Input sought on county trails plan

What kind of recreational trails do Crow Wing County citizens want?

Equestrian trails, biking, hiking, snowmobiling, skiing, dog-sledding and all-terrain vehicle trails are all up for discussion.

The county manages 105,000 acres of public land and is seeking public participation regarding recreational trail options. The county contracted with the Minneapolis-based nonprofit, to develop a comprehensive recreational trails plan.

Katie Fernholz, project coordinator with Dovetail, said the goal is to develop a plan with detail that will be able to move forward. The plan is to look at what recreational trails exist - at what works well and where there may be gaps with demand exceeding supplies or where trails are underutilized.

To that end, an advisory committee, of perhaps a dozen people, is being established to meet, perhaps monthly, to review progress and hear public comments. Fernholz worked with Aitkin and Itasca counties on previous projects and she said Dovetail has a good knowledge of the area. Dovetail is working with the county's Land Services Department.

A major goal of the project is to be as accessible to the public as possible, Fernholz said. A project contact list has already generated 117 e-mail addresses of people who want information updates and meeting notices. Fernholz said it is important to have a public dialogue throughout the project. After looking at interested parties and following phone interviews, a draft list of potential people to serve on the advisory committee will be reviewed next week.

The county's Parks and Trails Advisory Committee is expected to review the draft list at a 2 p.m. meeting Wednesday at the Land Services Building off Laurel Street in Brainerd.

After the review, members will be formally invited to participate. Fernholz said the list is designed to be diverse with varied recreational interests and different parts of the county represented.

With the new committee established, additional meeting dates will be posted. Each meeting will allow for public comment.

"The public will be able to participate throughout this project," Fernholz said, adding one reason Dovetail became part of the project was to provide a fresh ear and to see the project through. The work is expected to take two years to complete with a draft plan available by the end of 2010.

Fernholz said they don't want to rush the plan through and want to have time for considered thought in order to create a plan that has support to move forward.

At the same time the trail plan is being developed, the county is working on an assessment of High Conservation Value Forests, which is part of the county's forest certification.

Certification standards, through the Forest Stewardship Council, cover protection and monitoring of special resources - old-growth forest, water source protection areas, or cultural or historic places. The advisory committee also will oversee the High Conservation Value Forests assessment.

"It is an invitation for people to share the special places in the county that deserve another look and another review," Fernholz said. "To know the special areas are identified and considered and protected or managed appropriately as other activities are planned as well, especially recreation."

More information on the project is available online at www.dovetailinc.org/content/crow-wing-county-recreation or www.co.crow-wing.mn.us/land_services/index.html and by contacting Fernholz via e-mail at katie@dovetailinc.org or by calling (612) 414-8041.

"We hope people take the opportunity to participate," Fernholz said. With that public input, Fernholz said the final product aims to be a good plan for high quality trail-based recreation that retains the environment in a responsible way. "And the county will have something they can continue forward with for many years."

RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.