tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117121992024-03-13T13:22:30.179-07:00the edgeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-44714566277716872122011-06-13T05:23:00.000-07:002011-06-13T05:25:20.011-07:00Banadad 2011 Trail Plan<div class="MsoFooter" style="margin-left: .25in; tab-stops: .5in;"></div><div class="MsoFooter" style="margin-left: .25in; tab-stops: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoFooter" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo50; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">BANADAD TRAIL ASSOCIATION (BTA) </span></b><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoFooter" style="margin-left: .25in; tab-stops: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoFooter" style="tab-stops: .5in;">This year marked the second year that the Banadad Trail Association (BTA) has overseen stewardship of the Banadad Trail. The mission of the Association is to maintain and enhance the Banadad Ski Trail, preserve the history of the forest and the trail, promote the appreciation and care of wilderness lands that the trail runs through, and ensure that the Banadad Trail is preserved and continued for future generations. </div><div class="MsoFooter" style="tab-stops: .5in;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoFooter" style="tab-stops: .5in; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoFooter" style="tab-stops: .5in;">At its annual meeting in October 2010, the membership elected officers and the board of directors, including re-electing several long-term members and adding new members who bring additional expertise in mapping and forestry and financial expertise. Founding President Karen Monson passed leadership to Linda Bosma. The full board meets quarterly, either by conference call or in person on the Gunflint Trail. In addition to the regular board meetings, a formal committee structure has been adopted this year, including Trails/Maintenance Oversight, Membership/Fundraising, and Finance Committees, which meet regularly. After a lengthy application process, the BTA has received official notification that it has been awarded non-profit status as a 501(c)(3) organization.</div><div class="MsoFooter" style="tab-stops: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoFooter" style="tab-stops: .5in;">In conjunction with the annual meeting, BTA board members and other volunteers put in a weekend of trail maintenance, coordinated with the USFS’ prescribed burn in the area. Heavy snows this winter and unexpected storms have required a higher than expected amount of work on trail grooming and maintenance, made possible with Grant In Aid funds from the Department of Natural Resources and support from the USFS. </div><div class="MsoFooter" style="tab-stops: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoFooter" style="tab-stops: .5in;">BTA members and volunteers staffed a booth at the Midwest Mountaineering Winter Expo for the second year in a row in Minneapolis (November 2010). Skiers represented the Banadad Trail during the Volkski celebration in January 2010, and have secured several business sponsors from the Cook County area this year. In May the Association planted 600 Red and White Pines at the eastern end of the trail system. The planting of these trees is the association’s contribution toward maintaining the Banadad as a carbon neutral trail system. </div><div class="MsoFooter" style="tab-stops: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoFooter" style="margin-left: .25in; tab-stops: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoFooter" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo50; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">II.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">THE BANADAD TRAIL SYSTEM </span></b><b><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>The Banadad Ski Trail System is a public ski trail managed by the Banadad Trail Association, under an agreement with the Gunflint Ranger District (USFS) and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The Minnesota Ski Pass and BWCA Day Permit are required to ski the Banadad Trail System. Free public parking is provided at the trail’s eastern and western trailheads.<br />
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The Banadad Trail System consists of the 30-kilometer Banadad Trail, an intimate trail through the Boundary Waters Wilderness, and another 13 kilometers of trails (Lace Lake, Tim Knopp, Seppala and the Tall Pines Trails) located at the Banadad's eastern end. All the trails are single tracked.<br />
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The Banadad Trail was originally constructed as a series of logging roads in the fifties and sixties. As a result the trail is blessed with a good gravel roadbed. All but one of five original bridges along the Banadad has been replaced over the years. Skiers now bypass the one bridge that has not been replaced. The other trails in the Banadad Trail System were constructed as ski trails over the past twenty years. <br />
The old Finn Lake and Tucker Lake logging roads that were to become the Banadad Ski Trail were cleared by the Gunflint Ranger District, USFS staff in 1982 and 1983 at the request of winter resorts on the Gunflint Trail. Area resorts first groomed the trail in 1982. The construction and grooming of this trail was authorized under two provisions in the 1978 Boundary Waters Act that called for the construction of recreational trails including, ski trails, within the BWCA and allowed grooming by snowmobile of some of these ski trails.<br />
<br />
The Banadad Trails are centrally located along the 200-kilometer <a href="http://www.boundarycountry.com/gunflint-ski-map.html" target="_blank">Gunflint Nordic Trails</a>. The eastern end of the Banadad connects with the Central Gunflint Trails and at the western end skiers must walk along the Gunflint Trail 1/8 of mile to the Loon Lake Landing where they can then ski into the Upper Gunflint Trail System. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">There are six USFS BWCA Day Permit boxes along the Banadad Trail. Two permit boxes are located at or near the eastern trailhead, and the others at Swamp Lake Portage, Lizz Lake Portage and the western trailhead. Boundary Country Trekking collects permits at the eastern and western trailhead boxes and supplies all the permit boxes along the trail with permits during the winter. For the maintenance of these boxes BCT exchanges their winter Guide Packer Permit fee with the USFS in lieu of cash. The BWCA Day Permits are used to determine the number of skier days each winter. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The major problem facing the trail is the annual accumulation of brush. Much of this brush grows several feet per year. This problem is particularly acute near the remote interior center of the trail where traveling to the work areas is extremely difficult. This problem is now being addressed through the “Remote Interior Widening Project<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=11712199#_edn1" name="_ednref1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[i]</span></a>." This project was initiated in 2005. (More detail on this project appears later in this document.) </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Last year’s USFS Mead’s and Dawkin’s Lakes prescribed burn have resulted in opening the forest canopy to brush producing sunlight and causing half burned-out trees to fall into the trail thus multiplying our maintenance problem</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i> Tree planting May 2010</i></div><div class="MsoNormal">While Nordic Skiing is normally considered an eco-friendly sport, the Banadad Trail System continues to take this one step further. Three years ago the Banadad Trails became, what we believe to be, the nation's first carbon neutral ski trail.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=11712199#_edn2" name="_ednref2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[ii]</span></a> The BTA is committed to continuing this tradition. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Tree planting along the Trail-2010</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><h2 align="left" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo50; tab-stops: list .75in; text-align: left; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="color: black;">III.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Review of the 2010-2011 Season </h2><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Continued partnership with Boundary Country Trekking (BCT)</b> - The BTA continues to partner with our contractor, Boundary Country Trekking, to provide oversight, direction, and essential expertise on maintaining, grooming, and improving the Banadad Trail. BCT implements the BTA Trail Plan elements as we secure funding and resources and provides valuable guidance on monitoring issues and care of the trail. This expertise in an invaluable resource for the BTA Board’s stewardship of the Trail. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Maintenance and grooming- </b>This past fall volunteers logged 3,904 hours working on the Banadad’s eastern end and the Lace Lake Trail. Boundary Country Trekking staff did the reminder of the trail’s work. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Trail groomers logged 188 hours covering 742 miles. </div><b>Dawkin’s and Mead’s Lake Prescribed Burns</b>- The Meads Lake burn resulted in significant damage to the trail going west four miles from the Meads Lake Portage. The worst damaged area was a 2000-foot section just west of the Old Winchell Lake Fire Trail where the fire destroy a beautiful area of old growth White Cedar and young White Pine. <br />
The southern end of the Old Winchell Lake Fire Trail, used by maintenance crews to access a portion of the trail’s east end, also received considerable damage. This trail was never re-cleared by Fire Crews.<br />
<br />
It is anticipated that the removal of burnout trees that have fallen across the trail and the growth of brush in fire-opened areas will present a major maintenance problem on the east end of the Banadad. <br />
On the trail’s other end the Dawkin’s burn, only minimal damage was done to the trail with mostly spot burns along a four miles section from the BWCA entry east. Maintenance of this end will mainly require monitoring for fallen burnt trees. <br />
<b>Remote Interior Widening</b>- A one-mile section along the trail’s western end was widened and a Minnesota Conservation Corps (MCC) crew widened another 2 1/3 miles on either side of the trail’s midtrail junction.<span style="color: red;"></span><br />
<b>Snow Cover</b>-The 2010-11 season was good snow year along the Banadad and throughout the state. The result was that the Banadad’s skier days were down considerably from last year. In years when other nearby areas and the state have good snow conditions, the Banadad Trail’s skier days go down as skiers have many other ski venues. See annual skier days 2004-05 to 2010-11. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=11712199#_edn3" name="_ednref3" style="mso-endnote-id: edn3;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[iii]</span></a><span style="color: red;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b>Winter Mix Storm</b>- a late December wintry-mix storm left down trees and brush blocking the entire trails system. The trail was unusable for about two-weeks. Reopening the trail require 213 hours of hand labor by volunteers and paid staff at a cost of over $3,400.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>New Snowmobile- </b>With the assistance of Grant from the DNR and loan from Cook County the BTA was able to purchase a new Skandic SWT 800 snowmobile and leveler groomer. The snowmobile is leased to Boundary Country Trekking by the BTA to ensure reliable equipment is available for grooming the trail. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Tree Planting</b>- During May 2010 the BTA planted 800 +/- conifers along the Lace Lake and Tall Pines Trail and the Little Ollie Road. Hedstrom Lumber Company in Grand Marais donated the trees. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><h4 align="left" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo50; tab-stops: list .75in; text-align: left; text-indent: -.5in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">IV.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">This years -Projects and Plans </span></h4><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b>Contracted Services Interior Widening –</b> A ½ - ¾ mile section on the east end of the Banadad from 2<sup>nd</sup> bridge west to near Ham Lake Burn will be widened this spring. Project scheduled to be completed in May or early June using remaining funds received through our Capital Improvement Grant.</li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">.</div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent3" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><b>Volunteer Crew</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.5in; mso-list: l9 level2 lfo34; tab-stops: list 1.5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>West end BWCA entrance to the first beaver Pond beyond Dawkins Bridge<span class="MsoCommentReference"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><ins cite="mailto:bct" datetime="2011-05-21T07:14"></ins></span></span><br />
<span class="MsoCommentReference"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">- </span></span><br />
<span class="MsoCommentReference"><ins cite="mailto:bct" datetime="2011-05-21T07:14">Cut and clear</ins><ins cite="mailto:bct" datetime="2011-05-21T07:15">side and center brush</ins><ins cite="mailto:bct" datetime="2011-05-21T07:16">this fall.</ins></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.5in; mso-list: l9 level2 lfo34; tab-stops: list 1.5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Banadad Green-Up to 600 Red and White Pines to be planted in and round the Lace Lake and Tall Pines Trails- May 7 and 14</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.25in;"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;">this summer <b>Request use of <span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:bct" datetime="2011-05-21T07:17"></del></span> MCC crew during <ins cite="mailto:bct" datetime="2011-05-21T07:17"></ins>to: </b></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.5in; mso-list: l9 level2 lfo34; tab-stops: list 1.5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Widen West end from the first beaver pond east of Dawkins Bridge to 100 yards beyond second beaver pond</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.5in; mso-list: l9 level2 lfo34; tab-stops: list 1.5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Hike remainder of west end Banadad cutting out all down trees and over hanging brush Widen ¾ mile section from mid trail junction west cutting overhanging brush from the mid trail junction to Bedew Lake Yurt Camp ¾ mile </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l11 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in;"><b>West end reroute/easement agreement</b>- BTA will be working with new owners of Trap Lake property to try to work out an easement agreement. </li>
</ul><h5 style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-weight: normal;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Prescribed Burn areas- Request USFS Fire Crews</h5><h5 style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l11 level2 lfo36; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-weight: normal;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Winchell Lake Fire Trail- Request the use of USFS fire crew- to reopen the Fire Trail and cut out all the burnt trees that had fallen over the summer onto trail between the Skipper Lake Portage south to the Banadad Trail. - Approximately1 mile.</span></h5><h5 style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l11 level2 lfo36; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-weight: normal;">o<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Meads Lake Burn- request use of USFS fire Crew to cut out all trees that have fall across trail due to the USFS Meads Lake Prescribed Burn along the Banadad west from the Meads Lake Portage west to the second bridge directly north of Moon Lake approximately four miles.</span></h5><h5 style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-weight: normal;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Sign/kiosk<span style="font-weight: normal;">- Install a sign/kiosk with map at intersection of Lace Lake and Central Gunflint’s Poplar Creek Trail</span></h5><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoCaption">Banadad Bridge- <span style="font-weight: normal;">Rebuild bridge and cut out Ham Lake fire burn area (1 ½ miles east of Bridge – need crew of 4-5 volunteers and 1-2 paid staff. Project will take two days with one night camping on Rush Lake. Scheduled for early September</span>. Crew will need a BWCA “work permit” from USFS.DRAfT 1</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Potential Projects</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>The Banadad Trail Association will also try to secure funding to undertake these additional efforts (at the time of this Trail Plan, such funds are not secured):</u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><h5 style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-weight: normal;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Mowing<span style="font-weight: normal;"> –If BTA can find the money, an ASV or other tracked vehicle with brush hog would be hired to brush the: Lace Lake/Tall Pines Trails (3 ½ miles), Banadad east end outside of BWCA (1 ½ miles), and/or Moose Trail 4 ½ miles)</span></h5><h5 style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo36; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-weight: normal;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Snow Season Emergency Clearing<span style="font-weight: normal;">- again this year the BTA will have to be prepared to re-open a brush clogged trail caused by rain followed by heavy wet snow. </span></h5><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Challenges</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">An extra heavy snow season this year challenged the BTA and its contractor BCT to keep the trail open this year on a few occasions. Supplemental DNR Grant In Aid funds were essential to keeping the trail open and groomed. There were some days the trail was not in good skiing condition due to the time necessary to remove downed trees and overhanging brush. This is a challenge the BTA Board has discussed this spring, and while it may not always be possible to clear and remove downed trees and branches immediately after an unusually large snowfall, it is important to have information available on the trail conditions, to alert skiers to any potential problems. To this end, BCT will provide timely updates that caution skiers when such trail conditions have occurred. While the Banadad is a wilderness ski trail in large part, and skiers should approach it as such, the trail has a long established reputation for being groomed at high standards. A future goal for the BTA is to develop the structure and capacity to address such emergency situations and this is an on-going long-term goal in our Trails/Maintenance Committee’s work.</div><div style="mso-element: endnote-list;"><br />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /><div id="edn1" style="mso-element: endnote;"><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=11712199#_ednref1" name="_edn1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""></a><span style="font-size: 10pt;">i. The project proposes to widen remote areas of the trail not normally accessible to BTA’s volunteers. Project standards are as follows; where brush is the dominant vegetation- cut/clear brush along trail right away to minimum width of eight feet (8') and removes all brush overhanging right away, where conifers are the dominant vegetation- cut brush and conifers to create a minimum of a six (6) foot trail right away. Thin conifers on sides of right away to promote growth of remaining conifers and trim all over hanging conifers branches up to a minimum of ten (10') high. </span></div></div><div id="edn2" style="mso-element: endnote;"><h1><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=11712199#_ednref2" name="_edn2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">[ii]</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">See “<a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22137973//">Cross-country ski resorts go green</a>,” MSNBC</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;">by Roger Lohr, December 7, 2007.</span></h1></div><div id="edn3" style="mso-element: endnote;"><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=11712199#_ednref3" name="_edn3" style="mso-endnote-id: edn3;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[iii]</span></a> <span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">[iii]</span></span> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">These figures were based the USFS BWCA Permits collected from trail users. The non- permitted skiers estimate is based up 10% non- permitted skiers. Note: in 2010 the percentage of non-permitted skiers was reduced from 20 to 10% for each year. Not included in these totals are the skiers on the Moose Trail most of who came from Voyagers Point on Poplar Lake. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Local day skiers</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> <u>Non Local ski </u> Estimated <u>Non permitted Skiers</u> <u> Total Trail Days</u></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">2004-05 116 428 55 <b>599</b> </span></div><div class="MsoEndnoteText">2005-06 130 601 73 <b>804 </b> <b> </b></div><div class="MsoEndnoteText">2007-08 99 720 82 <b>900</b> </div><div class="MsoEndnoteText">2008-09 71 583 65 <b>784</b> </div><div class="MsoEndnoteText">2009-10 177 783 96 <b>1056</b> </div><div class="MsoEndnoteText">2010- 11 170 560 73 <b>803 </b></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-18513026394744783852010-11-29T06:46:00.000-08:002010-11-29T06:50:05.147-08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">Membership Form</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Membership Year October 1st to September 30th</strong></div><br />
<br />
Name ________________________________________<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Address _________________________________________________<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
City/State/Zip code _________________________________________<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Phone ( ___)________________ E-mail ________________________________________<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Membership Levels</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
$15 Resident (Cook County, MN only)<br />
<br />
$25 Individual<br />
<br />
$35 Family <br />
<br />
$50 Trail Maintainer<br />
<br />
$100 Trail Builder<br />
<br />
$250 Founding Member (2009/10 only)<br />
<br />
$500 Lifetime Preservationist<br />
<br />
$________ Banadad Booster (additional donation)<br />
<br />
Total Enclosed $____________<br />
<br />
Send to Checks Payable to:<br />
<br />
<br />
Banadad Trail Association-(non-profit application pending)<br />
<br />
<strong>Mail To: Checks Payable to: </strong>Banadad Trail Association<br />
<br />
<strong>Mail To:</strong><br />
<br />
Banadad Trail Association<br />
P.O. Box 436<br />
Grand Marais, MN 55604<br />
<br />
<strong>For additional information call: 218-388-9476</strong><br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-84857211609153683032010-11-29T05:24:00.000-08:002010-11-29T05:24:47.438-08:00Banadad Trail Association Membership Form<!--[if !mso]> <style>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span>Membership Form</span></span></div><br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt;"><span> </span>Membership Year October 1<sup>st</sup> to September 30th</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial-BoldMT; font-size: 10pt;">Name <u>________________________________________</u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial-BoldMT; font-size: 10pt;">Address <u>_________________________________________________</u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial-BoldMT; font-size: 10pt;">City/State/Zip code <u>_________________________________________</u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial-BoldMT; font-size: 10pt;">Phone <u>( ___)________________</u> E-mail <u>________________________________________</u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><h1><span>Membership Levels</span></h1><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;"><span style="height: 13px; margin-left: 29px; margin-top: 2px; position: absolute; width: 13px; z-index: 1;"><img height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Barbara/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image003.gif" width="13" /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span> </span>$15<span> </span>Resident (Cook County, MN only)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;"><span style="height: 13px; margin-left: 29px; margin-top: 3px; position: absolute; width: 13px; z-index: 2;"><img height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Barbara/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image004.gif" width="13" /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span> </span>$25<span> </span>Individual</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;"><span style="height: 13px; margin-left: 29px; margin-top: 3px; position: absolute; width: 13px; z-index: 3;"><img height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Barbara/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image005.gif" width="13" /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span> </span>$35<span> </span>Family </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;"><span style="height: 13px; margin-left: 29px; margin-top: 4px; position: absolute; width: 13px; z-index: 4;"><img height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Barbara/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image006.gif" width="13" /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span> </span>$50<span> </span>Trail Maintainer</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;"><span style="height: 13px; margin-left: 29px; margin-top: 6px; position: absolute; width: 13px; z-index: 5;"><img height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Barbara/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image007.gif" width="13" /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span> </span>$100 Trail Builder</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;"><span style="height: 13px; margin-left: 29px; margin-top: 7px; position: absolute; width: 13px; z-index: 6;"><img height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Barbara/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image008.gif" width="13" /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span> </span>$250 Founding Member (2009/10 only)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;"><span style="height: 13px; margin-left: 29px; margin-top: 8px; position: absolute; width: 13px; z-index: 7;"><img height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Barbara/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image009.gif" width="13" /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span> </span>$500 Lifetime Preservationist</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span> </span>$________ Banadad Booster (additional donation)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span> </span>Total Enclosed $____________</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="position: relative; z-index: 8;"><span style="height: 166px; left: 373px; position: absolute; top: -204px; width: 277px;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr> <td align="left" bgcolor="white" height="166" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; border: 0.75pt solid black; vertical-align: top;" valign="top" width="277"><span style="position: absolute; z-index: 9;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr> <td> <div class="shape" style="padding: 3.6pt 7.2pt;"> <div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial-BoldMT; font-size: 10pt;">Checks Payable to:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial-BoldMT; font-size: 10pt;">Banadad Trail Association</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial-BoldMT; font-size: 9pt;">(non-profit application pending)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Arial-BoldMT; font-size: 10pt;">Mail To:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial-BoldMT; font-size: 10pt;">Banadad Trail Association</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">P.O. Box 6</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Grand Marais, MN<span> </span>55604</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">For additional information call:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span> </span>218-388-9476</span></div></div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table></span> </td> </tr>
