The Forests and Wildlife Stewards have been deeply involved in off-road vehicle issues, and saving gray wolves in Minnesota.
To protect lands and wetlands from off-road vehicles, we first need to stop a bill from the ATV industry that supports expanding ATV trails which would damage fragile ecosystems. These new ATV trails would create dust and debris which can devastate nearby water and its inhabitants. They also compact the soil which results in poor water absorption and possible flooding. The bill would also contribute to spreading invasive species.
In contrast, the Sierra Club as part of the Minnesota Public Lands Coalition, is proposing legislation to protect the environment: HF2791 and its Senate companion SF1324. These represent common sense approaches to building new ATV trails in Minnesota. Among their provisions:
- New trails over a mile would need an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW). Currently any trail less than 25 miles can be made without an assessment. This allows trails to be constructed to any length simply by creating them at 25 mile increments. The Chisholm Trail, for example, is 57 miles long and no EAW has ever been done.
- Local control (city, county, and tribal) would be required if a new trail is being constructed. Currently a trail through Eagle Pass is going forward despite city complaints because the county wants it.
- Signage would be required for all ATV trails. Currently, north of Highway 2, anything that looks like a trail is open for ATV use whether or not it is authorized. If a rogue user made their own path, all others are allowed to follow.
Please support these bills by contacting your representatives. For more information see www.mnplc.org
On another important issue, the Stewards are working to save gray wolves from hunting and trapping for sport. For now, wolves in Minnesota and the Great Lakes region are protected by the Endangered Species Act. However, should those protections be reversed, current Minnesota state law allows for a hunting and trapping season. The Stewards are working with other concerned groups such as Howling for Wolves to pass a law to ban the sport hunting and trapping of wolves in our state.
What can you do to help?
- Contact your Legislators to let them know you oppose the sport hunting/trapping of wolves.
- Sign up for Wolf Day at the Capitol on April 17th, 2024 at the Howling for Wolves website.