Draft plan is right move

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources appears to have taken the right path in reviewing state forest trail designations in Koochiching County.
DNR staff Tuesday reported to the Koochiching County Board that trails in Borderland are expected to stay open to all-terrain and off-highway vehicles.
Now, it’s up to area residents to take steps to keep the trails open to motorized use in the Koochiching, Pine Island and Smokey Bear state forests. And that means using the trails in an appropriate manner. Clearly, trails that are damaged and made impassable for others could face different classifications in the future.
State forest trails in Koochiching are used by a variety of people for many different purposes. The trails provide access to hunting areas and shacks and are used for other kinds of recreation.
The forest-by-forest review of trail classifications was required by the 2003 state Legislature after hearing reports that the trails were being damaged by misuse.
The review was ordered in an effort to determine the appropriate use with regard to off-highway vehicles. After hearing from constituents, the 2005 Legislature restored the “managed” classification option north of U.S. Highway 2. The managed classification allows for vehicle use. Trails in Koochiching are expected to be considered managed.
Koochiching is the last of Minnesota’s 87 counties to undergo the review. County commissioners joked that the DNR likely placed Koochiching at the end of the list because it anticipated a difficult time with the county that came to the support the addition of managed status.
However, it appears that most people should be happy about the classification for Borderland trails. And, if they’re not, a forum to express their views about the draft plan is scheduled for Oct. 29 in International Falls.
The plan seems right for Koochiching County trails.