</tbody></table></span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-37263476971465877252010-04-25T18:06:00.000-07:002010-04-25T18:16:26.665-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Banadad and Adjoining Ski Trails<br />
2010 Trail Plan</span><br />
</b></div><br />
<b>I. BANADAD TRAIL ASSOCIATION (BTA)</b><br />
<br />
After twenty years of managing the Banadad Ski Trail, Boundary Country Trekking<br />
has turned over the trail’s management duties to the recently formed Banadad Trail<br />
Association (BTA). The mission of the Association is to maintain and enhance the<br />
Banadad Ski Trail, preserve the history of the forest and the trail, promote the<br />
appreciation and care of wilderness lands that the trail runs through, and ensure that the<br />
Banadad Trail is preserved and continued for future generations.<br />
<br />
Since its’ founding meeting on February 14, 2009, the BTA has actively undertaken<br />
oversight of the Banadad Trail. The BTA has an eleven member board of directors<br />
composed of residents from within and outside of Cook County. The full board meets<br />
quarterly, either by conference call or in person on the Gunflint Trail. In addition to<br />
full board meetings, numerous committees have met many times to establish a website,<br />
membership recruitment strategies, and general operation of the trail. The Association’s<br />
Board is in the process of preparing documentation for submission to the Internal<br />
Revenue Service for non-profit status as a 501(c)(3) corporation and plans to submit<br />
this application in spring 2010.<br />
<br />
This year BTA members and volunteers staffed a booth at the Midwest Mountaineering<br />
Winter Expo in Minneapolis (November 2009), distributed over 500 brochures, created<br />
a website, and are currently planning a long-term membership recruitment plan. The<br />
BTA recruited volunteers for trail maintenance in fall 2009. When the trail was<br />
seriously damaged and closed due to heavy snow in January 2010, board members<br />
responded quickly with volunteers and donations to clean up the trail - reopening the<br />
trail a little over a week after the storm. BTA secured grants from the Department of<br />
Natural Resources and the United States Forest Service for trail maintenance projects.<br />
<br />
Banadad Trail Association Board of Directors <br />
Officers:<br />
Karen Monsen, President- Stillwater, MN, mons0122@umn.edu<br />
Linda Bosma, Vice President- Minneapolis, MN, inda@bosmaconsulting.com<br />
Karla Miller, Treasurer, Duluth, MN, dakar07@charter.net<br />
Barb Bottger, Secretary, Gunflint Trail, MN, jbbottger@boreal.org<br />
<br />
At-Large Board Members<br />
Peter Spink- Plymouth and Gunflint Trail, MN<br />
Wayne Monsen- Stillwater, MN<br />
Jim Morrison- Gunflint Trail, MN<br />
Anne Rykkan- St. Paul, MN<br />
Chris Matter- Hudson, WI<br />
Tom Rice – Shoreview, MN<br />
John Bottger- Gunflint Trail, MN<br />
<br />
Contact Information<br />
bta@boreal.org<br />
<br />
P.O. Box 436<br />
Grand Marais, MN 55604<br />
Website- www.banadad.org<br />
The Banadad Trail Association has contracted1 with Boundary Country Trekking<br />
(BCT) to provide the trail’s maintenance and grooming services. BCT can be reached<br />
at 218-388-4487/email bct@boundarycountry.com.<br />
<br />
<b>II. BACKGROUND ON THE BANADAD TRAIL SYSTEM</b><br />
<br />
The Banadad Ski Trail System is a public ski trail managed by the Banadad Trail<br />
Association, under an agreement with the Gunflint Ranger District (USFS) and the<br />
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The Minnesota Ski Pass and BWCA Day<br />
Permit are required to ski the Banadad Trail System. Free public parking is provided at<br />
the trail’s eastern and western trailheads.<br />
<br />
The Banadad Trail System consists of the 30 kilometer Banadad Trail, an intimate trail<br />
through the Boundary Waters Wilderness, and another 13 kilometers of trails (Lace<br />
Lake, Tim Knopp, Seppala and the new Tall Pines Trails) located at the Banadad's<br />
eastern end. All the trails are single tracked. The Banadad Trail was originally<br />
constructed as a series of logging roads in the fifties and sixties. As a result the trail is<br />
blessed with a good gravel roadbed. All but one of five original bridges along the<br />
Banadad have been replaced over the years. Skiers now bypass the one bridge<br />
that has not been replaced.<br />
<br />
The other trails in the Banadad Trail System were constructed as ski trails over the past twenty years.<br />
T\he old Finn Lake and Tucker Lake logging roads that were to become the<br />
Banadad Ski Trail were cleared by the Gunflint Ranger District, USFS staff in<br />
1982 and 1983 at the request of winter resorts on the Gunflint Trail. Area resorts<br />
first groomed the trail in 1982. The construction and grooming of this trail<br />
was authorized under two provisions in the 1978 Boundary Waters Act that called<br />
for the construction of recreational trails including, ski trails, within the BWCA<br />
and allowed grooming by snowmobile of some of these ski trails.<br />
<br />
The Banadad Trails are centrally located along the 200-kilometer Gunflint Nordic<br />
Trails. The eastern end of the Banadad connects with the Central Gunflint Trails and at<br />
the western end skiers must walk along the Gunflint Trail 1/8 of mile to the Loon Lake<br />
Landing where they can then ski into the Upper Gunflint Trail System.<br />
There are six USFS BWCA Day Permit boxes along the Banadad Trail. Two permit<br />
boxes are located at or near the eastern trailhead, and the others at Swamp Lake<br />
Portage, Lizz Lake Portage and the western trailhead. Boundary Country Trekking<br />
collects permits at the eastern and western trailhead boxes and supplies all the permit<br />
boxes along the trail with permits during the winter. For the maintenance of these<br />
boxes BCT exchanges their winter Guide Packer Permit fee with the USFS in lieu of<br />
cash. The BWCA Day Permits are used to determine the number of skier days each<br />
winter.<br />
<br />
The major problem facing the trail is the annual accumulation of brush. Much of this<br />
brush grows several feet per year. This problem is particularly acute near the remote<br />
interior center of the trail where traveling to the work areas is extremely difficult. This<br />
problem is now being addressed through the “Remote Interior Widening Project2." This<br />
project was initiated in 2005. (More detail on this project appears later in this<br />
document.)<br />
<br />
While Nordic Skiing is normally considered an eco-friendly sport, the Banadad Trail<br />
System continues to take this one step further. Three years ago the Banadad Trails<br />
became, what we believe to be, the nation's first carbon neutral ski trail.3 The BTA is<br />
committed to continuing this tradition.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>III. Review of the 2009-2010 Season</b></span><br />
<br />
Certainly the most significant event in recent years is that of the Banadad Trail<br />
Association taking over the management of the trail. Other milestones along the<br />
Banadad this past year include:<br />
<ul><li>With the help of a Minnesota DNR Capital Improvement Grant the 3-kilometer </li>
</ul><ul><li>Tall Pines Trail surface was graded with a bulldozer. This enabled</li>
</ul>the opening of the entire Tall Pines Trail.<br />
<ul><li>A new parking area that accommodates four cars was opened and</li>
</ul>maintained on the trail’s east end.<br />
<ul><li>At the eastern trailhead a kiosk was installed with trail maps, trail</li>
</ul>information and a BWCA permit box.<br />
<ul><li>At the western end, near the permit box, a post was added with trail maps</li>
</ul>and trail information.<br />
<ul><li> Signage was installed for the new Tall Pines Trail.</li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>III. 2008-09 Accomplishments</b></span><br />
<br />
<ul><li>Seventeen volunteers from the Banadad Trail Association, North Star Ski</li>
</ul>Touring Club (NSSTC), and Adventure Vacations (a Twin Cities adventure<br />
Travel company) worked on the Trail in fall 2009, contributing a combined<br />
total of 225 hours of volunteer labor. Without these volunteers, it is doubtful<br />
that the trail could be maintained.<br />
<ul><li>BCT’s paid staff logged over 200 hours maintaining and 115 hours</li>
</ul>grooming the Trail.<br />
<ul><li>Ninety-four additional hours of volunteer and paid labor was a record, reopening</li>
</ul>the trail following the late January 2010 ice/snow storm.<br />
<ul><li>Remote Interior Widening</li>
<ul><li>A six person Minnesota Conservation Corp (MCC) crew worked for eight</li>
</ul></ul>days widening remote areas of the Banadad. The crew camped along the<br />
trail and hiked the entire west end of the Banadad. They removed most of<br />
the large trees that had fallen on to the west end of the trail and widened two<br />
remote interior miles.<br />
<br />
<ul><ul><li> BCT’s paid staff widened a quarter of a mile of the trail’s eastern end.</li>
</ul></ul><ul><li>Vegetation Management</li>
</ul><ul><li>Three hundred red and white pine trees were planted along the southeast</li>
</ul>side of the Tall Pines Trail.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>IV. Projects and Plans</b></span><br />
<br />
2010 Projects and work plans5 (Note: underlined items indicate BTA<br />
projects not yet funded or secured. Except when outside contractors are used all<br />
costs are based on the Minnesota DNR “allowable cost.”)<br />
1. Remote Interior Trail Widening: The BTA plans to widen approximately 1½ miles<br />
of trail near the Banadad Bridge. Widening will require 120-150 hours of labor.6<br />
Recommendation- BTA requests Minnesota Conservation Corps crew (MCC) for<br />
up to eight days. Crew will canoe in and camp on Rush Lake. Seeking MCC crew<br />
for six to eight days, canoes and $300 for BCT to provide logistical support to<br />
MCC Crew. Timeline: Summer/Fall 2010.<br />
<br />
<br />
2. Remote Interior Widening: The BTA plans to widen a ½-mile section just west of<br />
“Moon Lake” Bridge.7<br />
Recommendation- BTA will direct BCT to secure a private contractor for project<br />
estimated at $1000 for project. Timeline: Spring or Fall 2010.<br />
<br />
3. Remote Interior Widening: The BTA will widen 1/10 of a mile east of west end<br />
Recommendation – BTA will contract with BCT to provide its’ grooming staff to<br />
widen this short section during grooming runs. Estimated cost $160.<br />
Timeline: March or early winter 2010.<br />
<br />
4. Remote Interior Widening: The BTA will widen 2/5 of a mile from the western<br />
end of the Banadad to just east of the second beaver pond9.<br />
Recommendation - BTA will direct BCT to secure a private contractor for project<br />
using the balance of the Minnesota DNR Capital Improvements Grant to fund<br />
project. Estimated cost $1000. Timeline: Summer/Fall 2010.<br />
<br />
5. Mowing on east end of Banadad Trail outside of BWCA (USFS Land): The BTA<br />
proposes mowing four miles of this section with a brush hog.<br />
Recommendation- BTA seeking up to $600 to fund project. Timeline: Fall 2010.<br />
<br />
6. Install new signage and map at junction of Lace Lake and Central Gunflint’s Poplar<br />
Creek Trail on state land.Recommendation- BTA Volunteers and BCT staff will complete. Estimated cost<br />
$100 funded by BTA from DNR Grant-in-Aid. Timeline: Summer 2010.<br />
<br />
7. Reroute 150 foot section of the Lace Lake Trail (on State Land): Planned<br />
Reroute near west end south side of the Lace Lake Trail would avoid large<br />
rocks. Two people using chainsaws estimated at about 8 hrs.<br />
Recommendation- BTA Volunteers and BCT staff to complete. Estimated cost<br />
$250 funded by BTA from DNR Grant-in-Aid. Timeline: Fall 2010.<br />
<br />
8. Reroute the west end Trailhead to ensure continued access to the Banadad, direct<br />
connection with the Upper Gunflint Trails and provide a larger and safer parking<br />
area. Recommendation – The BTA will continue working with the USFS on this project<br />
with the objective of locating a route in 2010. Timeline: On going.<br />
<br />
9. Widen and clear the a two-mile long section on the west end of Banadad going east<br />
from the Dawkins Bridge. This is a proactive effort, since this section is not<br />
currently heavily overgrown at present; current work in 2010 will preempt the need<br />
for more costly and labor-intensive work later on. Recommendation- The BTA will seek a Youth Conservation Corp (YCC) crew with<br />
coordination and logistics support provided by BCT. Seeking YCC crew and $200<br />
for project. Timeline: Summer 2010.<br />
<br />
10. Provide and coordinate regular maintenance by BTA Volunteers Hand Labor<br />
Crews. The BTA will recruit up to 30 volunteers to work over 3 fall weekends.<br />
Volunteer crews will concentrate on the west end of the Banadad and inward up to<br />
three miles from trailhead; the east end from Winchell Lake Fire Trail west for up<br />
to 2 miles; and the Lace Lake and Tall Pines Trails.Recommendation- BTA will seek $1500<br />
to support logistics, coordination, projects<br />
and supervision for BTA Volunteers and BCT staff through Minnesota DNR Grantin-<br />
Aid funds. Timeline: Fall 2010.<br />
<br />
11. Inspect bridges at the beaver pond creek west of Winchell Lake Fire Trail and north<br />
of Moon Lake. Both Bridges are 12’ in length.<br />
Recommendation-The BTA will direct BCT staff to inspect the bridges while<br />
supervising the volunteer trail crew working on that portion of the trail.<br />
Timeline: Fall 2010.<br />
<br />
12. Vegetation management: The BTA plans to plant 500 trees along Tall Pines Trail<br />
near Yurt, at the east intersection of Tall Pines and Lace Lake Trails, and by the<br />
gravel pit on the Lace Lake Trail. All the planting is on Minnesota State land.<br />
Recommendation- BCT staff and volunteers will plant trees; the estimated cost of<br />
$250 is budgeted in the BTA for continuing the Banadad as a Carbon Neutral<br />
Trail. Timeline: Early May 2010.<br />
<br />
13. Treat 50 yards patch of Canadian Thistle along Tall Pines Trail.<br />
Recommendation- BTA will direct BCT to kill thistle using herbicides and remove<br />
and burn dead plants as prescribed by the Cook County Extension Office,<br />
estimated cost of $50. Timeline: Spring/Early summer 2010.<br />
<br />
14. Administrative-Update and reprint Banadad Trail Maps and Brochures.<br />
Recommendation- Estimated cost of $500 paid by BTA. Timeline: Fall 2010 and<br />
ongoing as needed.<br />
<br />
15. Regular Maintenance/Grooming by BCT staff. Ongoing to open and groom the<br />
Banadad Trail for skiing throughout the season.Recommendation- Estimated cost of approximately $7000 paid from DNR Grantin-<br />
Aid, BTA and BCT. Timeline: 2010-2011. Continuous annually (contract<br />
between BTA and BCT to be renegotiated on an annual basis determined by<br />
available funding and conditions.)<br />
<br />
2011 Projects<br />
• Complete project not completed from the 2010 Trail Plan.<br />
• Repair Banadad Bridge<br />
• Remote Interior Trail Widening Projects (USFS Land): on going project with a<br />
goal of widening another 1 to 2 miles of the Banadad during 2011.<br />
• Moose Trail: mow with brush hog for 4 ½ miles.<br />
• BTA Volunteers: recruit up to 30 volunteers over 3 fall weekends for maintenance<br />
projects identified annually.<br />
• Continue to work on west end trail reroute and parking area. (USFS Land)<br />
• Replace the two bridges inspected last season if necessary (secure or raise<br />
necessary funds).<br />
• Continue tree planting with location to be determined.<br />
• Continue regular maintenance and grooming regime.<br />
<br />
2012 Projects<br />
<br />
• Complete projects not completed from the 2011 Trail Plan.<br />
• Remote Interior Trail Widening Projects (USFS Land): on going project with a<br />
goal of widening another 1 to 2 miles of trail.<br />
• Lace Lake Trail (State Land): mow with brush hog for 2 1/2 miles.<br />
• BTA Volunteers: recruit up to 30 volunteers over 3 fall weekends.<br />
• Continue to work on west end trail reroute and parking area. (USFS Land)<br />
• Continue tree planting with location to be determined.<br />
• Reprint Trail Maps.<br />
• Continue tree planting with location to be determined.<br />
• Continue regular maintenance and grooming regime.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>V. Other Concerns to consider</b></span><br />
<br />
• Trail Volunteers . In the past the USFS provide Workmen’s Compensation<br />
coverage for trail volunteers. The BTA needs to ensure that this coverage will<br />
continue.<br />
<br />
• USFS’s Mead’s and Dawkin’s Prescribed Burns. It is our understanding that these<br />
and other “Blow-Down” prescribed burns are currently on hold for review by the<br />
USFS. However BTA remains concerned about the Meads and Dawkins prescribed<br />
burns and any future prescribed burns along the Banadad. We feel that if any<br />
portion of the trail where conifers have displaced side brush is burned, it will negate<br />
all our efforts to replace the side brush with conifers. If these conifers are burned,<br />
we will be faced with more brush and such burns will detract from the natural<br />
beauty of the trail.<br />
<br />
It should also be noted that there has been good natural regeneration of young white<br />
pine and cedar along the trail where the Meads prescribed burn is planned. Any<br />
burn in this area is certainly going to destroy this new generation of trees.<br />
<br />
• May 2007 Ham Lake Fire. This fire burned across 6/10ths of a mile of the Banadad<br />
Trail’s eastern end, eight miles west of the eastern trailhead. This burn was in a 50<br />
to 60 year old red pines plantation. The trees that were killed in this fire will likely<br />
present a problem in the future as they rot and fall across the trail. Also, the<br />
elimination of the forest canopy exposing this portion of the trail to more direct<br />
sunlight has resulted in the proliferation of brush and weeds. This Trail section is<br />
likely going to require special maintenance treatment in the near future.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-9747144192551779122009-06-03T08:43:00.000-07:002009-06-03T08:46:19.546-07:00History of the Gunflint Trail's Banadad Ski TrailWhat is know today as the BWCAW'S longest groomed ski trail - the Banadad -- was developed many years ago from a network of old logging roads. In 1953, The Finn Lake Timber Sale modeled after the earlier adjoining and to the south Davis Lake Timber Sale was begun. The Finn Lake Road was construct to access the sale. This road was to become the eastern end of the Banadad. The road began at the General Logging Company's abandoned railroad grade just east of Poplar Lake (now the Lima Grade) and proceeded due west about ten miles to Finn Lake passing just north of Moon Lake.<br /><br />Timber harvested from the area was transported along this new road to the Gunflint Trail then down to Grand Marais. Some of the tall white pine from the sale were truck across an ice road over Poplar Lake to Sam Sepalla's saw mill located where Trail Center now stands.<br /><br />The construction of the road and the subsequent logging was controlled by the Kimberly-Clark Company. While several small logging camps sprung up along the road, the company's largest camp was built just north of the old Moon Lake logging camp. According to Hank Larson who was logging in the area during this period: "...in l962 there were some eighteen to twenty-four men logging in the Finn Lake area. About twelve of them were shackers. Shackers is the term used to describe the men living in the camps."<br /><br />During the early l960s another road was constructed from the Finn Lake Road north between Banadad and Rush Lakes across the Banadad Creek, continuing north for another quarter mile where it intersected with the Dawkin's and Birch Cliff Logging Roads. The Dawkins Road came in from the west and the Birch Cliff Road from the east. The Dawkin's road, also know as the Rib Lake road, began at the Gunflint Trail near the Loon Lake Public Landing. The Birch Cliff road connected with what was then the Winchell Lake fire trail beginning on the Gunflint Trail just east of Poplar Lake (now the access road to the Poplar Lake Public Landing).<br /><br />In l964 with the passage of the Wilderness Act most of this area was place within the newly created Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCAW). The act prohibited logging in most of the area. Road construction and logging ceased, the men moved out and over the next twenty years the forest began to reclaim the logging roads.<br /><br />Meanwhile the resorts on the Gunflint Trail began developing cross country ski trails. In l972 the first ski trails of what was to become the Upper Gunflint Trail system were constructed by Borderland Lodge. About the same time the owner of a now defunct resort on Hungry Jack Lake and Bearskin Lodge began developing ski trails. These trails were to develop into Bearskin and Golden Eagle Lodges' Central Gunflint Ski Trail System.<br /><br />Following a bitter struggle pitting mostly city "preservationist" against "local" people from the area surrounding the BWCAW the l978 "BWCAW Act" was passed by Congress. While local residents were not happy with the legislation, they had manage to incorporate into the bill a provision that allowed for the grooming of ski trail within the BWCAW by snowmobiles.<br /><br />By the early l980s Borderland (now called Moosehorn), Gunflint and Heston's Lodges in the Upper Gunflint area and Bearskin and Golden Eagle Lodges in the Central Gunflint had develop extensive ski trail systems. They were now interested in connect the two systems. Thus in l982 at the urging of the lodges, the U. S. Forest Service authorized the construction within the BWCAW of a ski trail between the Upper and Central Gunflint ski systems. The old Dawkins road, Birch Cliff and Finn Lake system was selected as the proposed route for this trail. During the summers of 1982 the accumulated forest growth was cut and cleared by crews from the Forest Service from the Dawkins, Birch Cliff and the eastern end of the Finn Lake Roads. Grooming by snowmobile of the this trail was authorized and the trail was opened for skiing that winter. The Subsequent year the Finn Lake Road and Banadad links were cleared and this route replaced the Birch Cliff section as the Banadad's eastern end.<br /><br />The Upper and Central Ski system were now connected by a twenty-seven kilometer groomed ski trail through the wilderness. First called the Ski Thru Trail, Artery Trail or Tucker Lake Trail, depending upon whom you spoke to, the trail was officially named, by the Gunflint ski resorts, the Banadad in l984.<br /><br />Many of the trail's early beginnings can still be seen. Skiing the Banadad from the east end about eight kilometers from the Lizz-Poplar Portage, the clearing where the Kimberly-Clark logging camp is still visible. However, all that remains of this once busy log camp is a dilapidated outhouse. Further along the trail at what is now called Moose Kill Hill is the junction where the Banadad link branches north off the Finn Lake Road. Another mile and one half further along the trail is the intersection (called Mid Trail Junction now) with the Dawkins and Birch Cliff roads. The Birch Cliff road (now called the Moose Trail) is primarily used to supply the two yurts located at Bedew Lake.<br /><br />In an interview a few years ago logger Hank Larson described the beauty of the area. He particularly mentioned the rugged terrain and hills along the road near Banadad Lake. The two largest of these hills were named "Whoopee" One and Two by a party of passing skiers in l985.<br /><br />Note-Banadad is the Ojibwa equivalent for lost.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-65284139951865371192009-03-05T04:49:00.000-08:002009-03-05T04:51:09.187-08:00Spring XC Skiing<o:p></o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Roger Lohr</span>- It happens every year – winter wanes and spring blooms with a flip of the calendar page. People, who live to ski and ski to live also known as snow lovers or winter worshippers can be disappointed to see springtime come. But there are a few well kept secrets about so called “spring skiing.” </span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span class="656424114-27022009"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Spring snow conditions have many faces and offer many different opportunities. We see wet snowy blizzards that dump deep heavy feet of pillowy snow. And the warm March or April sunshine turns the snow to beads of corn before it turns to mush. The days are longer so we can ski after work or into the early evening hours.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">We lose the long underwear (well, maybe it is good to allow perspiration to wick away) and breakout long sleeve shirts, sweaters and vests instead of jackets. We change from goggles to sunglasses and dig to the bottom of the accessories bag for the sun lotion. