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State Forest Reclassification & State Forest Reclassification & Motorized Route Designation:Motorized Route Designation:

Implementation of the 2003 OHV Implementation of the 2003 OHV LegislationLegislation

______________________Tim Browning

OHV Implementation Manager

Trails & Waterways Division

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

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2003 OHV Legislation 2003 OHV Legislation Major FeaturesMajor Features

Current Inventory of all roads & trailsDesignate open roads/trails on all Forestry

administered lands then reclassify to LIMITED or CLOSED

OHV Damage AccountWetlands ProhibitionsNEW 70 Mile ATV/OHM TrailStudy of OHV Trails in MN – Broad Scope

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TERMSTERMSMANAGED CLASSIFICATION = roads and

trails are open unless posted closedLIMITED CLASSIFICATION = roads and

trails are closed unless posted openCLOSED CLASSIFICATION = roads and

trails closed to OHVs plus no hunting exemption plus no off trail snowmobiling

DESIGNATED ROAD/TRAIL = the specific route has been reviewed and authorized uses identified…Off trail travel is already prohibited

UNDESIGNATED TRAIL = No motorized use

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What are we talking about??What are we talking about??Identifying and providing sustainable Identifying and providing sustainable motorized access to State Forests:motorized access to State Forests:

All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)Off-Highway Motorcycles (OHMs)Off-road Vehicles (ORVs)Street-Legal Cars and Trucks.

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Tasks & TimelinesTasks & Timelines

Roads/Trails Inventory on 6 million acres by October 2004

OHV Study completed by January 2005

54 State Forests have roads/trails designated and reclassified to LIMITED or CLOSED by the end of 2008

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Stewardship by Stewardship by AgencyAgency

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 “Managed Use On

Managed Trails.”

DNR’s Principal Goal:DNR’s Principal Goal:

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Key IngredientsKey Ingredients

Commissioners Support

Organization

Resources

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DNR’s Top Priority:DNR’s Top Priority:  

To complete the trail designation and To complete the trail designation and forest classification review process for all forest classification review process for all

Forestry-administered lands within the Forestry-administered lands within the

timelines provided by the Legislature.timelines provided by the Legislature.

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Organization ChartOrganization Chart

Project Im plem entation Team

Field Pro ject Team s

R egional M anagers Team

O H V Policy C om m ittee

Commissioner

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Field Project TeamsField Project TeamsRoleRole

Charged with developing trail designation and forest reclassification recommendations.

Interdisciplinary Teams typically staffed by Enforcement, Ecological Services, Forestry, Trails & Waterways, Wildlife.

Supported by Geographic Information System Specialists.

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Regional Managers TeamRegional Managers TeamRoleRole

Propose schedule of forests to reviewManage workloadsRemove obstacles to progressConflict resolution of resource

management and personnel issuesEnsure timelines are met

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Project Implementation TeamProject Implementation TeamRoleRole

Advise Policy Committee on issuesCoordinate the inventory statewideDevelop and manage the

designation/reclassification process Establish standards, guidelines, and

goalsDirect the project implementation

process

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OHV Policy CommitteeOHV Policy CommitteeRoleRole

Resolve policy issuesOversee entire effortEnsure timelines are metSupport staff with resources and clear

direction on issuesAdvise the Commissioner on approval

of plans

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Forest Road & Trail InventoryForest Road & Trail InventoryConducted on approx. 6 million acres.Relies on Global Positioning System

(GPS) and other existing data sources.Captures both motor and non-motor

access.DNR Forestry and T&W primarily

responsible. Enlisted aid of MN Conservation Corps

crews.Status: Field data collection 100%

complete and editing 50% complete

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Road / Trail DesignationsRoad / Trail Designations

5-Step Trail Designation Process:1 – Develop project proposals.2 – Public notification & review.3 – Evaluate Environmental Review

requirements.4 – Obtain approvals, permits and

implement.5 – Management, maintenance,

monitoring.

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Criteria for DesignationCriteria for Designation

Teams consider the following in formulating recommendations:• Existing designated trails.• Other Undesignated OHV uses.• Trail need and purpose for public access.• Physical suitability.• Potential environmental impacts.• Other factors.

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Environmental EvaluationEnvironmental Evaluation

DNR is committed to performing an Environmental Evaluation of all proposed motor routes.

All previously undesignated routes proposed for an ‘open’ designation undergo this interdisciplinary evaluation.

A “Rapid Environmental Evaluation Checklist” was developed to assist Field Teams in this evaluation.

The Team uses the checklist to rank each route’s current and potential future condition given the likelihood of reduced impacts using standard mitigation measures.

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EE ChecklistEE ChecklistThe checklist examines the following

potential effects associated with trail development and operation:• Wetland or other surface water effects;• Natural area features, including listed species;• Special forest areas, habitat features;• Soils, slopes, landforms;• Other resources.• Historic/Cultural features

The Field Teams use GIS to access various environmental data layers in applying the checklist.

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Forest ReclassificationForest Reclassification

Currently – ‘Managed’, ‘Limited’ or ‘Closed’ to motor vehicle operation.

Procedures contained in MR Chapter 6100.1950.

‘Managed’ forests must be reclassified as either ‘Limited’ or ‘Closed’.

Field Teams develop recommendations based upon inventory and other available data sources.

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Reclassification CriteriaReclassification Criteria(from MR 6100.1950)(from MR 6100.1950)

Resource sensitivity & management objectives.Resource impacts from motor/non-motor uses.Motor/non-motor recreational opportunity in the

area.User needs (I.e., trails, parking, access, signage)Degree and trend in motor vehicle use in the area.Degree and trend of non-motor vehicle use in the

area.Competing interests among different user groups.Public safety and law enforcement concerns.

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Public InvolvementPublic InvolvementBoth MR 6100 and DNR’s 5-Step Process include

opportunities for public input.Public notice via statewide press releases,

printed legal notices and State Register. DNR website tracks status of inventory, trail

designation and forest reclassification.Minimum 60-day public review / comment period.Public meeting required in project area.DNR will carefully consider all constructive

comments.

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Adoption & ImplementationAdoption & Implementation Driven by Field Teams who are charged with:

• Developing final reclassification / designation recommendations;

• Playing lead role in project permitting and construction;• Providing for management, monitoring and enforcement.

As each forest is completed, Field Teams move on to next forest(s) until assignment has been completed.

Status: First 6 forest proposals are soon to be approved by the commissioner. Second set of 6 are scheduled for public review. Third set started.

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DNR is Committed To:DNR is Committed To:A sustainable system of roads and trails.Providing access to Minnesota’s State

Forests that balances the needs of all forest users, both motor and non-motor..

‘Managed use on managed trails’ for all types of recreational trails.

Effective management, monitoring and enforcement.

Continued opportunity to engage the public in forest access planning and decision making.

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State Forest Reclassification and State Forest Reclassification and Motorized Route DesignationMotorized Route Designation

Tim Browning

OHV Implementation Manager

tim.browning@dnr.state.mn.us

218/833-8713

This presentation and associated documents available at

ftp.dnr.state.mn.us/pub/outgoing/TiBr/ELRC