.
For more information about Lighten Up Wisconsin visit www.lightenupwisconsin.com or call Nicole
Mueller at 608-226-4780, ext 231. For details and to register, visit www.lightenupwisconsin.com.
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NEW GOVERNOR THOMPSON STATE PARK IS A GO IN MARINETTE COUNTY
by Jerry Kiesow
Back in October 2000, Wisconsin's then governor, Tommy Thompson, announced that Wisconsin would celebrate the centennial year of its park system by adding two new state parks Capitol Springs Centennial State Park on Lake Waubesa in Madison, and Caldron Falls Centennial State Park, 20 miles northwest of
Crivitz in Marinette County.
That was exciting news, but then we learned that before the parks would be able to open to the public, law
required that a master plan would have to be approved for each park. Because the proposed Caldron Falls Centennial State Park was in one of my back yards, I took part in the planning process.
I'm now happy to report we have a plan.
New name
Right after the first master planning meeting was held, the name of the park changed to Governor Thompson State Park.
After that initial change, it took three years to create, shape and fine-tune the concerns and desires of the
public to get to the final stage master plan approval. Finally, on September 22, 2004, Wisconsin's Natural Resour-ces Board approved the final draft.
The full MP is over 80 pages. Much of it is technical stuff, but soon Wisconsin State Park goers can look forward to approximately 2,000 acres of park for camping (modern and rustic); day-use areas for
picnicking, fishing, swimming, sightseeing and relaxing; boat launch access to Caldron Falls Reservoir; biking, hiking and cross-country skiing trails; and a naturalist interpretation/education program.
The master plan indicated a long-range desire to enlarge the park to over 4,000 acres and restore and maintain two sites as pine barrens communities.
The park in detail
Camping: A 100-unit modern campground, with and without electrical sites, showers and flush toilets, and a RV dump station, will be constructed. There will also be additional rustic walk-in/bike-in/canoe-in sites on
Caldron Falls Reservoir. Group camping, both indoor and outdoor, and a handicapped-accessible cabin round out the camping plan.
Trails: Almost 11 miles of cross-country skiing and hiking trails. (Efforts to connect the park trails with the new Peshtigo River State Forest, which surround the park, is in the works.) Approximately five miles of
paved or crushed limestone bike trail, which will connect to most facilities within the park. There will be no mountain biking allowed; the environment is too fragile for such an aggressive activity.
Day-use areas: The Woods Lake area will have picnicking, swimming, nonmotorized boating, fishing and allow general relaxation, nature studies and sightseeing. Much of the same will be found on Huber Lake,
with the exception of swimming. Swimming and fishing will be allowed on Caldron Falls Reservoir with the establishment of a no-wake zone in the bays within the park's shoreline.
Park office and interpretive center: The Park Entrance Visitor Station (office) is shared with the offices of
the new Peshtigo River State Forest personnel. An interpretive/educational facility will be incorporated into or attached to this building for easy access.
Hunting: There was a gun deer season in 2004. It was necessary to ease the over-browsing that was happening by not having any hunting in the area since 2001, thus creating an overpopulated refuge. Other
forms of hunting have not been allowed to date.
Wildlife: You will find many native species of wildlife living in the park, including black bear. The public will have to be educated about them, especially campers.
The planning process
The master plan for the new park wasn't the result of a group of DNR staffers sitting around with coffee and
doughnuts. I attended the public hearings to help state officials answer the question, "What do you, the public, want?"
The department listened to citizen input at five hearings, then took the comments back to their appropriate offices and went to work. Now, finally, three years later, we have a plan.
Did everyone get what they wanted? No. Some requests could not be granted because of environmental concerns (mountain bikers, for example). But the majority of what the public asked for has been granted.
Once combined with the plans, now in process, for the new Peshtigo River State Forest, all outdoor activities will be addressed.