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">There’s undiscovered fun in the spring snow out there for xc skiers, who may not be familiar with it. Get out there in the morning (following a night of below freezing temperatures) when the snow is crusty and just take off on top of the unbroken snow through the woods or across an open area. You can even do it on skate skis, which treat the hardened morning snow like an oversized ice rink. Then again, if you wait until <st1:time hour="12" minute="0">midday</st1:time>, the crust will soften and allow you to carve turns down hills. Set it up so you have a car at the base of your downhill, so you can drive back up to the top for some springtime “up and downing.” Skiing down hills on this corn snow may require power turns and some heavier equipment and you can expect that you’ll get sweaty even though you are lightly clothed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Spring Tips</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">* Take a layer off and plan to take advantage of the longer daylight hours (sun rises earlier and sets later). </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">* There’s always more mountain for you to enjoy because March sees a drop in the number of skiers from the holiday vacation months such as December, January, or February.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">* The snow is soft and plentiful in March and with the warmer temperatures it is the perfect time to introduce first timers to xc skiing or to take a lesson to improve techniques.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">* March is a time when resorts offer deals so it can be less expensive to ski and what ever is left on store shelves is discounted, too.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">* And of course, don’t miss the springtime barbecues, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day and costume fun at many resorts.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Ski <st1:state><st1:place>Vermont</st1:place></st1:state> Survey</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Alpine skiers and snowboarders in <st1:state><st1:place>Vermont</st1:place></st1:state> were surveyed about their opinions on March skiing:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">14% like the warmer temps and sunshine</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">21% enjoy the fewer skiers on the trails</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">11% like the snowbase and soft conditions</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">4% like to take advantage of bargain prices</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">48% vote for all of the above</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">2% do not partake in spring skiing</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Sooner than you want, rapidly dwindling snow cover will decrease your opportunity to ski. Within a few weeks the wonderful combination of soft snow and bright sunshine is followed by the end of the season. XC skiers are known to quit skiing in late winter even earlier than alpine skiers. XC ski resorts shut down for the season for reasons that there are too few skiers more often than a lack of snow. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">The spring </span></p></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-52187215276414673532008-06-18T06:17:00.000-07:002008-06-18T06:18:49.230-07:00Boundary Country TrekkingShortly after moving from Chicago to their family owned property, Youngs Island, on the Gunflint Trail in 1974, Barbara and Ted Young started several business ventures. These ventures were to grow into Boundary Country Trekking Ltd. (BCT). Their first venture Mid Trail Services provided maintenance and construction services to Gunflint Trail summer cabin owners. Also Ted's canoe guiding services, which he began many years previously as a teenager, continued.<br /><br />The Young's introduced dog sledding trips in 1978 under the name of Young's Dog Sled Freighting Service. During this period, winter customers on the Gunflint Trail were sparse. The dog sled business, like every other winter business in the area, was very limited. In fact there were so few people around, customers and residents, Ted would often dog sled right down the middle of the Gunflint Trail without fear of meeting any traffic. Finally in the early 1980's mainly due to the publicity generated by the Will Stieger's dog sled expedition to the North Pole and Alaska's Iditerod Dog Sled race Young's dog sledding business began to grow.<br /><br />In conjunction with the dog sledding business, overnight accommodations were opened in a guestroom in Young's island home in 1981. During this time cross county skiing was beginning to develop on the Gunflint. The Banadad Ski Trail was opened and the Gunflint Trail's Lodge to Lodge Skiing Program began in 1982. That same year, Young Island became an overnight stop for skiers and in the summer the Island opened as a Bed and Breakfast- one of northern Minnesota's first Bed and Breakfasts.<br /><br />During this period the Youngs joined the Gunflint Trail Association and the Minnesota Historic Bed and Breakfast and Association. They also helped to organize the Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Guild and were founding members of the Guild. The Guild was recently rename the Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association<br /><br />In 1984 the Youngs introduced yurt skiing to the Midwest. Their first yurt was located on Bedew Lake along the Banadad Ski Trail. This yurt was named in honor of a local Cook County character, E. J. Croft. With the help of a friend of the Youngs, Steve McCrady, another yurt was purchased the next year. This second yurt was first located near Meads Lake. A third yurt was added in 1990. Located on the Croft Yurt site, Olga's Yurt, as this third yurt was called, was named after a mythical character a guest created and wrote about in an entry in the Croft Yurt log on February 7, 1987. For the next two years other guests continued the "saga" of Olga in the log.<br /><br />Boundary Country Trekking, Limited (BCT) was incorporated in 1986. The Corporation encompassed the Youngs three different business activities- Mid Trail Service, which continued as a construction and maintenance company and secondly, a lodging business, which included Young's Island B and B and the Yurts. The third activity was the company's developing Adventure Travel business which by then included cross country skiing, dog sledding and canoe guiding.<br /><br />In the mid 1980's Steve Tucker, a Kansas outdoor professional, took over the company's dog sled program and became BCT's first employee. In 1988 the dogs and mushing gear were sold to Doug Seim a Grand Marais Musher and he took over the operation of the dog sled program. This relationship continued until 1990. That year BCT joined with Arleigh Jorgenson, another Grand Marais musher in a dog sled joint venture. This joint venture works as follows: Arleigh supplied the dogs, sleds, mushers and expertise. BCT promoted and scheduled the trips, and provided the lodging, meals and logistical support. This relationship continues to the present.<br /><br />In 1989 the Youngs purchased a 34-acre parcel of land on Little Ollie Lake at the outlet of Poplar Creek from Consolidated Paper Company. The following year the Mead's Lake Yurt and a small cabin, that recently had been purchased, were moved onto this property. The yurt was renamed the Poplar Creek Yurt. The cabin, named the Little Ollie Lake Cabin, was quadrupled in size and modernized in 1991.<br /><br />By 1987 the company required office space to accommodate its growing business activities- particularly the adventure travel portion of the business. Young Island B and B was closed and the guestroom converted to an office. The Gunflint's Lodge to Lodge skiing program was taken over by BCT in 1990. Soon additional adventure trips were added, beginning with the lodge to lodge hiking and skiing on the North Shore (1994), snowmobile adventures (1996), Mountain biking (1997) and a wilderness volunteer program in (1997).<br /><br />With the growth of the Adventure travel sector of the business, the resulting need for additional office space and the difficulties of operating their business from Youngs Island, it was decided to construct a new office, living facilities and expand the company's lodging facilities on BCT's Little Ollie property. Thus in 1998 the planning for this new facility began to take shape.<br /><br />However, when the July 4th BWCA Storm hit and made a tangled mess of BCT's Little Ollie Property, the planned constructions of the proposed new bed and breakfast had to be placed on hold and attention directed to clearing the hundreds of down trees on the property.<br /><br />The storm clean up was completed during the summer of 2000 and construction on the proposed building began in August of that summer. The Poplar Creek Guesthouse Bed & Breakfast, as the building was named, officially opened for business on September 11, 2001, two days after 9/ll. The 3400 square foot structure houses two bed and breakfast rooms, a rental suite, the company office, and the owners living quarters.<br /><br />With the opening of the Guesthouse, the company added Inn to Inn Hiking and Canoeing to their adventure travel offerings in the summer of 2002. This same year the St Louis and Lake Counties Regional Rail Road Authority licensed the company to market and operate a Lodge to Lodge Bicycling program on the Mesabi Trail between Grand Rapids and Ely Minnesota.<br /><br />In 2004 Karla and Dale Miller- daughter and son-in-law purchase another yurt and leased it to BCT. Land was leased from the State of Minnesota on Hooker Lake, one mile for from the Guesthouse for this new yurt. Name the Tall Pines Yurt, it was opened for guest rental year round beginning in December of 2004. Also during this year BCT’s canoe business was expanded and more non-guide-outfitted canoe trips were offered.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">CORPORATE INFORMATION</span><br /><br />The company was incorporated as an "s" corporation in the State of Minnesota in 1986.<br /><br />Company Address/Phone/Internet- as of January 1, 2003<br /> Boundary Country Trekking<br /> 11 Little Ollie Rd<br /> Grand Marais, MN 55604<br /><br /> Phone: 800-322-8327/218-388-9972 Fax: 218-388-2253<br /><br /> Internet: email: bct@boundarycountry.com<br />Adventure program-web site: www.boundarycountry.com,<br />Lodging web site: www.littleollielodge.com<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Boundary Country Trekking is a member of the following Trade Association </span><br /><br />Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association- Board Member<br />North Shore Bed and Breakfast Association<br />Gunflint Trail Association- Board Member<br />Gunflint Scenic Byways Committee- Board Member<br />Grand Marais Chamber of Commerce<br />Cross Country Ski Areas Association<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Boundary Country Trekking is licensed by and/or has Agreements with the following:</span><br /><ul><li>St Louis and Lake Counties Regional Rail Road Authority for Mesabi Trail® Bicycling Lodge to Lodge</li><li>USFS Gunflint Ranger District - Grooming and Trail Partners agreements for the Banadad Ski Trail; authorized Guide Packer and BWCA Cooperator; and lessee of USFS land for the Croft Yurt site.<br /></li></ul><ul><li> Minnesota DNR- Trail Grant-in-Aid Program, Road Maintenance Agreement and lessee of DNR land for the Tall Pines Yurt Site.<br /></li></ul><ul><li> Lutsen Tofte Tourism Association- Lodge to Lodge Skiing and Hiking agent</li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-78527615064283787772007-12-19T06:47:00.000-08:002007-12-19T06:49:32.037-08:00Late Winter-Early Spring Value Season- March 31 to May 22, 2008<h3 style="font-weight: normal;" class="storytitle"> <span style="font-size:100%;"><strong>Little Ollie Cabin</strong>- Midweek $99/night Weekends $125/night for two plus tax. Each extra person $15/night</span></h3> <div class="storycontent"> <p><strong>Poplar Creek Retreat Cabin</strong>- Midweek $110/night $135/night for two plus tax. Each extra person $15/nigiht </p> <p><strong>Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B</strong>: Ollie's Rm $110 and Dorothy's Rm $85 with breakfast for two/night. Barbara's Rm $95</p> <p><strong>Tall Pine Yurt</strong>- $69 for two $15 for each extra person/night<br /></p> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-11728672987496133122007-10-21T06:01:00.000-07:002012-05-17T05:46:39.240-07:00Save the Planet: Vote Smart<nyt_header></nyt_header><a class="jumpLink" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=11712199&postID=1172867298749613312#articleBodyLink"></a><br />
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By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN</div>
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Published: October 21, 2007 edited January 3, 2012<br />
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People often ask: I want to get greener, what should I do? New light bulbs? A hybrid? A solar roof? Well, all of those things are helpful. But actually, the greenest thing you can do is this: Choose the right leaders. It is so much more important to change your leaders than change your light bulbs.<br />
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Why? Because leaders write the rules, set the standards and offer the tax incentives that drive market behavior across a whole city, state or country. Whatever any of us does individually matters a tiny bit. But when leaders change the rules, you get scale change across the whole marketplace. And the energy-climate challenge we face today is a huge scale problem. Without scale, all you have is a green hobby. <br />
Have no illusions, everything George Bush wouldn’t do on energy after 9/11 — his resisting improved mileage for cars and actually trying to weaken air-conditioner standards — swamped any good works you did. Fortunately, the vacuum in the White House is being filled by leaders from below. <br />
Take the New York City taxi story. Two years ago, David Yassky, a City Council member, sat down with one of his backers, Jack Hidary, a technology entrepreneur, to brainstorm about how to make New York City greener — at scale. For starters, they checked with the Taxi and Limousine Commission to see what it would take to replace the old gas-guzzling Crown Victoria yellow cabs, which get around 10 miles a gallon, with better-mileage, low-emission hybrids. Great idea, only it turned out to be illegal, thanks to some old size regulations designed to favor Crown Vics.<br />
Recalled Mr. Hidary: “When they first told me, I said, ‘Are you serious? Illegal?’” So he formed a nonprofit called <a href="http://smarttransportation.org/" target="_">SmartTransportation.org</a> to help Mr. Yassky lobby the City Council to change the laws to permit hybrid taxis. They also reframed it as a health issue, with the help of Louise Vetter, president of the American Lung Association of the City of New York.<br />
“New York City has among the dirtiest air in the U.S.,” Ms. Vetter said. “When it comes to ozone and particulate matter, New Yorkers are breathing very unhealthy air. Most of it is tailpipe emissions. And in New York City, where asthma rates are among the highest in the nation, the high ozone levels create very serious threats, especially for kids who spend a lot of time outdoors. Converting cabs from yellow to green would be a great gift to the city’s children.”<br />
Matt Daus, who heads the taxi commission, which is independent of the mayor, was initially reluctant, but once he learned of the health and other benefits, he joined forces with Messrs. Yassky and Hidary, and the measure passed the City Council by 50 to 0 on June 30, 2005. Since then, more than 500 taxi drivers have converted to hybrids — mostly Ford Escapes, but also Toyota Highlanders and Priuses, and others. <br />
On May 22, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, one of the greenest mayors in America, decided to push even further, insisting on a new rule, which the taxi commission has to approve, that will not just permit but <span class="italic">require</span> all cabs — 13,000 in all — to be hybrids or other low-emission vehicles that get at least 30 miles a gallon, within five years.<br />
“When it comes to health and safety and environmental issues, government should be setting standards,” the mayor said. “What you need are leaders who are willing to push for standards that are in society’s long-term interest.” When the citizens see the progress, Mr. Bloomberg added, “then they start to lead.” And this encourages leaders to seek even higher standards.<br />
I asked Evgeny Freidman, a top New York City fleet operator, how he liked the hybrids: “Absolutely fabulous! We started out with 18, and now we have over 200, mostly Ford Escapes. Now we only put hybrids out there. The drivers are demanding them and the public is demanding them. It has been great economically. With gas prices as they are, the drivers are saving $30 dollars a shift.” He said drivers who were getting 7 to 10 miles a gallon from their Crown Vics were getting 25 to 30 from their hybrids. The cost of shifting to these hybrids, he added, has not been onerous.<br />
Now Mr. Hidary is trying to get law firms and investment banks, which use gas-guzzling Town Cars — 12,000 in the city — to demand hybrid sedans only.<br />
This is how scale change happens. When the Big Apple becomes the Green Apple, and 40 million tourists come through every year and take at least one hybrid cab ride, they’ll go back home and ask their leaders, “Why don’t we have hybrid cabs?”<br />
So if you want to be a green college kid or a green adult, don’t fool yourself: You can change lights. You can change cars. But if you don’t change leaders, your actions are nothing more than an expression of, as Dick Cheney would say, “personal virtue.” <br />
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</script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-2233771048777381152007-08-23T04:49:00.000-07:002007-08-23T04:54:38.790-07:00Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report (RAT)<img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Barbara/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.jpg" alt="" />Ham Lake Fire<br /><br /><br />Rapid Assessment Team (RAT)<br />REPORT<br /><br /><br />July 2007<br /><br />Private Structure on Magnetic Lake; Photo: US Forest Service, L. Johnson; May 9, 2007.<br />Table of Contents page<br /><br />1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................1<br /><br /><br />2. FOREST VEGETATION...........................................................................................7<br /><br /><br />3. FIRE & FUELS .......................................................................................................17<br /><br /><br />4. INFRASTRUCTURE...............................................................................................22<br /><br /><br />5. SCENIC RESOURCES ..........................................................................................26<br /><br /><br />6. RECREATION & WILDERNESS ...........................................................................29<br /><br /><br />7. TERRESTRIAL WILDLIFE HABITAT AND VEGETATION ..................................36<br /><br /><br />8. NON-NATIVE INVASIVE PLANTS (NNIP)............................................................41<br /><br /><br />9. SOIL, WATERSHED, WATER QUALITY & FISHERIES ......................................42<br /><br /><br />10. PUBLIC INFORMATION & PARTNERSHIPS.....................................................49<br /><br /><br />11. HERITAGE RESOURCES ...................................................................................51<br /><br /><br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report Maps<br /><br />1. Vicinity<br />2. Burned Area Reflectance Classifications (BARC)<br />3. Landscape Ecosystems and Fire Severity<br />4. Burn Severity in the Jack Pine Black Spruce Landscape Ecosystem of Forest that<br />is Not Young<br />5. Burn Severity in the Mesic Red and White Pine Landscape Ecosystem of Forest<br />that is Not Young<br />6. Burn Severity in the Mesic Aspen Spruce Fir Landscape Ecosystem of Forest that<br />is Not Young<br />7. Burn Severity in Other Ecosystems<br />8. Burn Severity in Young Forest (<10 years pre fire in CDS)<br />9. Available Timber Types in Moderate and High Severity<br />10. Available Timber and Critical Ecological Landtypes<br />11. Upper Gunflint Trail Fire History (1923 – 2007)<br />12. Previous Fuel Treatment, Wildfires, and Blowdown (from: Superior National Forest<br />Fuel Treatment and Wildfire Map)<br />13. Land Corners and Posted Land Lines and Burn Severity<br />14. Burn Perimeter with Campsites and Campgrounds<br />15. Watersheds<br />16. Ecological Landtypes (ELTs) Mapping<br /><br />i<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report Tables<br /><br />Table 1. Ham Lake Fire – All acres burned across international border, estimated by<br />Incident Command<br />Table 2. Ham Lake Fire – Acres in the burned area in Minnesota, estimated by BARC<br />Table 3. Ham Lake Fire - Burned Area Reflectance Classification (BARC)<br />Table 4. Ham Lake Fire – Landscape Ecosystems in the Burned Area (NFS acres)<br />Table 5. Ham Lake Fire – Forest Type and Age Class in the Burned Area (acres)<br />Table 6. Ham Lake Fire – Stand Replacement Fire (acres) "Stand Replacement" is<br />Moderate and High BARC fire severity classes. Excludes upland brush,<br />lowland brush, and open types.<br />Table 7a. Ham Lake Fire – Stand Replacement Fire and Available Timber. Stand<br />replacement fire = moderate and high BARC fire severity. Available timber =<br />mature stands on LSC 500 and 800.<br />Table 7b. Ham Lake Fire – Low Fire Severity and Available Timber. Available timber<br />Table 8. Ham Lake Fire – Fire History of the Area<br />Table 9. Ham Lake Fire – Inventory Roads in the Burned Area<br />Table 10. Ham Lake Fire – Monumented corners and Burn Severity<br />Table 11. Ham Lake Fire – Post Boundary Lines and Burn Severity<br />Table 12. Ham Lake Fire – Scenic Integrity Objectives (SIO) in the burned area<br />Table 13. Ham Lake Fire – Wilderness Campsite Survey Results<br />Table 14. Ham Lake Fire – Campgrounds (CG)<br />Table 15. Ham Lake Fire - Trail Survey Results<br />Table 16. Ham Lake Fire - Portage Survey Results<br />Table 17. Ham Lake Fire – Watersheds Affected by the Fire<br />Table 18. Ham Lake Fire – Landtype Associations<br />Table 19. Ham Lake Fire - Miles of Stream Channels by Order or Class<br /><br />ii<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />RAT Members<br /><br />Archeological Technician – Lee Johnson<br /><br />Botanist – Jack Greenlee<br /><br />Fire and Fuels Specialists – Patty Johnson, Cory Berg<br /><br />Forestry Technician – Steve Williams<br /><br />GIS Specialist – Tom McCann<br /><br />Public Information Specialist & Collaboration Coordinator – Lisa Pattni, Kris<br />Reichenbach<br /><br />Recreation & Wilderness Specialists – Ann Schwaller, Steve Shug<br /><br />Recreation Specialist, Greyling Brandt<br /><br />Silviculturist – Myra Theimer<br /><br />Soil Scientist – Casey McQuiston<br /><br />Team Leader – Erica Hahn<br /><br />Wildlife Biologists – Lissa Grover, Mary Shedd<br /><br />Others Consulted<br /><br />Air Specialist -Trent Wickman<br /><br />Civil Engineers – Randee Olson, John Olson<br /><br />Forester – Brian Henry<br /><br />Hydrologist – Marty Rye<br /><br />Land Surveyor – Ken Staupe<br /><br />iii<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />1. Introduction<br />Shortly after the Ham Lake Fire was contained, the Superior National Forest (NF)<br />leadership formed the Rapid Assessment Team (RAT) from District and Forest staff.<br />The RAT was tasked with quickly developing a snap-shot of the Ham Lake Fire’s effect<br />on the landscape. This report is the culmination of only two weeks of work, thus there<br />remains some information gaps and uncertainty. Undoubtedly with more time on the<br />ground observing the Fire’s effects our understanding of the situation will most likely<br />change. Readers should also know that the assessment was not interdisciplinary, rather it<br />was a multidisciplinary process.<br /><br />The Ham Lake Fire<br /><br />The Ham Lake Fire started on May 5, 2007 and burned approximately 75,000 acres in<br />both the United States and Canada (Map 1: Vicinity Map; Map 2: Burned Area<br />Reflectance Classifications; Table 1). The fire was declared 100% contained on the U.S.<br />portion on May 19, 2007, and controlled on June 4, 2007. A Burned Area Emergency<br />Response (BEAR) team completed its initial assessment during the week of May 21. The<br />Forest determined that several resource areas require further assessment, hence the Ham<br />Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Team (RAT) was assembled. The RAT considered the<br />changed conditions on the landscape and this report describes the fire’s effect and the<br />changed conditions.<br /><br />Table 1. Ham Lake Fire – Acres<br />Burned across the International<br />Border, estimated by Incident<br />Command<br />Ontario 38,709<br />Minnesota 36,080<br />Total 74,789<br /><br />Page 1 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />The fire burned about 29,000 acres of National Forest System (NFS) land in and around<br />the Superior National Forest, including the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness<br />(BWCAW) (Table 2).<br /><br />Table 2. Ham Lake Fire – Acres in the burned area in<br />Minnesota, estimated by BARC<br />Ownership Outside<br />BWCAW<br />Inside<br />BWCAW Total<br />NFS 13,081 15,983 29,064<br />State of Minnesota 1,136 895 2,031<br />Lakes > 40 acres 1,026 2,074 3,100<br />Other Ownership 724 28 752<br />Cook County & State 80 745 825<br />Total 16,047 19,726 35,773<br /><br />Both the Ham Lake Fire Incident Command Team (ICT) and the Burned Area<br />Reflectance Classification (BARC) estimated the size of the burned area. The ITC and<br />BARC methods for estimating the burned area are sound and they only differ by about<br />1% (comparing total burned acres in Minnesota in Tables 1 and 2). The RAT decided to<br />use the BARC acreage estimates because the BARC data include fire severity.<br /><br />Table 3. Ham Lake Fire - Burned Area Reflectance Classification (BARC)<br />BARC Severity* NFS Acres<br />None to Very Low Not burned 3,640<br />Low Foliage and smaller twigs scorched, shrubs stems<br />intact, canopy scorched. 4,588<br />Moderate Foliage and small stems consumed; shrub stems<br />charred; root crowns in tact; shrub canopy consumed. 3,801<br />High All plant parts consumed, including fuels greater than<br />¾ of an inch, leaving some or no major stems. 391<br />Total 12,420<br />* Severity definitions from Draft Soil Burn Severity Definitions and Mapping Guidelines<br />(2003).<br /><br />The area is a mosaic landscape characterized by numerous lakes, separated by areas of<br />uplands interspersed with wetlands, intermittent and perennial stream channels. Much of<br />the area contained downed and dead trees due to a significant wind storm that occurred in<br /><br />Page 2 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />None to Very Low BARC Severity.<br />Photo: US Forest Service, BEAR; May 2007.<br />Low BARC Severity.<br />Photo: US Forest Service, M. Theimer; June 19, 2007.<br />Moderate to High BARC Severity.<br />Photo: US Forest Service, E. Hahn; June 2007.<br />Page 3 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />area on July 4, 1999. While still under investigation, the Ham Lake Fire is currently<br />believed to have been started by an escaped campfire. The fire spread rapidly by wind<br />and was fueled by the dead and downed trees from the July 4, 1999, wind storm.<br /><br />The burned area is predominantly jack pine and aspen-birch, with scattered red and white<br />pine in uplands. This part of the Gunflint Trail and BWCAW also has spruce-fir,<br />lowland conifers, and lowland shrubs.<br /><br />Most of the area that burned experienced very light fire intensity, i.e., none, very low, and<br />low (Map 2 and Table 3). Very little of the burned area experienced “high” fire severity,<br />in which all plant material is consumed.<br /><br />Setting<br /><br />The fire affected the Superior NF both inside and outside the BWCAW. Inside the<br />BWCAW, the fire burned in three management areas: Primitive, Semi-primitive Non-<br />motorized, and Semi-primitive Motorized.<br /><br />Only a small area of the Primitive Wilderness management area was affected. This area<br />provides visitors with a primitive non-motorized wilderness experience in an unmodified<br />environment. The area affected is around Rush Lake and is off main travel routes and is<br />for those who are seeking a high degree of solitude and challenge, but do not wish to or<br />are not capable of traveling into a Pristine Wilderness management area.<br /><br />There is very little Semi-primitive Motorized (SPM) Wilderness management area in the<br />BWCAW, so it is not suprising that only a small amount of the Widlerness that was<br />impacted was in SPM. Motor lakes were designated in the 1978 BWCA Wilderness<br />legislation. Though not all travel in this area is by motorboat, visitors see a high number<br />of boats with motors. Lakes in SPM are on the periphery of the Wilderness at the end of<br />the Gunflint Trail, Seagull and Saganaga Lakes.<br /><br />Page 4 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />The majority of Wilderness affected by the Ham Lake Fire is in the Semi-primtive Non-<br />motorized (SPNM) management area. SPNM areas provide visitors with a semi-<br />primitive wilderness experience in a predominantly unmodified natural environment.<br />They are areas generally located along the main travel routes, where visitors encounter<br />others more frequently, and solitude is not one of their highest priorities.<br /><br />Outside the BWCAW, the burned area is in the Recreation Use in a Scenic Landscape<br />(RU) management area. This management area emphasizes land and resource conditions<br />that provide a scenic landscape for recreational activities in natural-appearing<br />surroundings. This management area also provides wildlife habitat for enhanced<br />recreational wildlife watching. There is concentrated recreation use in some areas and<br />low-density recreation is in areas with remote character.<br /><br />Table 4. Ham Lake Fire – Landscape Ecosystems in the<br />burned area<br />Landscape Ecosystem Acres<br />Jack Pine Black Spruce 8,946<br />Mesic Aspen Birch Spruce Fir 1,095<br />Mesic Red and White Pine 1,058<br />Lowland Conifer within (A) Jack Pine/Black Spruce and<br />Dry-Mesic Red and White Pine 401<br />Lowland Conifer within (B) Mesic Red and White Pine and<br />Mesic Birch/Aspen/Spruce/Fir 70<br />Total* 11,571<br />*The total does not match BARC number because they were<br />estimated using different methods<br /><br />In the RU management area, ecosystems are managed to provide a predominantly<br />natural-appearing landscape that may be slightly modified by forest management<br />activities. This management area emphasizes a large tree and old forest character.<br />Vegetation management generally maintains or enhances older vegetative growth stages.<br />Management activities such as timber harvest and management-ignited fire are used to<br />achieve Landscape Ecosystem (LE) objectives (Forest Plan Chapter 2). There are a few<br /><br />Page 5 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />LEs in the area, but the Jack Pine/ Black Spruce LE dominates the area (Table 4) (Map<br /><br />3: Ham Lake Fire and Landscape Ecosystems; Map 4: JPBS LE), although other LEs<br />were also affected (Map 5: Mesic Red and White Pine LE; Map 6: Birch Aspen Spruce<br />Fir LE; Map 7: Other LEs).<br />Recreation and scenic integrity objectives guide the appearance of timber harvest,<br />management-ignited fire, tree planting, and other management techniques. Vegetation<br />management activities are designed to enhance wildlife habitat, and management<br />activities that promote wildlife habitat for public observation may occur.<br /><br />Viewsheds are managed for scenic beauty and big-tree character in this management<br />area. Generally, the area offers natural-looking forest surroundings with some facility<br />and trail development and roads for recreation. Forest management is designed to<br />enhance recreation and scenic objectives. Visitors to this part of the Forest may<br />occasionally see management activities such as timber harvest, management-ignited fire,<br />tree planting, and other resource management.<br /><br />This area is managed to provide a variety of recreation opportunities. Developed<br />recreation sites such as campgrounds, picnic sites, boat landings, observation sites,<br />trailheads, and swimming areas are provided for public use. Facilities are generally<br />designed for comfort and convenience of users. Dispersed recreation facilities such as<br />campsites and trails (day use, backpacking, portaging, bicycling, horseback riding, hunter<br />walking, snowmobile, ATV use, interpretive) may be provided for public use. Many<br />people use this area along lakes and roads and at developed recreation sites. It is<br />common to encounter others.<br /><br />Page 6 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />2. Forest Vegetation<br />Before the July 4th, 1999 windstorm blew down 477,000 acres, including the area that<br />burned in the Ham Lake Fire, this part of the Gunflint Trail was predominately in the<br />older age classes due to its recreation and scenic management emphasis. Salvage<br />treatment was done after the storm with clear cut harvesting or removal of salvageable<br />trees within stands. There was an emphasis on increasing the amount of conifer by<br />planting or seeding. Some of these plantations were burned in the Ham Lake Fire. In<br />addition, older plantations from previous actions were also burned. Table 5 lists the acres<br />in the burned area by age class and forest type.<br /><br />In general the burn was a fast moving crown fire and the intensity on the ground was<br />light. Some areas burned down to mineral soil but much as some degree of burned duff<br />remaining. In some cases there was frost on the ground as the fire moved through. This<br />means that the soil and the root structure remained intact.<br /><br />The Ham Lake fire is expected to change the age classes by increasing the young forest<br />and decreasing the 80 plus age classes. The BARC analysis estimates approximately<br />2,300 acres of young will be created from this fire (Table 6), which will help reach the<br />Forest plan desired 14% in young in decade 1. The RAT agreed with the BAER team<br />that BARC severity of High and Moderate caused immediate stand replacement.<br /><br />There appears to be a large number of acres in the 0-9 yr. age class that burned in the<br />moderate to high severity class (Map 8: Young Forest and Fire Severity). A portion of<br />these acres were lumped into the young class due to the 1999 windstorm because they<br />were on inaccessible lands in the unsuitable LSC. The resulting landscape is more of a<br />mosaic with various levels of trees in them. Many of these areas would be expected to<br />naturally though time and will not need treatment. However, plantations put in after the<br />1999 storm and from previous decisions may need to be reforested. Crews have<br />reviewed 203 acres of plantations that were either moderately or severely burned. From<br /><br />Page 7 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />80-100% of the regeneration/or saplings were killed. Half of these stands have some<br />aspen sucker sprouts and a smaller amount of paper birch sprouting from the base of the<br />saplings.<br /><br />Table 5. Ham Lake Fire – Forest Type and Age Class in the Burned Area (NFS<br />Acres)<br />Forest Type/Age Class 0-9 10-39 40-79 80-179 108+ Total by<br />Species<br />Jack Pine 2,398 606 9 748 5 3,766<br />Aspen/White<br />Spruce/Balsam Fir 1,759 97 14 417 347 2,634<br />Upland Black Spruce 1,431 40 337<br />1,809<br />Quaking Aspen 794 407 31 215 1,447<br />Balsam Fir/Aspen/Paper<br />Birch 72 36<br />495 603<br />Black Spruce 15 7 20 265 23 330<br />White Pine 112 35<br />116 262<br />Paper Birch 77 5 0 180 262<br />Mix Swamp Conifer 12<br />86 42 140<br />Red Pine 84 53 136<br />Balsam Fir/Am Elm/Red<br />Maple 13 84<br />97<br />White Spruce/Balsam<br />Fir/Nrw Spruce 82 82<br />No. White Cedar 2 3<br />8 13<br />Mixed Pines 0 0<br />Open 42 449*<br />492<br />Lowland Brush 3 334*<br />337<br />Upland Brush 9*<br />9<br />Total by Age Classes 6,885 1,216 123 2,865 1,332* 12,420<br />* Note: Open and brush areas inflate the older age class. Age is determined by year of origin.<br />Total for the 180+ age class without the open and brush types is 540 acres.<br /><br />In the 40 plus age classes, there are 1,235 acres that are expected to return to the young<br />age class (Table 6). Some of these stands were not fully stocked due to previous<br /><br />Page 8 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />harvesting or insect infestations, or were lower priority for treatment after the windstorm.<br />The majority of these would be expected to regenerate naturally and fully meet stocking<br />levels.<br /><br />Aspen suckering in moderate BARC severity.<br />Photo: US Forest Service, E Hahn; June 2007.<br />There are 1,224 acres of stands in the 80 plus age class that are expected to return to the<br />young age class, reducing older forest.<br /><br />The Ham Lake Fire burned 49 acres of 80-179 yr. age class lowland black spruce which<br />will now increase the amount in the 0-9 yr. age class.<br /><br />The fire was patchy in many places and created various sized gaps in some stands that<br />could help to promote multi-aged stand structure and compositional diversity. The Ham<br />Lake fire burned acres in the old and old-growth forest. However, many of the stands<br />burned at different intensities and could increase the number of stands that are considered<br />multi-aged.<br /><br />Within stand diversity will probably not decrease from the general pre-fire conditions in<br />stands regenerating after the fire. In some stands, especially aspen suckering back after<br />the fire, may have more within stand diversity than a clear cut aspen stand. Red and<br /><br />Page 9 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />white pine may be favored in areas with seed trees and a newly created mineral seed bed.<br /><br />Table 6. Ham Lake Fire – Stand Replacement Fire (acres) "Stand Replacement"<br />is Moderate and High BARC fire severity classes. Excludes upland brush, lowland<br />brush, and open types.<br />Forest Type (CDS code)<br />Age Class (years)<br />0-9 10-39 40-79 80-179 180+ Forest Type<br />Totals<br />Jack Pine (01)<br />924 245 0 267 3 1,439<br />Aspen and Birch dominated<br />uplands (91, 92, 95) 746 185 5 228 145 1,310<br />Spruce-Fir (11, 16, 17)<br />625 29 0 519 0 1,173<br />Lowland Black Spruce<br />dominated Conifers (12, 18) 3 5 6 49 3 65<br />Red Pine (02)<br />4 7 0 0 0 11<br />Balsam Fir/Am Elm/Red<br />Maple (71) 3 0 0 9 0 11<br />White Pine (03)<br />2 0 0 0 0 2<br />No. White Cedar (14)<br />0 0 0 1 0 1<br />Age Class Totals<br />2,307 470 11 1,073 151 4,012<br /><br />Ham Lake Fire occurred on bedrock controlled terrain in the Laurentian Shield and has<br />generally thinner soils and includes steep rock outcrops. The burn, in general, was a fast<br />moving crown fire and burned the soil lightly. Some areas burned down to mineral soil<br />but much of the area has some degree of burned duff remaining, usually less than 3<br />inches. In some cases there was frost on the ground as the fire moved through. The soil<br />and the root structure appear intact for much of the area although many of the rock<br />outcrops have been exposed by the fire.<br /><br />Natural Regeneration<br /><br />The jack pine and black spruce forest types are adapted to this type of disturbance and<br /><br />Page 10 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />would have typically burned every 50-70 years. The cones appear to have opened and<br />cast seed. They should regenerate on the shallower and drier soils as long as there was<br />sufficient jack pine cones shed. In the case of the older plantations of jack pine they<br />could regenerate to aspen.<br /><br />The aspen and birch forest types are already sprouting from the roots or the stumps.<br />They will be more prevalent on the deeper moister. There was a bumper crop of aspen<br />this spring just after the fire and had very good soil and moisture conditions to encourage<br />additional germination.<br /><br />There should be a reduction in the amount of balsam fir and white spruce on the<br />landscape due to the fire and its low ability to withstand heat. Much of the fire was a<br />mosaic and has surrounding mature trees of these species. They should be able to re-<br />invade sooner than if the fire had been more severe.<br /><br />The fire should have really improved the opportunity for red and white pine regeneration.<br />Some seedlings will germinate but the majority will come anywhere from 15-40 years<br />and grow slowly. A good seed crop may take up to 7 years. There is less of these trees<br />around due to the harvesting of them in the early part of the last century.<br /><br />Forest Health<br /><br />There is no reason to believe that the Ham Lake fire area will not recover. The stands<br />that regenerate after the fire should increase the amount of forest maintained in a healthy<br />condition, reducing the risk of and damage from fires, insects, and diseases.<br /><br />Most of the trees in the moderate and high severity classes are charred around the bole<br />and have little to no live needles or leaves remaining. A majority of the jack pine in these<br />stands appear to have burned the cones hot enough to melt the resin and shed their seed.<br />Most of the balsam fir and understory trees are dead. Most of the saplings appeared to<br />have died but some of the red and jack pine leaders have since elongated.<br /><br />Page 11 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />Although it is very difficult to predict how many additional live trees may die, due to the<br />light burn, the crowns of the trees should be a good indicator. Weather conditions will<br />play a vital role. General guidelines for tree longevity are listed below and include<br />information from the prescribed burns monitoring plot data:<br /><br />• Jack Pine - 50% more of the jack pine that look green will likely die in the next<br />few years.<br />• Red and White Pine - Red and white pine that retain 30% or more crown could<br />survive. In low intensity prescribed burns a range of 0-30% of the pines died in<br />1-3 years.<br />• Balsam Fir - All balsam fir that was within the fire will likely die.<br />• Paper Birch - Paper birch is far more sensitive than the other hardwoods and are<br />likely to die.<br />• Aspen - Some of the aspen will die but it is not clear how to make that<br />determination.<br />This kind of mortality is dependent on if we get a good amount of rain this summer and a<br />good snow pack this winter. Drought conditions in the next few years could really<br />accelerate the amount of trees that die from this fire.<br /><br />There may be an increase in insects (Ips pini, pine engraver; Dendroctonus valens, red<br />turpentine beetle; Dendroctonus rufipennis, spruce beetle; Monochamus scutellatus,<br />white spotted pine sawyer; Xylosandrus germanus, ambrosia beetle; Agrilus anxius<br />bronze birch borer; Hymenoptera and Siricidae, wood or horntail wasps) and disease<br />(Ceratocystis and Leptographium, blue stain fungi). The early timing of the fire<br />coincided with the flight of the pine engraver. They have attacked the burned jack pine<br />and the first generation has already flown. There are many jack pines with boring dust<br />and holes on the boles. There could be a build up of the population as early as this year<br />which could affect the timing and amount of a secondary (wood boring) beetle attack.<br />There is no history of a build up of these insects to an epidemic level, however there<br />hasn’t been a recent fire of this size. The level of the population depends on the weather<br /><br />Page 12 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />in the next few years. If there is plenty of rain this summer and a good snow pack this<br />winter many of the trees that survived will be able to withstand an attack.<br /><br />There is also evidence of red turpentine beetle in the base of the red and white pine trees.<br />These bugs do not have multiple generations and shouldn’t emerge until next spring.<br />They mostly will serve to weaken the tree to other insect attack. Again, weather will play<br />an important role in how well live or slightly injured trees can withstand an attack. All<br />conifers infested with bark beetles will be susceptible to the blue stain fungus.<br /><br />Table 7a and Map 9 show an estimate of what could be considered for salvage at this<br />time. The criteria for developing Table 7a and Map 9 are similar to what we use for<br />estimating available timber and are the following:<br /><br />• Stand Replacement Fire (moderate and high fire severity)<br />• Land Suitability Classes: 500s and 800s<br />• Forest Type and Age:<br />o Jack pine (01) >= 50 yrs.<br />o Aspen (91, 95) >= 50 yrs.<br />o Paper Birch (92) >= 50 yrs.<br />o Lowland Black Spruce (12) >= 50 yrs.<br />o Balsam Fir (11) >= 50 yrs.<br />Map 9 shows only “available timber” in portions of stands that experienced moderate and<br />high fire severity. The data used to make this estimate may not account for areas that<br />were affected by the 1999 windstorm and were categorized as young but have mature<br />trees. On the other hand, these data do not take into account wetlands and ELT 18s,<br />which would reduce the acreage available for salvage. Forest types other than those<br />listed above were queried (e.g., red and white pine) but did not meet the other criteria.<br />Note that white pine is mistakenly in the legend on Map 9.<br /><br />Map 10 also shows the “available timber” stands (as defined for Map 9) along with<br />wetland ELTs (ELTs 1 – 6) and restricted ELTs (ELTs 12 and 18). Of the area that<br /><br />Page 13 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />could be considered for salvage, there area approximately 150 acres of ELTs that have<br />not been mapped.<br /><br />It appears that there are some areas that might be options for salvage; however, access is<br />very limited in some of these areas due to wet ELTs or steep slopes. Much of the area<br />has been harvested in the previous decisions. Many of the stands that were harvested<br />were treated in the winter because of limited access. This could be an issue if the product<br />will not last due to wood damage from insects and pathogens.<br /><br />At this time, we cannot estimate the volume of timber lost in the fire. In order to do this,<br />we would need to consult experts in salvaging burned timber.<br /><br />The smaller the tree, e.g., jack pine, the less economic value because once it gets to the<br />mill they will have to remove the charred wood. Larger trees, e.g., red and white pine,<br />would still be usable for sawtimber. The value of burned aspen and birch is uncertain,<br />however the current market is not good for unburned aspen and birch. It is unclear<br />whether pole size trees in the burned area have economic value.<br /><br />Page 14 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />Table 7a. Ham Lake Fire – Stand Replacement Fire and Available Timber. Stand replacement fire = moderate and high BARC<br />fire severity. Available timber = mature stands on LSC 500 and 800.<br />Forest Type<br />(code)<br />Total<br />by<br />Forest<br />Type<br />4049<br />5059<br />6069<br />7079<br />8089<br />9099<br />100109<br />110119<br />120129<br />130139<br />140149<br />150159<br />160169<br />170179<br />180+<br />Jack Pine (01) 150 ---9 3 138 ---------<br />Paper Birch<br />(92) 98 -----68 3 -27 ------<br />Black Spruce<br />(12) 57 -----20 -3 -7 -18 --8<br />Quaking Aspen<br />(91) 29 ---1 4 5 --19 ------<br />B Fir/ Aspen/<br />PB (11) 13 ---13 -----------<br />Aspen/W<br />Spr/Blm Fir (95) 6 -----5 --------<br />Total by Age<br />Class 352 ---22 7 231 8 3 46 7 -18 --8<br /><br />Page 15 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire RAT Report<br /><br />Table 7b. Ham Lake Fire – Low Fire Severity and Available Timber. Available timber = mature stands on LSC 500 and 800.<br />Forest Type<br />(code)<br />Total<br />by<br />Forest<br />Type<br />4049<br />5059<br />6069<br />7079<br />8089<br />9099<br />100109<br />110119<br />120129<br />130139<br />140149<br />150159<br />160169<br />170179<br />180+<br />Jack Pine<br />(01) 176 -<br />-<br />20 150<br />6<br />-------<br />White Pine<br />(03) 77 -<br />-<br />---------<br />77<br />Paper Birch<br />(92) 20 -<br />-<br />17 3 ---------<br />Black Spruce<br />(12) 60 -<br />-<br />16<br />12 25 --5 2 ---<br />Quaking<br />Aspen (91) 34 -<br />2<br />13<br />--20 ------<br />B Fir/ Aspen/<br />PB (11) 35 -<br />15<br />8 12 -<br />-<br />-------<br />Aspen/W<br />Spr/Blm Fir<br />(95) 92 1<br />-<br />11 51 26 -3 ------<br />Total by Age<br />Class 495 1 17 56 245 38 32 23 -5 2 --77<br /><br />Page 16 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />3. Fire & Fuels<br />The Ham Lake Fire burned within the range of natural variability when compared to<br />other wildfires within the area. The size, intensity, and effects are all within what is<br />expected from a natural fire in this ecosystem. From a fuel hazard perspective, the Ham<br />Lake Fire did not create a large, landscape scale hazard of concern for fire managers.<br />There are still pockets of hazardous fuels left and there will most likely be mortality in<br />the low intensity burned acres. However, these fuel hazards are on a small scale and<br />fairly isolated. The Ham Lake Fire, in addition to other wildfires and fuel treatments in<br />the area, have essentially reduced fuel loadings to acceptable levels (Map 11: Upper<br />Gunflint Fire History, Map 12: Previous Wildfires and Fuel Treatments).<br /><br />Fire History/Natural Range of Variation/Fire Regime<br /><br />Fires historically occurred every 40-100 years within the Jack Pine/Black Spruce system.<br />The last know fire in the area was in 1910. Fires in this system were high-intensity, stand<br />replacement fires. This fire can be categorized as a stand replacement fire. The fire<br />caused 50-100% mortality of the overstory. The Ham Lake Fire can be characterized as<br />moderate-intensity, stand replacement fire. The intensity was less than is what is<br />typically seen in these systems, but within the natural range of variation. Fire size within<br />this system historically was 50,000 acres up to 500,000 acres. The Ham Lake Fire is<br />within the size of what would have historically occurred (see Table 8). From a landscape<br />scale, there have been large fires occurring in this area for the last 35 years. From 1975<br />to present, there has been 125,434 acres within the Ham Lake area that has burned. Due<br />to the severity of the fire, it is expected that the natural attributes, processes, and<br />functions of the vegetative communities will return, helping the Forest move towards a<br />more desirable condition in this LE in terms of restoring fire.<br /><br />Page 17 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />Table 8. Ham Lake Fire - Fire History the<br />Area<br />Fire Name Date Acres<br />Roy Lake 8/21/1976 3,380<br />Sag Corridor 8/10/1995 12,600<br />Alpine Lake 8/6/2005 1,335<br />Cavity Lake 7/14/2006 31,830<br />Ham Lake 5/5/2007 74,789<br />Payer Lake 1,500<br />Total 125,434<br /><br />Fire Severity Interpretation<br /><br />The fire severity was less than what is typically seen in the Jack Pine/Black Spruce<br />systems. This is most likely due to the following items.<br /><br />. The fire was a fast moving, wind driven fire.<br />. The fire occurred in early spring when there was still frost in the ground. The<br />frost essentially kept the fire from burning into the duff layers. There was<br />very little residual burning after the flame front past.<br />. The fuels treatments in the past removed a majority of the fuel hazards that<br />would have built up intensity with the fire.<br />Due to previous fuel treatments in the area, the severity of the fire was much less than the<br />scenario would have been without treatments. The fuels treatments effectively took the<br />intensity out the fire, which aided in protecting structures and minimizing damage to<br />values at risk. This helped move the Forest towards the objective of minimizing the<br />effects of unwanted wildland fire.<br /><br />A small amount of Red and White Pine where the fire reduced fuels and controlled<br />vegetation. Some mortality occurred and more will probably become evident over the<br />next 1-3 years. However, the effects are the same as a natural, low intensity fire for<br />those types. The fire did help move the forest forward in meeting the objective of<br />reducing fuels and vegetation in the understory of stands that historically had low<br /><br />Page 18 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />intensity fire. A total of 398 acres of Red and White Pine typed stands burned in the<br />Ham Lake Fire, most of these acres burned with low intensity as it would have<br />historically.<br /><br />Fire burned over recently cut areas<br />Photo: US Forest Service, E. Hahn; June 2007.<br />Fuel Hazard Created from the Fire<br /><br />Areas that experienced high fire severity are not a fuel hazard concern because all fine<br />fuels, which area the primary carrier of wildfire, were consumed in the Ham Lake Fire.<br /><br />Areas that may be a concern in terms of fuel hazard are the low and moderate severity<br />areas where the understory was killed, creating more fine fuels, and the overstory was<br />either scorched or not burned. Initial fuel loading calculations show that fine fuels have<br />been reduced to below 5 tons per acre. There is a possibility that the overstory may die<br />over the next several years from insects, disease, post-fire effects, or blow over with wind<br />due to the weakened root systems. This fuel hazard is not a management concern at this<br />time for the following reasons:<br /><br />Page 19 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />. The fuel hazard is not continuous on the landscape. It is broken up by the fire<br />and by previous fuel treatments.<br />. The majority of the understory dead and down and ladder fuels have been<br />removed from the area by the fire or previous treatments.