Is the park being developed as we speak? Not exactly. It will take a few years to get the majority of the items into the budget before the physical work can proceed. Meanwhile, a Friends group has been formed,
and whatever can be done with whatever funds can be made available will be accomplished as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, keep track of the park on the DNR Web site. As mentioned, the park opened in November for
deer hunting, and, as this is being written, an effort is being made to keep a portion of the park open for limited-use activities. For everything else we will have to wait a bit, but it will be worth it.
For more information about the park and the new Friends group, contact park manager Maggie Kailhofer, N10008 Paust Lane, Crivitz, WI 54114; 715/757-3979; Maggie.Kailhofer@dnr.state.wi.us.
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WISCONSIN DNR HIGHLIGHTS 2004 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources counted among its 2004 accomplishments the protection of nearly 8,500 more acres of unique public lands, distribution of $216 million in grants and loans for community projects, and pending new campsite reservation rules.
Stewardship purchases
Since Jim Doyle became governor, Wisconsin has utilized the stewardship program to purchase and protect
more than 42,120 acres of land for our forests, parks, wildlife and natural areas, in 155 projects across 66 counties. Among noted purchases in 2004 were the following:
Rainbow Flowage 5,875 acres of land and 63 miles of shoreline on the Rainbow Flowage and Pickerel Lake in the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest in Oneida and Vilas counties. This purchase
assures that nearly all the Rainbow's shoreline will remain undeveloped. The cost was $7.95 million funded 100 percent with stewardship funds.
Big Timber Island, Chippewa Flowage Doyle approved a new state purchase of land within northern Wisconsin's Chippewa Flowage, including 3,000 feet of shoreline frontage and 14 acres on the flowage's
Big Timber Island and 3.04 acres on the mainland and three smaller islands nearby. The stewardship fund provided $400,000 for the purchase. Private funds totaling $50,000 were donated from the Chippewa
Flowage Area Property Owners Association and the Couderay Waters Regional Land Trust.
Ice Age National Scenic Trail The department purchased 1,010 acres of land and nine miles of new trail for
the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. This land was purchased at a price of $5.1 million and the stewardship program leveraged $2.5 million from the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund to offset the state's
cost to buy the land.
Baraboo Hills State Recreation Area The department was able to protect 1,597 acres of land, valued at
$2.9 million, in the Baraboo Hills in south-central Wisconsin. Covering more than 50,000 acres, the range contains the largest block of nonfragmented deciduous forest remaining in the upper Midwest.
Maiden Rock Bluff This 248-acre site, a bluff located high above the Mississippi River overlooking Lake Pepin, was purchased by the West Wisconsin Land Trust Inc. for $1.195 million that included $642,500 in
stewardship funds. The site is dedicated as a State Natural Area.
Since the stewardship program began on July 1, 1990, the department has acquired approximately 280,000 acres of land.
$216 million awarded
The department awarded approximately $216 million in grants and loans statewide in 2004 for more than 40 different grant and loan programs.
Grants are used for local forestry aid, trail development and maintenance for all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, hikers and bicyclists; land acquisition and development of municipal parks; building boating
facilities; protecting lakes and rivers; funding cooperative recycling programs and the development of new recycling technology; repairing/removing dams among other projects.
First Important Bird Area
The 32,000-acre Horicon Marsh was recognized as Wisconsin's first Important Bird Area. An IBA is a site
that provides critical habitat for one or more species of birds at any stage during the animal's life cycle. Horicon also is designated as a Wetland of International Importance and a Globally IBA.
The IBA program identifies and protects these sites using a voluntary, grass-roots, collaborative approach to conservation. In Wisconsin, the IBA program is being implemented by the Wisconsin Bird Conservation
Initiative, a partnership of over 130 organizations working to foster bird conservation efforts.
New campsite rules pending
The DNR held hearings on proposed changes to Wisconsin State Park and Forest camping rules that are intended to help ensure that campsites are either occupied or become available to others who would like to
occupy the sites. The proposed changes were generally supported by the public and were approved by the state Natural Resources Board in December. The rules are subject to legislative review, but if approved,
will become effective some time this year.