<br />Fuel loading in the low and moderate severity burned areas could increase in the long<br />term. If these areas were to be treated mechanically, activity fuels created by salvage<br />operations in these areas have the potential to increase both the probability of new fire<br />starts and increase the intensity of new fires in the short term.<br /><br />If it were deemed important to treat fuels to minimize the potential for longer term<br />increase fuel loading, priority should be given to stands that burned under low to<br />moderate severity and are closest to structures and private property. An initial estimate<br />of how many acres might need fuel treatment identified approximately 845 acres. This<br />estimate considered areas with: low or moderate fire severity; older than 20 years of age;<br />within ½ mile of a structure (public and private); jack pine (01), red pine (02), white pine<br />(03), balsam fir/aspen/paper birch (11), white spruce/balsam fir/Norway spruce (16),<br />upland black spruce (17), mixed pines (30), quaking aspen (91), paper birch (92), and<br />aspen/white spruce/balsam fir (95).<br /><br />Before the fire, the majority of the area was in a Condition Class 3. The vegetation was<br />departed from its normal patterns and the fire regime was beyond its historical return<br />interval. The Ham Lake Fire restored this system to a Condition Class 1 in terms of fire<br />return intervals. Vegetation condition class will be based on what regenerates within the<br />fire areas. Severity of the fire indicates regeneration should be within in natural bounds.<br />Therefore, the fire improved condition class on the Forest.<br /><br />The majority of the hazardous fuels within the fire area had been treated in the past<br />through mechanical or prescribed fire treatments. These past treatments effectively<br />eliminated the majority of the high fuel hazard areas created from the blowdown. The<br />Ham Lake Fire cleaned up additional small acres of hazardous fuels that still existed,<br />moving us some towards the Forest Plan objective of reducing hazardous fuels.<br /><br />Page 20 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />However, the amount is fairly insignificant. The Ham Lake Fire burned over 110 acres<br />of planned fuels treatments.<br /><br />Current Fuel Treatment Plans<br /><br />The majority of the fuels treatments were completed in this area so there is no need to<br />adjust fuels treatment plans in the area. The fire does underscore the need to continue<br />treatments in other adjacent areas. There is still high fuel hazard in the Mid-Trail area<br />which is only 2 miles east of the fire area that need to be completed. These should be the<br />high priority for fuels treatments for the district.<br /><br />Page 21 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />4. Infrastructure<br />Roads<br /><br />Road restrictions were needed during the fire for public safety. During the BEAR<br />process, John Mellang, Engineering Technician, traveled on all National Forest Service<br />Roads and unclassified roads, county roads, special use roads and many private roads<br />within the boundary of the Ham Lake Fire (Table 9). He did not find any values at risk<br />and there are no longer term issues or recommendations. Forest Road 1335, Bedew<br />Lake Road, severely damaged during suppression. The Type 1 Team rehabilitated it<br />following the existing corridor alignments. Temporary roads and barriers to OML 1<br />roads were not affected. The Ham Lake Fire did not change the number of roads in the<br />area nor did it change roads’ surfacing.<br /><br />NFS roads in the burned area are safe and still provide adequate access to non-NFS land<br />and NFS land. After temporary restrictions were lifted, the Ham Lake Fire did not<br />change on-going access in the burned area to recreation sites.<br /><br />Table 9. Ham Lake Fire - Inventory<br />Roads in burned area<br />Jurisdiction Miles<br />Cook County 13.7<br />Forest Service 11.2<br />Private 4.2<br />State Forest 1.1<br />Total 30.3<br /><br />Page 22 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />Administrative Sites<br /><br />The Seagull Guard Station was not directly affected by the fire, except the phone lines.<br />The telephone company has restored the phone lines.<br /><br />After some field checking, it is assumed that section corner monuments are probably still<br />standing, but those that are not GPS will be difficult to find because their references are<br />gone (or will soon die or blow over) in the high to moderate fire severity areas (Table 10,<br />Map 13. Lands Corners and Posted Landlines and Burn Severity). In areas with low<br />severity, references could also be impacted. (References may be a an orange tag or paint<br />on a tree.) Burned references are at risk of being lost from post-fire mortality, subsequent<br />windthrow, and mechanical operations. Landlines were also affected by the fire, which<br />were mostly in the low and moderate severely burned area (Table 11).<br /><br />Table 10. Ham Lake Fire -<br />Monumented Corners and<br />Burn Severity<br />BARC<br />Severity<br />Number of<br />Monuments<br />Low 27<br />Moderate 35<br />High 4<br />Total 66<br /><br />Table 11. Ham Lake Fire - Post<br />Boundary Lines and Burn<br />Severity<br />Severity Miles<br />High 0.03<br />Moderate 2.49<br />Low 3.25<br />Unchanged - Very Low 1.41<br />Total 7.17<br /><br />Page 23 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />Corner markers and monuments in moderate to high fire severity.<br />Photo: US Forest Service; date unknown.<br />Page 24 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />Non-recreation Special Uses<br /><br />There are none in the burned area.<br /><br />Safety<br /><br />Generally, the changed conditions present more hazard trees and slippery soils.<br />Hazardous materials stored on NFS land were not affected by the fire. It is assumed that<br />any chemicals that volatilized in the fire have dispersed and do not pose a direct threat to<br />air or water quality. All Forest Service facilities have been inspected to ensure safe<br />operation, including campsites, campgrounds, trails, and roads. If safety hazards were<br />found and not immediately corrected, the facilities were closed (see the recreation<br />section).<br /><br />Page 25 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />5. Scenic Resources<br />The topography along the Gunflint Trail (Cook County 12) within the burned area is<br />rolling with limited views beyond the foreground. The fire burned in a variety of<br />intensities, there are scattered areas of high intensity intercepted with moderate and low<br />intensity. From the road itself it seems that the high intensity burning occurred along the<br />majority of the last seven mile of the Gunflint Trail. In these areas of high intensity most<br />if not all of the forested vegetation was killed. The viewshed should remain natural in<br />appearance as fire-killed trees will begin to decay and fall. Forest canopy and big-tree<br />appearance have been reduced along the Gunflint corridor in the burned area.<br />Approximately, the last 7 miles of the Gunflint trail were burnt over leaving only dead<br />standing trees. As such, the public will have an opportunity to witness the natural<br />processes that occur after a fire. For a period of time there will be a number of trees both<br />on the ground and standing in various stags of decay.<br /><br />Moderate to high fire severity along the Gunflint Trail.<br />Photo: US Forest Service, E. Hahn; June 19, 2007.<br />Page 26 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />Fire line needed to be unnaturally straight in order to protect public and firefighter safety,<br />however, openings created during the Ham lake fire that were not directly created by the<br />fire were rehabilitated with the use of heavy equipment and hand crews pulling in and<br />transplanting vegetation to soften the appearance and speed up recovery of disturbed<br />areas. The impacts of suppression to the viewshed of the Gunflint Trail corridor are<br />minimal.<br /><br />Table 12. Ham Lake Fire –<br />Scenic Integrity Objectives<br />(SIO) in the burned area<br />SIO Acres<br />High 8,469<br />Moderate 4,382<br />Low 0<br /><br />Table 12 lists the acres of Forest Plan Scenic Integrity Objectives (SIO). Two-thirds of<br />the burned area is in the High SIO. The High SIO areas are along roads, trails, and<br />recreation sites, and moderate SIO areas are everywhere else in this area because it is in<br /><br />Between campsites in moderate to high fire severity at Iron Lake Campground.<br />Photo: US Forest Service, E. Hahn; June 19, 2007.<br />Page 27 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />the Recreation Use in a Scenic Landscape management area.<br /><br />Evidence of suppression activities (such as flagging, equipment maintenance, and staging<br />areas) has been removed and cleaned up following suppression (or sooner) in High SIO<br />areas. For example, crews walked and removed all flagging hanging along the corridor<br />after containment of the fire.<br /><br />View from a side road near Tuscarora Lodge.<br />Photo: US Forest Service, M. Theimer; June 19, 2007.<br />Page 28 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />6. Recreation & Wilderness<br />The burned area provides the same range of recreational opportunities, with the exception<br />of the Iron Lake Campground and the Seagull Creek snowmobile trail bridge, both of<br />which are closed for public health and safety. The Iron Lake Campground closure<br />impacts the concessionaire contract (the campground will be closed until further notice).<br /><br />Iron Lake Campground is also a carry-down water access site and will also be closed<br />until further notice due to the campground closure in general. The steps leading down to<br />the shore for water access are burned over. Once the water access steps in Iron Lake<br />Campground are restored, the capacity and type of recreational use there be will remain<br />the same as before the fire.<br /><br />Moderate to high fire severity at Iron Lake Campground;<br />Photo: US Forest Service, E. Hahn; June 19, 2007.<br />Witnessing fire as a natural process, man-made or not, helps the semi-primitive areas<br />maintain a remote, natural setting. The Ham Lake Fire will provide for new forage, and<br />perhaps improve hunting opportunities. The Ham Lake Fire may provide for more<br />wildlife viewing opportunities due to new snags for birds and new growth for forage.<br />Trail closures are in place for visitor safety. Once the Kekekabic Trail is open for foot<br /><br />Page 29 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />travel (expected to reopen July 2007), fire affects will provide opportunities for<br />interpreting fire’s role on the landscape, as well as changed conditions for hunting and<br />bird watching.<br /><br />Facilities that were universally accessible before the fire are still accessible.<br /><br />Wilderness<br /><br />The fire was managed according to our wilderness plan and fire plan. Fire is part of<br />perpetuating the unique natural ecosystem, and helps provide for a primitive reaction<br />experience. the effects of the fire in the BWCAW are associated with natural phenomena<br />and part of a dominant force in the ecosystem. Fire suppression in wilderness can<br />degrade the soil, air, water, vegetation, wildlife and fish – mitigation and restoration were<br />employed on the suppression damage. Many hazard trees were cut in campsites and<br />along portages for visitor safety, negatively affecting wilderness character.<br /><br />Campsites that may need to be closed per wilderness management plan direction were<br />automatically closed due to fire, and may remain closed (Table 13). Due to campsite<br />closures based on resource protection and visitor safety, established use quotas were<br />reduced to match campsite availability. Many hazard trees were cut in campsites and<br />along portages for visitor safety negatively affecting wilderness character.<br />Interdisciplinary teams were used in association with BEAR concerning campsite<br />decisions, i.e., heritage resource concerns. Consistent with wilderness management, only<br />burned latrines were replaced if there was a resource protection need.<br /><br />The Ham Lake Fire will provide fire ecology in wilderness education opportunity, and<br />help with wilderness education goals. Due to campsite closures based on resource<br />protection and visitor safety, established use quotas were reduced to match campsite<br />availability. Some commercial operations were temporarily stalled due to closed<br />BWCAW entry points, but they have reopened.<br /><br />Page 30 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />Table 13. Ham Lake Fire – Wilderness<br />Campsite Survey Results<br />Number<br />Campsites affected by Ham Lake Fire 47<br />Campsites needing treatment 38<br />Campsite closures 16<br />Latrine replacements 28<br /><br />Post-fire BWCAW campsite conditions (Map 14: Ham Lake Fire Severity and<br />Campsites) include jackstraw and hazard trees, burned over latrines and water bars,<br />standing snags, down trees over sites and trails, burned over landings, and moderately<br />burned vegetation to no vegetation which will contribute to campsite expansion should<br />the site open before vegetation recovery begins.<br /><br />Remains of a campsite in moderate to high fire severity at Iron Lake Campground;<br />Photo: US Forest Service, E. Hahn; June 19, 2007.<br />Thirty-eight wilderness campsites need treatment and 11 do not need treatment. Sixteen<br />sites were proposed for closure for the entire season for campsite recovery and more<br />intensive work, but gradually some of those are now opening. More intensive work may<br /><br />Page 31 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />include erosion control on boat landings, vegetation projects, and time for natural<br />campsite recovery.<br /><br />Post-fire work included hazard trees (saw or explosives) over the campsite or latrine,<br />removing flagging or signs, clearing the latrine trail, replacing latrines, possibly moving<br />the latrine hole after heritage surveys, clearing tree fall and dangerous debris from the<br />camp area, water bar installation, check dams, and reinforcing landings or latrine trail<br />switchbacks due to erosion. Post fire rehab work was covered by either the P Code or<br />BAER and is close to complete.<br /><br />Table 14. Ham Lake Fire – Campgrounds (CG)<br />Number Status<br />Campgrounds in Ham Lake Fire 2 Closed<br />Camp sites affected by fire – Iron Lake CG and water<br />access carry down steps 7 (all)<br />7 + CG,<br />water<br />access<br />Camp sites affected by fire – Trails End CG and water<br />system 7 (of 33) 0<br />Camp sites needing treatment – Iron Lake CG 7<br />Camp sites needing treatment – Trails End CG 3<br /><br />Campgrounds<br /><br />Post-fire campground conditions include hazard trees in camp and along the campground<br />road, standing snags, down trees over sites, burned water access steps, burned over water<br />system (Trails End CG), and an entire campground (Iron Lake CG) burned over and<br />needed a full closure (Table 14). Once the water access steps in Iron Lake Campground<br />are restored, the capacity and type of use there will remain the same. Hazardous trees<br />were removed from both Iron Lake and Trails End Campgrounds. Once the Iron Lake<br />Campground opens, all applicable signs will be replaced. Signs at Trails End<br />Campground have already been replaced.<br /><br />Page 32 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />Trails and Portages<br /><br />Trail closures are in place for visitor safety (Table 15). Once the Kekekabic Trail is open<br />for foot travel, fire affects will provide opportunities for interpreting fire’s role on the<br />landscape, as well as changed conditions for hunting and bird watching.<br /><br />Those trails affected by the Ham Lake Fire will have safety information available<br />concerning visitor safety at the trail head and ranger stations.<br /><br />Post-fire trail conditions on the Kekekabic Trail included two fences surrounding old test<br />pits from previous mining exploration, and possible left over mining explosives. The<br />Magnetic Rock, Banadad, and Border Route Trail sections do not pose any values at risk.<br />The Seagull Creek Snowmobile bridge on the Gunflint Snowmobile Trail was burned,<br />needing full replacement. Post fire rehab work at portages was covered by either the P<br />Code or BAER and is close to complete (Table 16).<br /><br />Table 15. Ham Lake Fire - Trail Survey Results<br />Miles Status<br />Kekekabic Trail 3.5 3.5 miles Closed until July 1,<br />2007<br />Banadad Trail 2.0 0 closed<br />Magnetic Rock Trail 2.0 0 closed<br />Border Route and Crab Spur Trails 6.5 0 closed<br />Gunflint Snowmobile Trail NA Seagull Creek Bridge gone<br />Total 14.0<br /><br />Table 16. Ham Lake Fire - Portage Survey Results<br />Number Closed<br />Total number of Portages in Ham Lake Fire 4 0<br />Portages Affected by Fire 18 0<br />Portages Needing Work 14 0<br /><br />Page 33 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />Moderate to high fire severity at Iron Lake Campground;<br />Photo: US Forest Service, E. Hahn; June 19, 2007.<br />Initial Response (BAER funded)<br /><br />Wilderness<br /><br />• 26 latrines destroyed on Saganaga Lake and Granite River, all funded through<br />BAER, half the toilets installed.<br />• Campsite safety work on 38 sites – hazard tree removal, erosion control,<br />jackstraw removal (90% of work complete), and brushing - funded through BAER<br />and P code.<br />• Campsite closure – 16 sites were closed to prevent resource damage and visitor<br />safety, funded through BAER and P code.<br />• Campsite closure patrol – funded through BAER.<br />Campgrounds<br /><br />• Iron Lake Campground burned over – facilities lost include entry bulletin board<br />and internal bulletin board, 1 picnic table, water access steps, 2 parking bumpers,<br />2 hand water pumps lost leather gaskets, BAER funded campground closure<br />swing gate, hazard tree removal funded by P code.<br />• Trails End Campground partially burned – facilities lost include entire water<br />system including the pump house with generator and fencing/pipes around water<br />Page 34 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />tank, 2 water station posts burned, hazard tree removal covered by P code, water<br />system unfunded.<br /><br />Trails and Portages<br /><br />• 950 rods of portage cleared on P code.<br />• The Kekekabic, Banadad, Magnetic and Border Route trails sustained damage.<br />• The Kekekabic Trail lost warning fences around old mining pits, fences were<br />rebuilt funded by BAER.<br />• To assess the danger of potentially unexploded ordinances, the area surrounding<br />old exploratory mining pits along the Kekekabic Trail was assessed - regular<br />crew time.<br />• Hazard trees were removed from the Kekekabic and Magnetic Trails funded by P<br />code.<br />• The Seagull Creek Snowmobile bridge on The Gunflint Snowmobile Trail burned<br />over and was not funded for a rebuild.<br />Page 35 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />7. Terrestrial Wildlife Habitat and Vegetation<br />Terrestrial wildlife, vegetation and structure for wildlife, and ecosystem processes<br />benefited from the Ham Lake Fire by gaining the range of severity and patchiness that<br />wildfire naturally produces along with the unique features obtained only through stand<br />replacement fire. The variety and rarity of ecological conditions created by the Ham<br />Lake fire contribute to many Forest Plan objectives and desired conditions for wildlife<br />(e.g., wildlife habitats are diverse, healthy, productive, and resilient)<br /><br />The Ham Lake, Alpine Lake, and Cavity Lake fires have increased the size diversity for<br />large, young forested openings, especially in the Jack pine-Black spruce LE. Most of<br />(77%) of the areas burned area in the Ham Lake Fire is in the Jack Pine-Black Spruce<br />Landscape Ecosystem. Within the fire perimeter, outside the BWCAW, young forest in<br />the Jack Pine-Black Spruce LE increased from 69% (6,125 NFS acres) to 83% (7,416<br />NFS acres). Forest-wide, outside the BWCAW, 2.8 percent of the Jack Pine- Black<br />Spruce LE on was moved to a young forest condition. Ecosystem processes have<br />improved conditions for wildlife on this 2.8 percent of the Jack Pine- Black Spruce LE<br />through fire’s natural range of effects by gaining the severity and patchiness that wildfire<br />naturally produces along with the unique features obtained only through stand<br />replacement fire.<br /><br />The Ham Lake Fire contributes to the size of the adjacent wildfires and prescribed fires<br />that have occurred since 1999. This cumulative area is on the small end of the range of<br />fire sizes that occurred in the BWCAW during the pre Euro-American settlement period.<br />Large patches (greater than 1,000 acres) were created by the fire and contain habitat<br />elements unique to fire.<br /><br />The size of the fire is large enough to affect meta populations of small-territory species<br />such as small birds and mammals. Populations of some species can increase within the<br />burn area in response to the fire effects.<br /><br />Page 36 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />Populations of some bird species, including wood peckers and warblers, increase<br />markedly during and toward the end of insect outbreaks caused by wind and fire<br />disturbances. Increased food resources from insect infestations can improve nesting<br />success of birds. Increased cavity tree availability can increase nesting success and<br />localized population levels. The Ham Lake and other nearby wildfires offer abundant<br />snags in a range of densities and a full range of size classes. Over 32 species of birds and<br />many mammals use cavities for nesting, denning, and roosting. Cavity tree preference<br />increases with increased tree diameter.<br /><br />Small mammals and ungulates are most abundant immediately post disturbance, and<br />decrease as stands age. Moose benefit because of the large area of young forest and bears<br />benefit from the increase and diversity in food availability. Increased berry and grub<br />food resources may lead to fewer bear-human interactions near residences.<br /><br />Plant species richness and structural complexity are frequently increased by fire. Snag<br />composition, large fire, especially when considered along with Alpine and Cavity fires<br />have reduced habitat fragmentation in this portion of the forest.<br /><br />Openings along the Gunflint Trail improve wildlife viewing opportunities unlike<br />anywhere else on the Forest’s roadsides, especially birding in the fire’s perimeter as bird<br />species respond to the increased foraging and nesting habitat created by the fire. Berry<br />picking will be accessible from the Gunflint Trail.<br /><br />Three-toed & Black-backed Woodpeckers<br /><br />Excellent three-toed and black-backed woodpecker habitat has been created by the fire.<br />Insect invasions and population increase will favor these woodpeckers and increase their<br />foraging and nesting opportunities for the next decade. The foraging opportunities are on<br />undamaged portions of lightly to moderately burned spruces. The majority of cavity<br />nesting birds are insectivorous and play an important role in the control of forest insect<br />pests. Three-toed woodpeckers are nomadic and can exhibit irruptive behavior in<br />response to insect outbreaks after forest disturbance events such as the Ham Lake Fire.<br /><br />Page 37 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />Abundance of snags, in a variety of densities and sizes offers excellent foraging,<br />drumming, and nesting habitat for three-toed woodpeckers.<br /><br />There are no nest sites are known, but nesting surveys for this species are not completed<br />on the Forest. The fire is located in the Superior NF’s most suitable range for three-toed<br />woodpeckers. A wide variety of snag tree species, heights, diameters, densities, and death<br />rates of trees will provide high-quality habitat for up to 5 years as trees continue to die.<br />In burned conifer forests, the most valuable wildlife snags are significantly larger than<br />expected owing to chance, and are more likely to be thick barked than thin barked tree<br />species.<br /><br />Bald Eagle & Osprey<br /><br />Eagle nest trees that had fuel reduction treatments prior to prescribed burns survived the<br />Ham Lake Fire in good condition. Known eagle and osprey nests locations within the<br />fire perimeter were distributed to Division Supervisors during the fire. Protection of nests<br />trees was encouraged and completed whenever possible with regard to fire fighter safety.<br />Trails End and Little Gunflint eagle nests and nest trees survived the fire. One active,<br />new nest was found after the fire and within the perimeter of the fire. White pines of a<br />size adequate for bald eagle and osprey nesting, old-growth aged, are becoming rare at<br />the end of the Gunflint Trail. Most of the large snags from the Roy lake and Saganaga<br />Lake fires have fallen down.<br /><br />Canada Lynx<br /><br />There are no known lynx denning sites within the fire perimeter. This fire falls within the<br />range of habitat characteristics to which lynx are adapted. Ham Lake Fire promotes<br />recovery of lynx because large scale fire provides the habitat and structural diversity<br />needed by lynx that has been in short supply since European settlement. In 3-12 years<br />the Ham Lake and portions of adjacent wildfires will provide abundant snowshoe hare<br />habitat for Canada lynx. Fingers of live conifer adjacent to regenerating forest will<br />provide cover for hare. Regeneration of burned jack pine plantations will increase red<br /><br />Page 38 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />squirrel habitat in the future. Dead and dying trees, and especially large snags, will<br />provide lynx denning habitat as they fall and become hollow. Remaining areas of<br />unburned uplands will provide travel corridors for lynx across large burned areas and the<br />Gunflint Trail corridor.<br /><br />Gray Wolf<br /><br />Wolves are present in the burn area, however, there are no known gray wolf denning sites<br />within the fire perimeter. Large openings with nearby thermal cover in unburned fingers<br />of forest and rejuvenating shrub wetlands will provide excellent moose habitat and wolf<br />prey habitat.<br /><br />Regional Forester Sensitive Species (RFSS)<br /><br />The fire may have had positive, negative, or inconsequential effects for known RFSS<br />plant populations in the burn, but the fire was a natural process affecting these<br />populations.<br /><br />There is a verified location for Heather voles in the burn area. Burns can have effects on<br />small mammal populations causing individual species populations to fluctuate in<br />response to each other. Increases in small mammal populations may occur in response to<br />insect availability. Predators of small mammals would benefit from population increases.<br /><br />Tiger beetle habitat has been increased by the exposure of bedrock, crevasses, and rock<br />spalding. Exposed rock offers display areas and crevasses and rock spalding offers<br />protection for larvae.<br /><br />Fire in lowland conifer stands has improved olive-sided flycatcher habitat by opening up<br />the canopy and creating trees suitable for singing and hunting perches.<br /><br />Fire also improves blueberry and most likely dwarf bilberry growth and density. Habitat<br />for bilberry may increase.<br /><br />Page 39 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />One of the new condition caused by the Ham Lake Fire is highly visible exposure of large<br />amounts of surface bedrock. Prior to the fire, much of this bedrock was hidden by tree<br />canopy or beds of moss and lichen. Although it may look barren now, these areas<br />provide good habitat for a variety of native plants that are otherwise not that common,<br />such as Bicknell’s geranium, bristly sarsaparilla, fringed black bindweed, and pale<br />corydalis. These species benefit from the fire creating good habitat, and they gradually<br />decline as the moss, lichen, and tree canopy return.<br /><br />There is a verified record of boreal owl nesting in the Ham Lake burn area, but no known<br />nests in area at this time. The Ham Lake Fire is in the normal range of the Boreal Owl<br />and has restored quality habitat in the form of dead and dying aspen trees. Lowland<br />black spruce wetland complexes are spread throughout the western half of the Ham Lake<br />Fire burn area.<br /><br />There are no known nests in area. Lowland black spruce wetland complexes are spread<br />throughout the western half of the Ham Lake Fire burn area. Large snags may provide<br />nesting habitat.<br /><br />Management Indicator Habitats<br /><br />MIH evaluation focused on the change of upland mature and older forest to young forest<br />(MIH 1a) in the areas of high and moderate severity burn. The Ham Lake Fire<br />contributes toward Forest Plan objectives to increase MIH 1a, young and seedling open,<br />in both the Jack pine-Black Spruce LE and Lowland Conifer(a) LE. However, the fire<br />did not contribute to objectives of decreasing young on the Mesic Birch-Aspen-Spruce-<br />Fir and Mesic Red and White Pine LEs.<br /><br />Page 40 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />8. Non-native Invasive Plants (NNIP)<br />Prior to the Ham Lake Fire, we were fortunate to have relatively low levels of most nonnative<br />invasive plants (NNIP). There were 76 sites (2.54 acre) known to be infested with<br />invasive plants within the fire perimeter (this doesn’t include hawkweeds or oxeye daisy,<br />which are ubiquitous and we do not attempt to inventory). Invasives were known<br />primarily from roadsides, gravel pits, old log landings, and trailsides. The known NNIP<br />that are within the burn perimeter are: bull thistle, Canada thistle, cypress spurge, oxeye<br />daisy, orange hawkweed, yellow hawkweed, spotted knapweed, and tansy. All known<br />NNIP infestations on the upper Gunflint Trail (i.e. the road itself) were treated with<br />herbicide in summer 2006.<br /><br />The fire, fire suppression activities, and post-fire rehabilitation activities have created a<br />lot of new areas that will be highly susceptible to weed invasion over the next several<br />years. Weeds will show up on the areas described above (i.e. roadsides, gravel pits, etc.)<br />as well as along dozer lines, and in the burned area itself, particularly on rock outcrops.<br />For most invasive plants, the detection and eradication efforts (see below) will limit their<br />spread. Orange and yellow hawkweeds, however, will spread irreversibly as a result of<br />the Ham Lake Fire, and will be found on more rock outcrops as a result of the fire. As<br />native grasses, forbs, and shrubs regenerate over the next several months and years, the<br />amount of habitat susceptible to NNIP will drop rapidly.<br /><br />The two activities being implemented in the summer of 2007 are weed detection and<br />eradication. Inventories of areas impacted by fire suppression (e.g. incident command<br />post, base camp, dozer lines, gravel pits) and of a sample areas impacted by just the burn<br />will be conducted and new infestations will be mapped. Any new infestations will be<br />either hand pulled, or added to an existing herbicide spray contract. In early July a<br />contractor will treat known weed infestations on Forest Service lands along the Gunflint<br />Trail under an existing Forest-wide NNIP Management EA.<br /><br />Page 41 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />9. Soil, Watershed, Water Quality & Fisheries<br />The fire burned completely over the watersheds of some streams. The HUC-6 level<br />watershed Granite River was burned over (including the entire watershed of Larch Creek)<br />as well as large portion of Seagull Creek (Map 15: Ham Lake Fire Watersheds; Table<br />17). The intensity of potential morphological changes is muted by the relatively flat<br />slopes and available storage capacity within the watersheds. This means these<br />watersheds are more than 60% open and young.<br /><br />The Ham Lake Fire did not change the watersheds’ ability to function as a healthy part of<br />the ecosystem and continue to provide for State, tribal, and local uses.<br /><br />Table 17. Ham Lake Fire – Watersheds affected by<br />the fire<br />HUC6 HUC_NAME<br />Acres in the<br />Entire<br />Watershed<br />040101010803 Brule R, N Fk, Lower 29,823<br />040101011003 Rose L 26,476<br />090300010203 Seagull R, Upper 22,732<br />090300010105 Extortion Cr 21,361<br />090300010204 Seagull R, Lower 18,761<br />090300010102 Chub R 14,285<br />090300010201 Gunflint L 13,662<br />090300010202 Granite R 13,144<br />040101010804 Brule R, N Fk, Upper 10,891<br /><br />Air Quality<br /><br />The Ham Lake Fire’s effects on air quality is no longer a concern, however some of soil<br />compounds, including mercury, may have volatilized when they burned very hot.<br /><br />Page 42 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />Volatilized materials have dissipated. In future, if the Ham Lake Fire area were to burn<br />again, it would put out less smoke than it would if it hadn’t burned.<br /><br />Watershed<br /><br />The burn area has a variety of rock types that influence topography and soil development<br />within the Vermillion Geomorphic Province. Generally, the burn area is comprised of<br />Saganaga granodiorite intrusives, Knife Lake Group argillite, slate, phyllite, biotite<br />schist, and metagraywacke, Knife Lake Group conglomerate and felsic metavolcanics,<br />metabasalt with some metadiabase rocks, and Duluth Complex tractolite and anorthosite.<br />The area mainly has bedrock outcrops and shallow soils. The most pronounced structure<br />is a fairly well developed set of faults with directions of failure trending to the NW and<br />NE. The faults provide zones of weakness that have been exploited by weathering and<br />glacial erosion, creating lake basins. Large lakes tend to be located at the junctions of<br />faults or groups of faults.<br /><br />The fire increased the short-term discharge of washload sediment from the landscape to<br />the streams and lakes because of the open landscape. Nutrients associated with this<br />sediment become available to the aquatic life potentially increasing the biomass and<br />modifying the short-term structure of the systems. Phosphorus is the most common<br />limiting nutrient in the northern systems, hence the impact on the biomass is generally<br />dependant upon the amount of available phosphorus. Some studies have shown an<br />increase in nitrogen can occur after a fire with a smaller impact on phosphorus. The role<br />of these pulses of nutrient fluxes associated with fire is not well understood, but may be<br />an important component of the long-term nutrient cycles in northern lakes. The Ham<br />Lake Fire is not expected to impair long-term uses or ecological viability of the water<br />resources of the SNF.<br /><br />In addition to nutrients, there may be an influx of mercury associated with the increased<br />washload contribution. This is presently under study in the Superior National Forest, and<br />the Ham Lake Fire will not modify the existing study.<br /><br />Page 43 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />There is likely a short term impact on the total suspended solids concentration within the<br />streams and lakes associated with the increased washload as described above. The<br />watershed contribution of washload sediment to the systems will likely reach pre-fire<br />conditions relatively quickly as revegetation occurs to reduce raindrop energy and<br />increase resistance to erosion.<br /><br />Watersheds that have been completely burned over can expect a wholesale change to<br />young forested mix. A change from older coniferous forest to a young forest can lead to<br />increased stream power associated with a change in spring melt conditions (more sunlight<br />allows the snow to melt faster). This change in hydrology can lead to a change in the<br />stream morphology, habitat quality, and aquatic life. The impact of these changes to<br />aquatic life is directly related to the interconnectedness of the system. Hence, measures<br />to ensure the systems are not fragmented by roadway / stream crossings or other physical<br />or velocity barriers is important to the long-term resiliency of the aquatic life.<br /><br />The stream channel morphology may change due to changes in the hydrology as<br />described above. Maintaining longitudinal connectiveness is important to promoting<br />long-term aquatic health. However, the relatively flat slopes and available watershed<br />storage will likely reduce the magnitude of the morphological changes.<br /><br />Soils<br /><br />All soils in the burn area are derived from glacial drift over bedrock. Soils that are<br />shallow to bedrock dominate the area, making up between 60-80% of the soils. Slopes<br />are moderate (10 to 30 %) to steep (20 to 60 %, although typically on the lower end of<br />this range)) over most of the burn area. Soil surface textures are generally loamy tills and<br />sandy outwash. Organic layer depths are highly variable. An organic layer of two to<br />three inches deep would normally occur in ridge top and upper slope positions whereas<br />four to six inch average depths of duff may occur in lower slope positions and wetter<br />areas. Gravels, cobbles and rock fragments make up significant portions of the soil<br /><br />Page 44 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />profile in the upland soil groups. Exposed rock and bedrock varies with LTA and slope<br />position but it can be as high as 30%. Soils are generally well-drained. Water movement<br />in the soils is as interflow during the frost free and snow free periods. Table 18 lists the<br />landtype associations in the burned areas and their dominate ecological landtypes (ELT).<br /><br />Table 18. Ham Lake Fire – Landtype Associations (LTA)<br />LTA Percent of<br />Burned Area Dominant ELTs<br />212La21 – Saganaga Lake Formation 61% 1, 2, 6, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18<br />212La23 Ely – Knife Lake Formation 15% 13, 14, 16, 17<br />212La14 - Rove Slate Shallow Moraine 11% 1, 2, 6, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18<br />212La13 - Gabbro Lake Shallow Moraine<br />LTA 7% 2, 6, 16, 17, 18<br />212La22 - Poplar Lake Shallow Ground<br />Moraine 7% 6, 11, 16, 17<br /><br />Water Quality, Runoff, Soil Erosion, and Productivity<br /><br />BAER soil and water specialists assessed (by air and ground) the effects of the fire on<br />soil and watershed conditions by evaluating surface soil conditions (organic layer<br />consumption, soil heating, and water repellency) and determining the extent and level of<br />burn severity. The burned area has some sensitive soils, see Table 18; however, some of<br />the burned area has been mapped but the Forest Service does not have this data<br />electronically yet. Map 16 shows the ELTs in the burned area and highlights the missing<br />information.<br /><br />Current site conditions are such that emergency rehabilitation treatments to protect the<br />soil and water quality from further erosion or site productivity losses are not needed. Soil<br />properties have not been significantly altered. Soils still have moderate to high<br />infiltration rates, organic litter still exists over most soils, and bare soil areas are<br />relatively small and discontinuous. The exposed surfaces are very rough, due to the<br />coarse surface fragments and residual large woody debris. These features will help in<br /><br />Page 45 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />breaking up any surface runoff, limiting the chance of rill or gully formation. The many<br />rocks and cobbles will act as small retention areas to trap soil particles dislodged by<br />raindrop impact and surface runoff, limiting the distance of soil movement that is<br />displaced. Neither mass wasting nor delivery of large amounts of sediment to streams or<br />lakes is expected. Though significant losses of total above ground biomass have occurred<br />over much of the area, these should be viewed as short term losses.<br /><br />Based on observed conditions within the 2005 Alpine Fire and 2006 Cavity Lake Fire,<br />moderate to severely burned areas are recovering well. Within the Alpine Fire there was<br />some evidence of sheet erosion and short distance soil displacement. However, the rough<br />slope characteristics acted to retain the soil on site. The remaining surface organic matter<br />was still present. Vegetation cover varies from 30-50% on the rockier and more severe<br />burned areas, to nearly 100% in deeper soil areas. No rill or gully erosion was detected.<br /><br />Mostly intact soil in moderate fire severity<br />US Forest Service, E. Hahn; June 19, 2007.<br />Overall, the affects of the fire on soil and water resources has been mitigated by the<br />combination of moist soil conditions that are typical during the spring, topography (i.e.<br />broken/discontinuous, short and gentle slopes) and the fast moving nature (wind-driven)<br />of the fire, which resulted in a low residence burn time. Additionally, much of the fire<br /><br />Page 46 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />burned in a mosaic pattern across the landscape. The BEAR’s final conclusion of the soil<br />and watershed team members is that there is no watershed emergency.<br /><br />In addition to nutrients, there may be an influx of mercury associated with the increased<br />washload contribution. This is presently under study in the Superior National Forest.<br />The Ham Lake Fire will not modify the existing study.<br /><br />Fisheries Populations, Habitat and Aquatic NNIS<br /><br />Riparian filtering is accomplished by the forest litter and understory vegetation that<br />increases resistance to flow and flow path lengths. The depressional storage is also an<br />important component to filtering stormwater runoff. These components reduce the<br />velocity of the overland flow which provides greater opportunity for infiltration and for<br />sediment to be dropped from the water column. Revegetation of the forest provides some<br />short-term filtering of runoff and the filtering capacity of the forest floor will increase as<br />forest litter accumulates.<br /><br />The BEAR team did not consider fish populations, habitat, riparian areas, and wetlands<br />to be values at risk. It was determined post-fire water quality impacts to nearby surface<br />waters and the possible negative effects to fish populations and habitat was low within<br />both low and moderate burn severity areas. Overall impacts to riparian areas and<br />wetlands were generally considered low to moderate although effects varied among sites.<br />Based upon observations in the Alpine Lake and Cavity Lake burned areas, it was<br />determined that the Ham Lake Fire would have no long-term negative effects to fishery<br />resources. Trees killed by the fire within two tree lengths of streams and lakes can<br />contribute to the aquatic system as large or coarse woody debris, improving habitat.<br /><br />Roads and Stream Crossings<br /><br />Crossings that are not natural bottom, i.e., bridges, can become perched with channel<br />degradation or possibly become undersized with channel aggradation. Channel<br />aggradation and degradation occur as the stream adopts to a change in the hydrology and<br /><br />Page 47 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />sediment supply regimes.<br /><br />The BEAR assessed road and stream crossing conditions (Table 19). They looked at the<br />influences of burn severity upstream from road crossings, channel characteristics, and<br />culvert conditions (including size) to assess the potential for culverts becoming plugged<br />and causing washouts following storm runoff. They concluded that areas immediately<br />upstream from road-stream crossings were not burned severely enough to generate<br />increased runoff or source materials sufficient to plug culverts and that existing culverts<br />were sufficiently sized to handle expected flows and debris.<br /><br />Table 19. Ham Lake Fire - Miles<br />of Stream Channels by Order or<br />Class<br />Miles<br />Lake Connector 56.9<br />Wetland Connector 10.9<br />Perennial Stream 38.5<br />Total 106.3<br /><br />Page 48 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />10. Public Information & Partnerships<br />Fire Effects / New Condition<br /><br />The Ham Lake Fire provided an opportunity to work with our Partners in a meaningful<br />way. Fire operations clearly benefited from the relationships developed well in advance<br />of the fire; from pre-incident planning and preparations; and from the many pre-existing<br />partnerships. Antidotal evidence suggests that all entities worked together effectively and<br />felt that the fire brought agencies and people closer. It has been suggested by many that<br />we continue our efforts to work together and plan so that in future events, the work that<br />we all do will continue to run smoothly and the needs of the public will be met.<br /><br />We are at a perfect place from which to build upon our relationships, expand to other<br />parts of the Forest, and create joint solutions to issues we wish to tackle, specifically how<br />to be even more prepared in the event of another fire, and which steps do we need to take<br />to help prevent a future fire from occurring or to mitigate negative effects when a fire<br />does occur?<br /><br />Initial Response<br /><br />• The Forest Service (District) began discussions with the County and other entities<br />before the fire was contained and has met multiple times to discuss post fire needs<br />and priorities and appropriate roles.<br />• One outcome, on Saturday, June 23, 2007, was a community meeting in the<br />Gunflint District that partners and the Forest Service coordinated in an effort to<br />provide information to the public.<br />• The County took the lead on developing a handout that lists various info sources<br />and resources for private landowners.<br />• On Friday, June 29, 2007 a community meeting is planned for Ely. This meeting<br />was called by the Forest Service and involves our partners. It will provide basic<br />Page 49 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />information to the public about agencies response to wildfires and preparation<br /><br />work to prevent wildfires and mitigate effects.<br /><br />The Ham Lake Fire and post-fire situation tests and validates prior fire-related public<br />information and partnership efforts on the Forest in terms of working cooperatively with<br />many partners to protect and enhance physical, social and economic resources.<br /><br />By coordinating public information and public services closely with others involved in an<br />incident we were able to determine the most appropriate entity to address specific public<br />concerns and avoid duplication or even worse, confusion. We also pooled resources with<br />other organizations to meet mutual goals that would have been very difficult to do<br />individually. One example is the Joint Information Center, located at the Cook County<br />Courthouse and staffed by agencies. The Center resulted from a standing agreement<br />between the FS and County. It functioned as a conduit from the IMT and clearing house<br />for fire-related info. Regular media briefings, internet info, printed updates, and phone<br />lines along with face-to-face contacts provided information for hundreds of media,<br />evacuees, businesses, other agencies and organizations. Another example is the ongoing<br />post-fire effort to coordinate public information and assistance with other partners.<br />References are being prepared and at least two public meetings have already occurred.<br /><br />Page 50 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />11. Heritage Resources<br />The Paulson Mine site (FS #02-653/02-654)<br /><br />The Paulson Mine, an early 1888-1893 iron ore mine located east on the Kekekabic Trail,<br />is a potentially NRHP eligible site which played a large role in the initial development of<br />the Gunflint Trail. The site retains numerous features including railroad beds, wagon<br />roads, test pits, and collapsed cabin/administration buildings. The Paulson Mine was also<br />the terminus of the Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway. The railway, completed in<br />1893, was initially planned to connect Thunder Bay to Duluth.<br /><br />The Paulson Mine site was burned over around 5/12-5/13/2007 during the Ham Lake<br />Wildfire. A walkover survey of the site area was completed shortly after the fire, and<br />BAER funds were acquired to rebuild the fences around the identified mine shafts.<br />Additional work would facilitate future management of the site and assess the damage<br />caused by the fire.<br /><br />The Kekekabic Trail no longer has warning fences around the old mining pits. To assess<br />the danger of potentially unexploded ordinances, the area surrounding old exploratory<br />mining pits along the Kekekabic Trail was assessed on May 25, 2007 (via air and<br />ground) by Jon Hakala Superior NF explosive technician, other Superior NF personnel,<br />and an explosives contractor. The assessment did not find any remaining explosive<br />material. Therefore, it was determined that there is no immediate threat to the health and<br />safety of Kekekabic Trail users.<br /><br />The Beckwith PDRR site (FS #02-701)<br /><br />The Beckwith PDRR site is an early railroad trestle (1902-1910) which spans a drainage<br />just east of Gunflint Lake. Prior to the Ham Lake Fire, the trestle stood as a rather<br />impressive engineering accomplishment; the 400ft trestle was constructed out of earth<br />and horizontally laid cordwood which rose approximately 30-50ft from top to bottom.<br /><br />Page 51 of 52<br /><br /> <br />Ham Lake Fire Rapid Assessment Report<br /><br />The trestle was still smoldering when visited on 5/20/2007. At that time, approximately<br />one third of the trestle had been completely destroyed and portions appeared to be near<br />collapse. Despite this, the PDRR trestle may still retain sufficient integrity to be eligible<br />to the NRHP and additional work should be completed prior to the 2007 Heritage Annual<br />Report.<br /><br />Clove Lake Area Archaeological Site Assessments<br /><br />Numerous archaeological sites were affected by the Ham Lake Fire in the Gunflint Lake-<br />Saganaga Lake BWCAW canoe route. This canoe route envelopes a series of lakes and<br />rivers commonly lumped together as the Granite River. This route was used extensively<br />between 1680-1850 as a major transshipment point for trade goods destined for points<br />east and west. As such, there are numerous archaeological sites in the area which retain<br />artifacts and features from this significant time period. A heritage assessment of the<br />northern portion of this route (Sag-Marabouef Lake) was completed between 6/13-6/20<br />during the Granite River Emergency Assessment Team (BAER funds). As was expected,<br />the enhanced ground visibility which followed the fire facilitated the identification of<br />new archaeological sites, expanded the site boundaries of known archaeological sites, and<br />exposed many significant artifacts.<br /><br />The enhanced ground visibility in the area presents an opportunity for the unlawful<br />collecting of artifacts on BWCAW campsites with archaeological components. A heritage<br />assessment should be conducted on the southern portion of this canoe route prior to the<br />completion of the 2007 Heritage Annual Report. This survey will mitigate the possibility<br />of uncontrolled collecting, increase the site inventory for that area, and allow for the<br />refinement/updating of site maps and condition assessments of previously inventoried<br />archaeological sites.<br /><br />Page 52 of 52Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-79686620970685897302007-07-02T05:18:00.000-07:002007-07-02T05:36:14.777-07:00Yippie for Yurts<span id="default"><!--subtitle--><!--byline--><div class="articleByline">BETH GAUPER, St Paul Pioneer Press<br /></div><!