The state parks program has received numerous complaints that campsites, especially at some of the more
popular parks, were all reserved but that many were unoccupied, since an automated campsite reservation system was put in place in 1999.
Under the proposed changes, campers who reserve campsites would have to occupy the site by no later than 3 p.m. on the second day of the reservation and every night thereafter. Campers without advanced
registrations who register for a "first-come" site that cannot be reserved would have to occupy the site the first night of the registration and every night thereafter.
In addition, the rule changes will prohibit the practice of extending a reservation ending date, removing the ability to change departure dates to move the reservation out further into the future.
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TAKE YOUR VALENTINE SNOWSHOEING, WINE TASTING AND SKI RACING IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN
Traverse City, Michigan Some people like to celebrate Valentine's Day with a card, a kiss and a candlelight supper.
But on Michigan's scenic Leelanau Peninsula, there are folks who prefer to show their affection by strapping on a pair of snowshoes and stomping through the local vineyards with their loved ones pausing now and
then to sample local wine, nibble designer chocolates.
That's the idea behind Taste the Passion, an annual weekend event organized by the Leelanau Peninsula
Vintners Association. For several years, the peninsula's 11 member wineries have invited participants to wander from one wine cellar to the next. This year's Taste the Passion will be held the weekend of February
12-13.
The snowshoe-stomping part of the tour is entirely optional. Most of the Leelanau wineries are perched on high ridges whose snowy vine-striped contours frame the cobalt-blue waters of Lake Michigan.
For those who want a real Valentine's Day workout, the main action is in nearby Traverse City, where cross-country ski racers will be gathering that same weekend for the 29th annual North American Vasa,
one of the nation's premier ski competitions. Each year, hundreds of skiers converge on Traverse City to compete in the main Vasa event, held on an impeccably groomed trail through the Pere Marquette State Forest.
Because of the race's nearness to Valentine's Day, Vasa organizers have always made a special effort to include such romantic touches as goodie bags filled with health and beauty products (and an occasional
piece of jewelry) for women competitors. This year's race will also see many younger faces: the Vasa is hosting the 2005 Michigan High School Nordic Ski Championships, and race organizers have added an
entire series of Junior Vasa races for youngsters age 4-15.
"These young skiers always bring a great deal of talent and energy to the Vasa weekend," said race president Pete LaPlaca.
For more information about these and other Valentine's Day weekend events, concerts and offerings, as well as a listing of February lodging packages and attractions in the Traverse City area, log on to the
Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau's Web site, www.mytraversecity.com. Or call the Bureau's toll-free number, 800/TRAVERS, for free trail maps, a calendar of can't-miss winter events, and a copy of
the free 2005 Traverse City Area Guide.
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WOLF ECOLOGY, WINTER CAMPING CLINICS OFFERED
Babcock, Wisconsin People interested in learning more about gray wolves or winter camping can attend one of two upcoming clinics being offered by the Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center
Timber wolf ecology and tracking
The skills center and the Timber Wolf Information Network are co-sponsoring a two-day Timber Wolf Ecology Clinic February 5-6.
Area biologists and volunteers from have teamed up to provide instruction on aspects of wolf ecology, including principles of predation, population biology and field study techniques. Saturday afternoon will be
spent outdoors exploring wolf habitat.
Registration is limited to 25 people ages 12 and up on a first-come, first-served basis. Register by mailing in
$65 per person by January 24. This fee includes instructional fees, transportation on Saturday afternoon, Saturday supper and Sunday lunch, and a donation of $15 for dorm use. If you plan on using the dorm on
Friday evening, a donation of $15 per person is recommended.
Winter camping adventure
People tempted to try winter camping can attend a winter camping adventure clinic at the skills center
Saturday and Sunday, February 12-13. An expert outdoor skills instructor will provide instruction on building snow shelters, selecting camping equipment, and much more. Participants will also enjoy
snowshoeing (snow permitting), hiking, camp cooking, and much more.