--date--><div class="articleDate">Article Last Updated: 06/28/2007 04:16:29 PM CDT</div><br /><div class="articleBody"><div class="articleViewerGroup" id="articleViewerGroup" style="border: 0px none ;"><script language="JavaScript"> var requestedWidth = 0; </script><span class="articleEmbeddedViewerBox"></span></div><script language="JavaScript"> if(requestedWidth > 0){ document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').style.width = requestedWidth + "px"; document.getElementById('articleViewerGroup').style.margin = "0px 0px 10px 10px"; } </script><p>It's summer, and nomads are on the move. These days, their dwellings might look the same whether they're herding yaks on the steppes of Kyrgyzstan or exploring tidepools along the Oregon coast. The round, cloth-sided hut called a yurt - or ger, in Mongolia - originated in Central Asia but now can be found in state parks across North America. </p><p>Oregon provided the first yurts for its campers in 1994 - "No tent? No RV? No problem. We've got you covered'' - and now offers them in 18 state parks, mostly along its famous coast. Then Washington state built some yurts, then Idaho and Colorado, and now yurts can be found in two dozen state and provincial parks across the continent, even in Texas and Georgia. </p><p>Why yurts? They're a step up from tents, literally. Built on wood platforms, they often have a small deck. Their doors lock, and windows have screens with roll-up covers. Inside, they're equipped with a table, chairs, bunk beds and, often, a futon sofa sleeper. Most have electricity. </p><p>It's camping for people who are a little lazy or appreciate a little luxury - which is to say, most of us. </p><p>I was a very lazy camper last month, when I threw a sleeping bag and pillow into the car and drove two hours down Interstate 35 to Clear Lake, Iowa. I didn't bother to solicit company; in early June, most people in Minnesota want to go north, not south. </p><p>It was their loss. McIntosh Woods State Park is on one of Iowa's most popular lakes, a big expanse of sparkling water that </p>was scoured out by glaciers and sits above the surrounding countryside, catching breezes on hot days. The park has a sand beach and boat launch, and it's connected by bike lanes to the laid-back beach town of Clear Lake. <p>Iowa state parks don't charge an entrance fee, and when I got to McIntosh Woods, the office was locked. The only staff turned out to be 19-year-old Andy Carter, whom I found down at the beach, raking out the sand. He said he'd meet me back at the office and asked where I was from. </p><p>"I was born in St. Paul, and I don't ever want to go back,'' he said. "Too many people. I've got it made right here; it's peaceful.'' </p><p>He collected a $50 damage deposit, then showed me to a little green yurt on the lake. With one other yurt, it had its own dock and its own newly built bathhouse, with hot showers and flush toilets, and there were two picnic tables, grills and firepits. The two yurts sat all by themselves in a private, oak-shaded cul de sac, pretty posh for $35 a night. Then, it occurred to me that it also would be perfect for late-night, blow-out beer parties. </p><p>Carter assured me that kind of thing didn't happen much. </p><p>"I patrol until midnight,'' he said. "I'll keep an eye on you.'' </p><p>BIKING, DINING AT HAND </p><p>As it turned out, my fellow yurt guests weren't wild at all. Lindsey Beglinger was a young middle-school custodian from Huxley, Iowa, who has an interest in sustainable housing, and she had brought her 13-year-old brother, William. </p><p>"Wow, this is like our own private campground,'' Beglinger said. "I've always wanted to stay in a yurt.'' </p><p>She had reserved her yurt Feb. 13, nine days before I had, when most summer weekends already were filled. But we had ended up with a lovely weekend: warm and sunny, with cool nights. The walleye were biting, and fishermen huddled around the nearby cleaning station late into the night. The annual Take Me Back oldies music festival had brought thousands of people to Clear Lake's lakeside City Park, and the Lady of the Lake paddlewheeler had started its cruise season. </p><p>Lindsey and William mostly hung out at their yurt, fixing foil-wrapped meat and potatoes over their grill, but I explored the area, riding the 15 miles around the lake on my bike and walking to dinner at Rich's Muskie Lounge, a popular restaurant that has a patio overlooking the lake and is only a block from the yurts. </p><p>On Saturday, the Beglingers' mother, Leslee, joined them, and she, too, was impressed. </p><p>"We've been Girl Scouts for a long time, and for us, good times are a tent with animals underneath it and a leak,'' she said. "So this is pretty nice. This is fabulous.'' </p><p>They invited me over for s'mores that evening, but when I returned from a late dinner at one of the Italian restaurants facing City Park, they had already gone to bed. I slept so well on my full-size futon, with the ceiling fan whirring softly overhead, that I barely made it out by check-out time, when park manager Tammy Domonoske came down to see what I was doing. </p><p>With help from volunteers, Domonoske built the yurts five years ago from kits bought from the Colorado Yurt Co. in Montrose, Colo. The kits - $6,000 for a basic 16-foot yurt with a screen door, extra window and ceiling-fan mount - include the rafters, lattice walls of Douglas fir, fabric cover and acrylic skylight. Domonoske and her crew used recycled materials to make the deck, plank flooring and furniture. </p><p>"It was an interesting project,'' she said. "It's been holding up really well.'' </p><p>MINNESOTA'S 'YURT GUY' </p><p>Before she put it up, Domonoske said, she consulted Ted Young on Minnesota's Gunflint Trail, who has become known as the Yurt Guy of the Midwest. In 1984, Young wanted to offer lodge-to-lodge skiing on the 30-mile Banadad Trail, but the U.S. Forest Service wouldn't allow a permanent dwelling on federal land. His wife, Barbara, read about yurts in Cross Country Skier magazine and suggested they get one, but he said, "It's silly; who's going to stay in that?'' </p><p>"Those were Ted's exact words,'' says Barbara Young with a laugh. "Six months later, another resorter said, 'I just read something fascinating about yurts,' and he looked into it and said, 'This is something we should look into.' '' </p><p>They ordered a kit, and Barbara sewed the canvas, grommet holes and all, on a portable machine in a one-room cabin without electricity. The first year, they had to take the yurt down in spring, but then they got permission to leave it up. </p><p>"When we started 23 years ago, we called it a hut, because we didn't think anyone would know what a yurt was,'' Ted Young said. "But now, everyone in the skiing community knows what they are, so after three or four years, we changed it to yurt.'' The Youngs now have two, and their yurt-to-yurt skiing has earned them national attention. </p><p>"They're all over now, except in Minnesota,'' Ted Young says. </p><p>The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has considered yurts, says DNR development and real-estate director Larry Peterson, but has decided to stick with camper cabins. If it can use inmate labor from the Hennepin County correctional system, he says, the department has funding to build about 50 more, at a cost of $21,000-$22,000 apiece. The state now has 35 camper cabins that rent for $40, $45 with electricity. </p><p>"These seem to be meeting the needs of our users,'' Peterson said. </p><p>But Michigan has three new yurts in the spectacular Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, with another under construction. Wisconsin plans to build two yurts in a new campground in Harrington Beach State Park, north of Milwaukee on Lake Michigan. And Ontario has 52 yurts in 10 provincial parks. </p><p>This isn't Mongolia. But we've got lots of nomads, and they're all looking for a cool place to stay. </p><p>Beth Gauper, who writes about regional travel, can be reached at 651-228-5425, bgauper@<a href="http://pioneerpress.com/">pioneerpress.com</a>. </p><p>TRIP TIPS: YURTS IN STATE PARKS </p><p>Yurt guests need to bring bedding, pillows, towels and toiletries, plus cooking equipment. No cooking is allowed inside the yurt; generally, each one has a picnic table and fire pit and/or grill. Campers also may want to bring chairs if the yurt has a deck. As at camper cabins, guests are expect to clean up after themselves. Usually, there's a two-night minimum. </p><p><b>Iowa:</b> McIntosh Woods, on the shores of Clear Lake, rents two yurts, $35 per night or $210 weekly. The bathhouse is disabled-accessible, as is one yurt. Guests can bring a boat or raft to use off the dock. Yurts can be reserved up to a year in advance, 877-427-2757,<a href="http://www.reserveiaparks.com/">www.reserveiaparks.com</a>. Weekends go fast, but there often are weekday openings. The park is three miles from downtown Clear Lake; 641-829-3847,<a href="http://www.exploreiowaparks.com/">www.exploreiowaparks.com</a>. </p><p><b>Michigan: </b>Three yurts in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park can be reached only by trail - the shortest hike is a mile - and do not have electricity or running water. Water is supplied at one yurt; at the others, guests must filter water from streams. Wood is provided. They sleep four and cost $60. A new yurt in Union Bay campground will be disabled-accessible. There's also a yurt in Craig Lake State Park on the Upper Peninsula and in Pinckney Recreation Area near Ann Arbor. Baraga, Cheboygan, Wilson and Interlochen state parks have tepees, $30. Reserve up to a year in advance, 800-447-2757,<a href="http://www.midnrreservations.com/">www.midnrreservations.com</a>. </p><p><b>Ontario: </b>Ten provincial parks, including Pancake Bay on Lake Superior and Quetico along the Minnesota border, rent 52 yurts that go for $75 Canadian. Reservations can be made up to five months in advance. Call 1-888-668-7275,<a href="http://www.ontarioparks.com/">www.ontarioparks.com</a>. </p><p><b>Manitoba: </b>Five provincial parks in western Manitoba have 34 yurts that rent for $40-$45.20. Reservations open the first Monday in February. 888-482-2267, http://prs.gov.mb.ca. </p><p><b>Wisconsin: </b>Harrington Beach State Park, on Lake Michigan near Sheboygan, plans to build two yurts in a new campground. The state also rents seasonal tepees at Devil's Lake, Hartman Creek and Kohler-Andrae state parks and at Mauthe Lake in the Northern Unit of Kettle Moraine State Forest, $30-$34. Reserve up to 11 months in advance at 888-947-2757,<a href="http://www.reserveamerica.com/">www.reserveamerica.com</a>. </p><p><b>Other states: </b>Oregon has 189 yurts in 18 state parks. Rustic yurts that sleep five go for $27-$30 and deluxe yurts with baths, kitchens and TV/VCRs go for $45-$66. They can be reserved up to nine months in advance at 800-452-5687,<a href="http://www.reserveamerica.com/">www.reserveamerica.com</a>. </p><p>There are also yurts in state parks in Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Delaware, as well as British Columbia. Many yurts are heated, and a few are are air-conditioned. </p><p><b>Yurts on the Gunflint Trail:</b> Ted and Barbara Young's yurts rent for $75-$85 for two in summer, $90-$105 in winter. Call 800-322-8327, <a href="http://www.boundarycountry.com/">www. boundary</a><a href="http://www.boundarycountry.com/">country.com</a>. </p><p>- Beth Gauper</p></div><span class="articleFooterLinks"><div class="articleOptions"><a href="http://www.twincities.com/ci_6253006?source=rss&nclick_check=1#top" class="articleOptions"><img src="http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/std/icon-uparrow.gif" border="0" /></a></div></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-74634718422832259732007-06-27T06:10:00.000-07:002015-07-28T05:57:50.544-07:00Boundary Coutry Trekking's Sustainable Practices Implementation Plan<span style="font-style: italic;">Reviewed and Amended January 4, 2015</span> <br />
<br />
The following is a list of actions we have undertaken or shall undertake to make our business more sustainable. In the case of actions we plan to take, we have set a target date for implementation <br />
<br />
For our purposes we have divided this Implementation Plan into three categories: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Environmental Responsibility</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Involvement in Our community</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Economic Responsibility. </span> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Environmental Responsibility</span> - <span style="font-size: 100%;">We have developed what we call our "Green Plan" which lays out in detail what we are doing and need to do to make our business more environmentally responsible. The following is a summary of this "Green Plan." However, while we certainly intend to do our part it is our belief that individual actions, while worthy, are not adequate to address the environment <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">challenge</span> facing our planet. A recent <a href="http://boundarycountry.blogspot.com/2007/10/save-planet-vote-smart.html">New York op-ed</a> by Thomas Friedman sums up our belief in what needs to be done. </span> <br />
<br />
Cleaning supplies- we are striving to use, as much as possible only natural biodegradable cleaning products. These practices should be fully implemented by the end of 2007 <br />
<br />
Electrical Power- we are striving to cut back on the use of electric power. <br />
<ul>
<li>We are in the replace most of our incandescent lighting with compact florescent and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">LEDs</span></span>. <br />
</li>
<li>We have an ongoing policy to conserve energy by turning off lights and electrical equipment when not in use.</li>
<li>We plan to add additional roof insulation to Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B and replace storm windows on a portion of the Little Ollie Cabin by spring 2011</li>
<li>We inreplaced our older model kitchen refrigerator with an efficient one within the next two years. Replace one refrigerator with an "energy star" refrigerator as of May 2009 <br />
</li>
</ul>
<br />
Garden and yard <br />
<ul>
<li>We fertilize our garden and lawn using natural fertilizer. </li>
<li>We compost yard waste and vegetable kitchen waste</li>
</ul>
Laundry-we shall reduce the energy used in our laundry <br />
<ul>
<li>We offer a voluntary towel re-use service as an alternative to daily wet towel replacement. <br />
</li>
<li>We shall replace our clothes washer at Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B with a washer which reduces the drying time required by our dryer. This action shall be implemented by the end of 2008. Still have been able to afford the move yet as of spring 2011. <br />
</li>
</ul>
LP - While we do use very little LP gas. We do plan to reduce our usage by converting the Tall Pines Yurt lighting from LP to solar as soon as possilbe. <br />
<br />
Office –While we do not feel our office can become paper free, we are working to reduce our use of paper. We recycle the office paper we do use. <br />
<br />
Recycling- we recycle the following: Aluminum, Glass, Paper (magazines, newspaper <br />
and office paper) Plastic bottles and Steel cans <br />
<br />
Reforestation - since 1998 we have planted over 2500 native trees on our property and we pledge to continue this practice. We plan to plant a minimum of 200 additional native trees annually for at least the next 5 years. In 2007 as a result of the Ham Lake Fire we donated our 200 red and white pine seedlings and assisted in the community tree-planting in the burned-over area around Seagull Lake. <br />
<ul>
<li>May 2008 Gunflint Green Up planted approximately 60,000 trees and Poplar Creek B&B and the Little Ollie area 500 Trees were planted</li>
<li>May 2009 Gunflint Green Up Planted approximately 25,000 trees and in the Little Ollie Lake area 250 trees were planted </li>
<li>May 2010 Little Ollie area and along the Tall Pines trail 700 trees were planted.</li>
<li>May 2011 Little Ollie area 700 more trees planted</li>
<li>May 2012 another 500 Trees planted</li>
<li>May 2013 another 500 trees planted</li>
<li>May 2014 another 300 trees planted</li>
</ul>
<br />
Gasoline- we are striving to reduce the number of trips by car into Grand <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Marais</span></span> and beyond and to minimize the use of our gas-<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">guzzling</span> 3/4-plow truck. <br />
` <br />
Adventure Trips- <br />
<ul>
<li>we only offer low impact silent sport trips.</li>
<li>we support and Practice - "Leave no Trace" camping on all trips</li>
</ul>
<br />
<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Banadad</span></span> Ski Trail System maintained and groomed under contract from the Banadad Trail Association - We currently maintain the forty Six-Kilometer, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Banadad</span></span> Ski Trail System most of which travels through the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">BWCA</span></span>. Within the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">BWCA</span></span> non-motorized hand tools are used for maintenance of the trail. Some mechanized tools are used for maintenance outside the wilderness. Snowmobiles are used to groom the trail and each fall volunteers assist in the maintenance.S<br />
<br />
It is our intention to operate this trail system as a Carbon Neutral Ski Trail beginning with the 2007-08 ski season. The planting of trees is used to off-set the carbon contributed to the atmosphere by our snowmobile grooming, use of mechanized tools outside the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">BWCA</span></span> and for the carbon add by the vehicles driven by our trail volunteers to travel to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Banadad</span></span>. <br />
<ul>
<li>May 2008 Carbon off set for <link href="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Barbara/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><style>
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</li>
</ul>
--><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 10;">1.733 metric tons of CO2 at a cost of $134 was given to Jim Raml for planting trees on Sea Gull Lake</span>
<li><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 10;">May 2009 </span>Carbon off set for<link href="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Barbara/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><style>
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</li>
--><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 10;">2.16 metric tons of CO2 at a cost of $166 was given to the Gunflint Green Up and in addition help to organize the Gunflnt Nordic Ski Trails to also go Carbon Neutral resulting in a $798 carbon off set (includes the Bandad Offset) contribution to the Gunflint Green Up </span>
<li><span style="font-family: "; font-size: 10;">May 2010 Carbon off set for 2.17 metric tons of CO2 at a cost of $168 used to purchase trees for planting<br />
</span></li>
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Commitment and Involvement in our Community</span> <br />
<br />
Food including breakfast, trail lunches and canoe camping meals. <br />
<ul>
<li>We purchase food, as much as possible locally. </li>
<li>We purchase local produced products including smoked and fresh fish, maple syrup and some fresh vegetables (from our local coop and farmers market). </li>
<li>When available we use food harvested from our own garden or in the case of berries from our area.</li>
<li>We us organic and natural food as much as possible - including free trade products from our local food coop. </li>
</ul>
<br />
Trails used for our Hiking programs but not <br />
maintained by us. <br />
<ul>
<li>We were one of the organizers of the Banadad Ski Trail Association. </li>
<li>We actively promote membership in the Superior Hiking Trail Association and the Banadad Ski Trail Association </li>
</ul>
<br />
We are members of the following community organizations: <br />
<ul>
<li>Cook County Whole Foods Coop</li>
<li>Grand <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Marais</span></span> Chamber</li>
<li><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Gunflint</span></span> Trail Association- Board member</li>
<li><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Gunflint</span></span> Scenic Byways Committee- Board member</li>
<li><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Gunflint</span></span> Historical Society </li>
<li>Little Ollie Road Association</li>
<li>Poplar Creek Commons Association - Honorary Member</li>
<li>Superior Hiking Trail Association - former Board Member</li>
<li>Minnesota Bed and Breakfasts Association - Barbara is a former President</li>
<li>Banadad Trail Associaiton organized in 2008-09 - Trail Maintenance Supervissior </li>
<li>Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association- Ted organized the Association's Green Committee which develop a Green Certification Programs for the Association's membership- to this program click on - <a href="http://www.minnesotabedandbreakfasts.org/green_journey.php">Green Journey</a>.<br />
</li>
</ul>
We annually contribute to: <br />
<ul>
<li><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Gunflint</span></span> Trail Fire Department</li>
<li><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">WTIP</span></span> community radio</li>
<li>Habitat for Humanity <br />
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Economics Responsibility</span> <br />
<br />
Boundary Country Trekking shall be profitable enough for us to make a living and in <br />
doing so we practice the following: <br />
<ul>
<li>We hire staff locally </li>
<li>We shall pay above the prevailing wages and way above the State and Federal minimum wage.</li>
<li>We support the rights of labor to organize and collective bargaining. And we shall do nothing to abridge these rights</li>
<li>We support raising the state and national minimum wage to a living wage</li>
<li>We shall purchase locally, as much of possible, the supplies and services necessary to operate our business. <br />
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">We invite your response- criticism or suggestions</span> <br />
<br />
While we ascribe to these above mentioned and described Principals of Sustainability we realize we are not perfect, we make mistakes and at times may stray from these Principles. We invite your criticism. <br />
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We are also sure there are other Principals of Sustainability we have missed. We invite your comments and suggestions of what else might be included or how we might do a better job.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dcxmHRICmFs/T7TzBp471mI/AAAAAAAAAOs/dOmPrrAc76c/s1600/green.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dcxmHRICmFs/T7TzBp471mI/AAAAAAAAAOs/dOmPrrAc76c/s1600/green.gif" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-1151775673037531422006-07-01T10:34:00.000-07:002006-07-01T10:41:13.046-07:00Governor ResponseSTATE OF MINNESOTA Office of Governor Tim Pawlenty<br />130 StateCapitol. 75 Rev. Dr. Mt1rtin Luther King Jr. Boulevard + Saint Paul, MN 55604<br />June 20, 2006<br /><br /><br />Mr . .lames Raml<br />Chai, Forestry Sub-Committee Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway Committee P.O. Box 64<br />Grand Marais, MN 55604<br /><br />Dear Mr. Rami:<br /><br />Thank you for expressing your concerns about timber harvesting along the Gunflint Trail. I appreciate and share your interest in the long-term scenic quality of this important byway.<br /><br />I agree that any timber management activities within the corridor should be conducted only for forest health reasons, and that they incorporate a higher standard of visual quality.<br />As you know, the proposed timber sale has been removed from the June auction.<br /><br />I have directed the DNR to meet with the Gunflint Trail Association and other interested citizens to address visual quality and post-harvest regeneration plans that will take into consideration the important values associated with this scenic byway. If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact Brad Moore, Assistant Commissioner of the DNR, at 651-259-5027.<br /><br />c: Brad Moore, Assistant Commissiuner, DNR<br />Vo,ce: (651) 2%-3391 Or (800) 657.J717 Fox: (651) 296-2089 TDD: (651) 296-0075 or (800) 657-35Y!Web :\ile. hUpj /w'WW.~overnor.5ti\te.11'\l\.u5 An [qua! Opporhmity employer<br />rrinkd un ntL'ydt.,(.\ pi.lpL'r l..:unt.,init'H 15% pust lunslUlIl.:r mlltcrial<br />1-1 'd<br />£S22 88£ 812 1:01<br />02ltL8£812<br />dl1M:WOJj 61:21 9002-L2-NnrUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-1147949897489380482006-05-18T03:50:00.001-07:002006-05-18T03:58:17.496-07:00Comments on Gunflint Trail Clear Cut to DNRTO: Paul Dubuque DATE: May 16, 2006<br />Minnesota DNR-Two Harbors<br />1568 Highway 2<br />Two Harbors, MN 5561<br />Email- <a href="mailto:Paul.Dubuque@state.mn.us">Paul.Dubuque@state.mn.us</a><br /><br />FROM: Nancy Seaton, Chairperson<br />Gunflint Scenic Byways Committee<br />Shari Baker, President<br />Gunflint Trail Association<br /><br />RE: Comments on 2006-2007 DNR timber sales along the<br />Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway<br /><br /><br />The comments that follow deal with proposed fiscal year 2006 timber sales and fiscal year 2007 stand examinations developed through the Two Harbors area office that would affect the designated Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway within the Pat Bayle State Forest.<br /><br />The Gunflint Trail is a state sponsored scenic byway and is one of the major tourism related resources within Cook County Minnesota. Under the Cook County Land use plan this area is listed as an "extraordinary resource in North America". The areas directly covered by the scenic byway designation include one mile on each side of the road. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also classifies the Gunflint Trail as having the highest level of sensitivity under its Visual Guidelines Classification System, which was adopted and incorporated into its site level guidelines. There is also a state memorandum of understanding between the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources concerning State sponsored scenic byways.<br /><br />There are two proposed fiscal year 2006 sales within the scenic byway corridor that involve cutting up to and right along the road edge. These cuts are in two different sections (section 4 and 16) of Township 63 Range 1 East. There are seven cutting blocks within five stands. The stands in question are numbers 16 and 29 in section 4 and 124, 125 and 138 in section 16. The proposal calls for clearcutting all merchantable timber with the exception of the standard reserve of six to twelve aspen per acre and no cutting of white pine, white cedar and tamarack. While less than 40 acres are involved in these planned clearcuts, they would affect more than three-quarters of a mile of the scenic corridor immediately adjacent to the road.<br />Stands 16 and 29 are typed as upland blackspruce and are immediately adjacent to one another on each side of the road. Stand 127 is typed as jack pine and involves three blocks within the stand on the east side of the road. Stand 125 is typed as aspen and is adjacent to and across the road from the northern portion of Stand 127. Stand 138 is typed as lowland black spruce and is adjacent to and across the road from the middle portion of stand 127.<br /><br />Our concerns deal with the immediate as well as the long-term visual quality along this State Sponsored Scenic Byway. By setting these units up as standard clearcuts with minimal reserves it would appear that the main consideration providing justification for these sales were economic without adequate consideration to the visual quality of a state sponsored scenic byway.<br />We recognize that portions of these stands are composed of older forest types consisting of relatively short-lived species. We also realize that some type of forest management may eventually be needed for ecological reasons dealing with forest health, as well as long term visual quality. We are, however, concerned about the cumulative impact on the older forest character and immediate impact on visual quality that these sales, as proposed, would render onto the scenic byway.<br /><br />Concerning cumulative impact we would like to make known that much of the upper 30 miles of the roughly 56 mile Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway was heavily impacted by the 1999 windstorm. When this is combined with the salvage logging and prescribed fires initiated after the storm much of the upper trail has lost its older forest characteristic and is now in a much younger age class. The more southerly portion of the trail still maintains most of its unbroken older forest characteristics. However when one combines the activities now in question with the proposed timber management activities contained within the US Forest Service’s "Devil Trout" Environmental Assessment, much of the older forest characteristics will be lost along this portion of the Gunflint Trail.<br /><br />As the committee responsible for the Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway, we would like to see that vegetative management activities conducted along the corridor provide for ecological heath and natural appearing forests, while maintaining an appearance of unbroken older forest wherever possible. If timber management practices are deemed necessary for forest health or long term visual quality we would like to see them conducted with the goal of maintaining or creating within-stand age class and species diversity, while adding a higher component of longer lived species such as red and white pine and white cedar wherever appropriate or possible.<br />We request that these sales be withdrawn and reanalyzed by giving equal weight to aesthetic considerations that seem to have been given to the economic considerations of sale feasibility (dealing with appropriate amount of merchantable timber to make a sale attractive to bidders) and the DNR’s fiduciary responsibility to the state’s school trust fund.<br /><br />We visited each site and what follows below are our site-specific concerns as well a few suggestions for your consideration.<br /><br />Upon a close examination it would appear that some of these sites might possibly be mistyped. It is also difficult to apply, as written, the site level visual guidelines to these sites due to the nature of the guidelines being aimed at cutting back from roads and not right up to them. All of these cuts abut the road.<br /><br />Stand number 16 which is typed as an upland black spruce stand appears to be a mixed pine stand of jack, white and red pine with some black spruce. Behind this stand is a very recently cut stand regenerating into mixed pine and spruce. Stand number 29, which is also typed as upland black spruce, appears to be a relatively healthy jack pine stand with a thick understory of balsam fir and young and suppressed mid-aged black spruce. Both of these stands are within the area with the most extensive white pine stands left along the scenic corridor. If one were to use the visual guideline of staggering cuts to soften the overall effect in the scenic corridor these two sites would likely be candidates to extend their rotation age and defer cutting until a later date.<br />Stand number 125 is a decadent aspen stand with a mid and understory of black spruce and balsam fir. Behind it is a young stand of even aged aspen and behind that is a hillside of older white pine. There is sound ecological reasoning for this cut, however, it would be preferable if more of the conifer advanced regeneration were reserved and white pine and white spruce were inter-planted afterwards in order to increase the amount of longer lived species. If clear-cut, this stand most probably would become an even-aged aspen stand reducing visual quality.<br /><br />Stand number 124, which is typed as jack pine, is divided into three cutting blocks. The northern and middle units are very mixed forests with much age- class and species diversity. The northern unit abuts cedar to the north and red pine to the south. There is some nice mixed younger jack pine, red pine, and black spruce tight to the road in portions that should be left if the unit is to be cut. The middle unit abuts red pine to the north and a nearly completely dead tamarack stand to the south. The dead tamarack stand not included is what really needs to be cut and regenerated. There is a stream running through the southern portion of the unit. The southern unit of this stand is breaking up with very little quality-advanced regeneration. There is sound ecological reasoning for cutting the southern portion of this stand though it would be nice to see it replanted into mixed pine and spruce.<br /><br />Stand number 138, which is typed as lowland black spruce, appears to be a mixed stand of aspen, black spruce, balsam fir and brush. There is a stream running through this stand, which abuts an older black spruce-tamarack stand. There is sound ecological reasoning for this cut. However, we would like to see more of the spruce and fir advanced regeneration retained on site and that there be some planting of white cedar as well as tamarack added to the prescription of reseeding of black spruce.<br /><br />In general, while we are concerned with clear cutting within the scenic corridor, especially right up to the road, we do see relatively sound ecological and visual quality reasoning for some type of stand improvement activities in stand numbers 125, 138 and the southern portion of 124. However, we feel that there should be a better stand specific prescription for reserve trees (of diverse species) and retention of advanced regeneration. We acknowledge that the current prescription calls for leaving all white pine, white cedar and tamarack. The problem is there are few of these trees on the sites and in some of the sites there are no examples of these species. The same goes for the prescription of 6 to 12 aspen leave trees. Some of these sites do not have close to 6 aspen per acre. It is stated that all black spruce will be cut including all advanced regeneration to control mistletoe infestations and yet we see no evidence of mistletoe in these sites.<br /><br />We also would ask that the prescription of natural regeneration be reconsidered and that a combination of natural and artificial regeneration be considered. We would suggest the inter and underplanting of red and white pine be undertaken where appropriate and possible without conducting the site preparation activity of rock raking. The goal should be to soften the visual effect of these cuts while maintaining age class and species diversity across the sites and adding longer lived pine species.<br /><br />We feel that stand numbers 16, 29, and the northern and middle portions of stand number 124 should either be withdrawn and reserved until a later date by extending the rotation age or re-evaluated in order to leave a much more diverse and higher quantity of leave trees and advanced regeneration while providing for the planting of longer lived pine.<br />Concerning fiscal year 2007, we have identified two units that would affect the scenic corridor. The units are stand numbers 13 and 19 in township 64 range 1 west. These stands appear to include blown down aspen that is already regenerating into mixed spruce-fir-birch-aspen. If any management activities occur on these sites, or any others we have missed within the corridor, we request that all of our general comments apply to them as well. We hope that this would apply to any future timber management activities.<br /><br />We acknowledge the state’s fiduciary responsibility to the school trust fund, as well as the need to eventually conduct well thought out vegetative management activities for forest health within the scenic byway corridor. However, we feel it is inappropriate to conduct clearcutting along the scenic byway and any management activities along and within the scenic byway corridor should meet a higher level of visual and aesthetic considerations.<br /><br />e offer these suggestions and requests with utmost respect and thank you for your timely consideration. As these sales are scheduled for auction in June we would request and hope that you could respond before June.<br /><br />For further information please feel free to contact: James Raml, Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway Forestry Committee, at 388-0606 or 387-2620 or by email at delgado@boreal.org.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-1147949854486294142006-05-18T03:50:00.000-07:002006-05-18T03:57:34.500-07:00Comments on Gunflint Trail Clear Cut to DNRTO: Paul Dubuque DATE: May 16, 2006<br />Minnesota DNR-Two Harbors<br />1568 Highway 2<br />Two Harbors, MN 5561<br />Email- <a href="mailto:Paul.Dubuque@state.mn.us">Paul.Dubuque@state.mn.us</a><br /><br />FROM: Nancy Seaton, Chairperson<br />Gunflint Scenic Byways Committee<br />Shari Baker, President<br />Gunflint Trail Association<br /><br />RE: Comments on 2006-2007 DNR timber sales along the<br />Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway<br /><br /><br />The comments that follow deal with proposed fiscal year 2006 timber sales and fiscal year 2007 stand examinations developed through the Two Harbors area office that would affect the designated Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway within the Pat Bayle State Forest.<br /><br />The Gunflint Trail is a state sponsored scenic byway and is one of the major tourism related resources within Cook County Minnesota. Under the Cook County Land use plan this area is listed as an "extraordinary resource in North America". The areas directly covered by the scenic byway designation include one mile on each side of the road. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also classifies the Gunflint Trail as having the highest level of sensitivity under its Visual Guidelines Classification System, which was adopted and incorporated into its site level guidelines. There is also a state memorandum of understanding between the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources concerning State sponsored scenic byways.<br /><br />There are two proposed fiscal year 2006 sales within the scenic byway corridor that involve cutting up to and right along the road edge. These cuts are in two different sections (section 4 and 16) of Township 63 Range 1 East. There are seven cutting blocks within five stands. The stands in question are numbers 16 and 29 in section 4 and 124, 125 and 138 in section 16. The proposal calls for clearcutting all merchantable timber with the exception of the standard reserve of six to twelve aspen per acre and no cutting of white pine, white cedar and tamarack. While less than 40 acres are involved in these planned clearcuts, they would affect more than three-quarters of a mile of the scenic corridor immediately adjacent to the road.<br />Stands 16 and 29 are typed as upland blackspruce and are immediately adjacent to one another on each side of the road. Stand 127 is typed as jack pine and involves three blocks within the stand on the east side of the road. Stand 125 is typed as aspen and is adjacent to and across the road from the northern portion of Stand 127. Stand 138 is typed as lowland black spruce and is adjacent to and across the road from the middle portion of stand 127.<br /><br />Our concerns deal with the immediate as well as the long-term visual quality along this State Sponsored Scenic Byway. By setting these units up as standard clearcuts with minimal reserves it would appear that the main consideration providing justification for these sales were economic without adequate consideration to the visual quality of a state sponsored scenic byway.<br />We recognize that portions of these stands are composed of older forest types consisting of relatively short-lived species. We also realize that some type of forest management may eventually be needed for ecological reasons dealing with forest health, as well as long term visual quality. We are, however, concerned about the cumulative impact on the older forest character and immediate impact on visual quality that these sales, as proposed, would render onto the scenic byway.<br /><br />Concerning cumulative impact we would like to make known that much of the upper 30 miles of the roughly 56 mile Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway was heavily impacted by the 1999 windstorm. When this is combined with the salvage logging and prescribed fires initiated after the storm much of the upper trail has lost its older forest characteristic and is now in a much younger age class. The more southerly portion of the trail still maintains most of its unbroken older forest characteristics. However when one combines the activities now in question with the proposed timber management activities contained within the US Forest Service’s "Devil Trout" Environmental Assessment, much of the older forest characteristics will be lost along this portion of the Gunflint Trail.<br /><br />As the committee responsible for the Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway, we would like to see that vegetative management activities conducted along the corridor provide for ecological heath and natural appearing forests, while maintaining an appearance of unbroken older forest wherever possible. If timber management practices are deemed necessary for forest health or long term visual quality we would like to see them conducted with the goal of maintaining or creating within-stand age class and species diversity, while adding a higher component of longer lived species such as red and white pine and white cedar wherever appropriate or possible.<br />We request that these sales be withdrawn and reanalyzed by giving equal weight to aesthetic considerations that seem to have been given to the economic considerations of sale feasibility (dealing with appropriate amount of merchantable timber to make a sale attractive to bidders) and the DNR’s fiduciary responsibility to the state’s school trust fund.<br /><br />We visited each site and what follows below are our site-specific concerns as well a few suggestions for your consideration.<br /><br />Upon a close examination it would appear that some of these sites might possibly be mistyped. It is also difficult to apply, as written, the site level visual guidelines to these sites due to the nature of the guidelines being aimed at cutting back from roads and not right up to them. All of these cuts abut the road.<br /><br />Stand number 16 which is typed as an upland black spruce stand appears to be a mixed pine stand of jack, white and red pine with some black spruce. Behind this stand is a very recently cut stand regenerating into mixed pine and spruce. Stand number 29, which is also typed as upland black spruce, appears to be a relatively healthy jack pine stand with a thick understory of balsam fir and young and suppressed mid-aged black spruce. Both of these stands are within the area with the most extensive white pine stands left along the scenic corridor. If one were to use the visual guideline of staggering cuts to soften the overall effect in the scenic corridor these two sites would likely be candidates to extend their rotation age and defer cutting until a later date.<br />Stand number 125 is a decadent aspen stand with a mid and understory of black spruce and balsam fir. Behind it is a young stand of even aged aspen and behind that is a hillside of older white pine. There is sound ecological reasoning for this cut, however, it would be preferable if more of the conifer advanced regeneration were reserved and white pine and white spruce were inter-planted afterwards in order to increase the amount of longer lived species. If clear-cut, this stand most probably would become an even-aged aspen stand reducing visual quality.<br /><br />Stand number 124, which is typed as jack pine, is divided into three cutting blocks. The northern and middle units are very mixed forests with much age- class and species diversity. The northern unit abuts cedar to the north and red pine to the south. There is some nice mixed younger jack pine, red pine, and black spruce tight to the road in portions that should be left if the unit is to be cut. The middle unit abuts red pine to the north and a nearly completely dead tamarack stand to the south. The dead tamarack stand not included is what really needs to be cut and regenerated. There is a stream running through the southern portion of the unit. The southern unit of this stand is breaking up with very little quality-advanced regeneration. There is sound ecological reasoning for cutting the southern portion of this stand though it would be nice to see it replanted into mixed pine and spruce.<br /><br />Stand number 138, which is typed as lowland black spruce, appears to be a mixed stand of aspen, black spruce, balsam fir and brush. There is a stream running through this stand, which abuts an older black spruce-tamarack stand. There is sound ecological reasoning for this cut. However, we would like to see more of the spruce and fir advanced regeneration retained on site and that there be some planting of white cedar as well as tamarack added to the prescription of reseeding of black spruce.<br /><br />In general, while we are concerned with clear cutting within the scenic corridor, especially right up to the road, we do see relatively sound ecological and visual quality reasoning for some type of stand improvement activities in stand numbers 125, 138 and the southern portion of 124. However, we feel that there should be a better stand specific prescription for reserve trees (of diverse species) and retention of advanced regeneration. We acknowledge that the current prescription calls for leaving all white pine, white cedar and tamarack. The problem is there are few of these trees on the sites and in some of the sites there are no examples of these species. The same goes for the prescription of 6 to 12 aspen leave trees. Some of these sites do not have close to 6 aspen per acre. It is stated that all black spruce will be cut including all advanced regeneration to control mistletoe infestations and yet we see no evidence of mistletoe in these sites.<br /><br />We also would ask that the prescription of natural regeneration be reconsidered and that a combination of natural and artificial regeneration be considered. We would suggest the inter and underplanting of red and white pine be undertaken where appropriate and possible without conducting the site preparation activity of rock raking. The goal should be to soften the visual effect of these cuts while maintaining age class and species diversity across the sites and adding longer lived pine species.<br /><br />We feel that stand numbers 16, 29, and the northern and middle portions of stand number 124 should either be withdrawn and reserved until a later date by extending the rotation age or re-evaluated in order to leave a much more diverse and higher quantity of leave trees and advanced regeneration while providing for the planting of longer lived pine.<br />Concerning fiscal year 2007, we have identified two units that would affect the scenic corridor. The units are stand numbers 13 and 19 in township 64 range 1 west. These stands appear to include blown down aspen that is already regenerating into mixed spruce-fir-birch-aspen. If any management activities occur on these sites, or any others we have missed within the corridor, we request that all of our general comments apply to them as well. We hope that this would apply to any future timber management activities.<br /><br />We acknowledge the state’s fiduciary responsibility to the school trust fund, as well as the need to eventually conduct well thought out vegetative management activities for forest health within the scenic byway corridor. However, we feel it is inappropriate to conduct clearcutting along the scenic byway and any management activities along and within the scenic byway corridor should meet a higher level of visual and aesthetic considerations.<br /><br />e offer these suggestions and requests with utmost respect and thank you for your timely consideration. As these sales are scheduled for auction in June we would request and hope that you could respond before June.<br /><br />For further information please feel free to contact: James Raml, Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway Forestry Committee, at 388-0606 or 387-2620 or by email at delgado@boreal.org.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-1144154283904070242006-04-04T05:38:00.000-07:002006-04-04T05:38:03.926-07:00The EDGE: Dirt from the Yurt and other Chatter from the Edge of the Boundary Waters: Almost Spring on the Gunflint<a href="http://boundarycountry.blogspot.com/2006/04/almost-spring-on-gunflint.html#links">The EDGE: Dirt from the Yurt and other Chatter from the Edge of the Boundary Waters: Almost Spring on the Gunflint</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11712199.post-1119727748830990982005-06-25T12:26:00.000-07:002005-06-25T12:29:08.840-07:00Grant Request to Cook County for the Banadad Ski TrailProject Description:<br /><br />The USFS's Trail Inventory lists the Banadad as a Skiing and Hiking Trail. The Trail is an 18 mile linear trail of which 15 miles are located within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). Ted Young, of Boundary Country Trekking, is the trail's Maintenance Supervisor. Within the BWCAW all maintenance work must be done with hand tools and access for maintenance is by foot i.e., walking. The grooming of the Trail by snowmobile is authorized by the 1978 BWCA Act and provided by Boundary Country Trekking under agreement with the Gunflint Ranger District, USFS.<br /><br />The annual cost of maintaining and grooming the Banadad for skiing ranges from $10,000 to $12,000. A portion of this cost is the Minnesota DNR's calculation on the value of the in-kind contribution of volunteer labor.<br /><br />This cost is financed by: (1) a $6000 grant from the Minnesota DNR's Ski Pass Grant-in-Aid (GIA) program administered by Cook Country. This GIA funds are provided to the Banadad in the name of the Gunflint Recreational Trails. (2) A $1000 "Trail Partners Grant" provided by the Gunflint Ranger District USFS to Boundary Country Trekking. (3) The balance is contributed by volunteer labor. Each year some 400-500 person hours of volunteer labor, including Boundary Country Trekking's staff, goes into clearing the summer's accumulation of down trees and brush. Residents of Cook County provide over half of this volunteer effort.<br />Yet even with these efforts the remote interior sections of the Banadad have received little maintenance attention since the trail was opened in 1983. Just imagine how much work can be accomplished if you have to walk in five miles first before you even start working and then you have to walk out when you finish.<br /><br />Currently there are approximately eight remote interior miles where the brush and conifers are threatening to choke off the trail. This is not a job that we have been able or will be able to successfully accomplish with our volunteer labor. If this brush and conifers are not cut back within the next few years the Trail will become impassable and will have to be closed.<br /><br />Proposed Project:<br />Our proposal to deal with the brush and conifers choking off the Trail's remote interior is to hire a trail crew(s) to get out there and get it cut back. This crew would work out of base camps, setup by the crew, near the portion of the trail they were working on. The crew would spend several nights at each camp. Access to these base camps would be either by canoe or foot depending upon the most accessible route into each camp. The trail crew will also use the E. J. Croft Yurt as a base camp to access a portion of the project area.<br />It is our intent to hire and supervise a three to four person trail crew(s) including one trail boss. We anticipate that area residents experienced in trail clearing and camping would primarily be hired. Boundary Country Trekking will provide camping equipment, the yurt, and canoes. The Gunflint Ranger District USFS will provide all hand tools.<br />Based upon our experience volunteer crews working on the most accessible sections of the trail, with hand tools and not counting their travel time, require 75-100 hours to clear one mile. The Trail's remote interior (the project area) is considerably more overgrown than the more accessible portions of the Trail. Therefore we estimate that up to 160 hours of labor/mile will be required to clear the Trail within the project area.<br />Project Area<br /><br />The project area consist of eight remote interior miles. Starting at the Logging Camp, which is six miles west of the eastern trailhead, to the intersection of the trail with the section line between sections 3 and 4 of R3W T64 near the large beaver dam approximately four miles in from the west end trailhead.<br /><br />Project Standards<br />Widen the eight interior miles of the Banadad Ski Trail within the project area as follows:<br />1. Where brush is the dominant vegetation- cut/clear brush along trail right of way to minimum width of eight feet (8') and remove all overhanging brush.<br />2. Where conifers are the dominant vegetation- cut brush and conifers to create a minimum of six 6) foot trail right of way. Thin conifers on sides of right of way to promote growth of remaining conifers and trim all over hanging conifers branches up to a minimum of ten (10') high.<br />3. Throughout project area trim all over-hanging conifer branches up to ten feet and remove overhanging brush.<br />Projected Projects Life Expectancy:<br />Based upon past experience, we anticipate that within the project area when the "project standards" are achieved only minimal annual maintenance will be required for the next ten to fifteen years.<br /><br />Financing the Project:<br />Projected total cost of this project to clear eight miles of the Banadad is $17,670.<br />If the project is approved it would be implemented over the next two years beginning in the summer of 2005 (FY 2005 and FY 2006).<br />We are requesting an $8000 grant from the Cook Country Recreation Fund for the expressed purpose of financing the clearing of 4 interior miles of the Banadad Ski Trail. In addition we are pledging the following grant-matching contributions which would be used to clear an additional 4 interior miles of the trail and provide the equipment needed to accomplish the project:<br />Boundary Country Trekking (BCT) Pledges to Contribution-<br />$4,000 cash ($2,000/year for 2 years) which would go towards the wages and outfitting of the trail crew.<br />2. $3,840 worth of In-kind labor over the next two years.<br />$1630 in kind contribution of camp gear and canoes from BCT<br />$200 in kind contribution of hand tools from USFS<br />The Gunflint Ranger District's "Trail Partners" grant to Boundary Country Trekking of $1000 in 2005 and an anticipated $1000 grant in 2006 will be used as a portion of cash match. The District has also pledged a USFS trail crew to clear one interior mile in 2005 and another mile the next year. However, because of the tenuous nature of USFS funding Boundary Country Trekking pledges to make up for any of the pledged USFS contribution not provided.<br />NOTE: During this project Boundary Country Trekking will continue to maintain, primarily with volunteer trail crews, the remaining ten, more accessible, miles of the Banadad. This regular maintenance will require 500-600 person hours of hand labor. None of the requested and/or pledged project funds or in kind labor will be used for maintaining the more accessible portions of the trail.<br /><br />Trail Usage and Community Involvement. During the winter the Trail is used exclusively by cross-country skiers. While a completely accurate count of skier days is not known, our best estimate is that this year there was between 700-900 skier days. This estimate is based on our tabulation of the BWCA day permits we turned in to the USFS which in 2005 showed 544 skier days. The permits, we turned in were from only two of the trail's three permit boxes. The other box is manned by the USFS. Add to this the fact that at least 30% of the skiers (many of which are locals) traveling on the Banadad never bother to fill out a "Day Permit."<br /><br />Of the permits we turned in, 116 of the 544 (20%) skier days were from Cook Country (local).<br />As previously mentioned Cook Country residents currently provide over half of the volunteer labor required to get the Trail open for skiing each year. Last fall 23 of the 42 volunteers that worked on the Trail were from Cook County.<br />During the spring-summer the Trail is used by day hikers who start at either end of the trail and hike in and out a few miles. Many of these hikers are property owners living near the Trail. During fall the Trail is used primarily by bird, moose and deer hunters, again most of whom, particularly the bird hunters, are local property owners. No accurate record of this usage is available.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0