"This is a great option if you're interested in trying winter camping, because we've got a heated shelter just in
case," outdoor skills center educator Dick Thiel said.
Registration is limited to 12 people, ages 16 and up, on a first-come, first-served basis. $65 per person fee
includes two meals, and the use of a sleeping bag, shelter, snowshoes, etc. People desiring to stay overnight in our dorm either prior to or following the event may do so for a donation of $15 per person per night.
Register by mailing the registration fee by January 30.
Checks for either clinic should be made out to DNR-Skills Center. Include the name of each participant,
and the address and daytime phone number of one person in each party. Send the registration fee to: Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center, PO Box 156, Babcock, WI 54413.
The Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center is located 20 miles west of Wisconsin Rapids on County Highway X, one mile north of Highway 80 near Babcock, Wisconsin on the 9,000 acre Department of Natural
Resources Sandhill Wildlife Area. For more information, call the skills center at 715/884-6333 or at 715/884-2437.
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LAW GUIDES MINNESOTA DNR'S OPENING OF STATE FORESTS, TRAILS TO MORE MOTORIZED USE
In the run up to a series of public meetings last month concerning the prospect of allowing more motorized
vehicle access to state forests, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials said state law clearly lays out a process that must be followed.
According to state statutes passed by the 2003 Legislature, the DNR is mandated to review the classification of all managed lands and to change the classification to "limited" or "closed."
The Department was not given the option of classifying the state forests as "managed," which means off-highway vehicles can go on any trails unless they are marked off-limits.
"There seems to be some confusion about the classifications that are required by law," DNR Commissioner
Gene Merriam said, "and citizens sometimes confuse roads with trails, ATVs with other OHVs, truck challenge areas with technical trails, and other aspects of related legislation, such as the big game and
trapping exemption." Legislators passed a law that directed the DNR to complete a review of all forest lands under the authority of the commissioner on a forest-by-forest and area-by-area basis.
The law specified that classification be based on these criteria: resource sensitivity and management objectives of the lands in question;
resource impact by motorized and non-motorized use, including erosion, rutting, and impacts on vegetation, wildlife, air, water or natural habitats;
motorized and non-motorized recreational opportunity in the area; user needs, such as trails, parking, signs, and access; the degree and trend of motor vehicle and non-motorized use of the area; competing interests
among different user groups; and public safety, law enforcement concerns.
"Imagine the huge task the DNR's dedicated field staff undertook to inventory 54 forests that contain more
than three million acres in order to comply with law," Merriam said. "Because trails cross county, federal
and other lands mixed among the state forest property, the employees actually created a thorough inventory involving additional acreage that totaled nearly five million acres."
The inventory recorded every trail that showed prior human activity, including ones that never had motorized
use. So when DNR staff talks about total miles in the trail inventory, they are actually including some trails
that were not previously used by off-highway vehicles. The inventory also included some trails in wetlands.
Merriam has directed his agency to foster clear communication internally and externally about these OHV
and trail issues. "Employees know that another key component of clear communication is listening with an open mind to what the public and co-workers are saying as we work together for the good of the resource
and the citizens we serve," he said.
Merriam also acknowledged that some clarifications in legislation may also be necessary to make clear
motorized vehicle designations on "limited" forest lands. During the 2005 legislative session, the DNR will
likely pursue clarifications on the OHV hunting exemption and possibly some kind of zoning plan within forests to manage for motorized and non-motorized uses.
Stiffer penalties sought for ATV'ers who damage land
New legislation will be proposed later this month that would increase penalties for "reckless and damaging"
ATV use, including putting ATV violations on Minnesota driver's license records.
For more information, contact Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, which is leading a coalition of
several environmental groups on this issue. Write to the Friends group at 401 North Third Street, Suite 290, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401, call 612/332-9630, fax 612/332-9624 or refer to the Web site www.friends-bwca.org.
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