June 10, 2005 Advisory Council Meeting

Bill O’Neill, ELP District Supervisor, reported on the Tuscarora Snowmobile Trail proposal status, and stated that there would be no snowmobile trail allowed through the forest at this time. He also mentioned that the deadline for written comments on the states land use rules is July 9,2005.

Dave Borgeson, gave the fish division report, because of the amount of fishing pressure on the waters in the forest the fish are smaller than might be expected. He also reported that since the sinkhole lakes have not been used for research for more than ten years and there are no plans to use them in the future the fisheries division would not have any objection to reopening them to fishing. This will probably be a future agenda topic for the PRCAC.

Pete Gustafson reported on the status of the revisions to the concept of management. The subcommittees have been formed, but all of the people named to them have not as yet been made official. The sub committees will make recommendations on changes to the concept of management and then report back to the steering committee for the revisions to take place.

Brian Mastenbrook, Wildlife Division, reported that there would be a split elk hunt season this year, The August/September hunt would target animals outside of the forest, and the Dec. hunt would be in all areas. He said that his summer help planted over 100 oak seedlings and 1500 acorns on the south side of Sturgeon Valley Rd. in an area that had been thinned recently. Brian has also applied for a grant to study the effects of horses on elk migration. The council passed a motion to support his grant request.

Joe Jarecki (the Forest Manager) reported that the two new pathway bridges are nearing completion, and because of engineering they would cost about 75k each.

Arch Reeves, Joe Jarecki and Brian Mastenbrook met with the Otsego County Road Commission on May 25,2005. The subject was future plans by the Otsego County Road Commission for the roads in the PRCSF. The meeting was held because of the councils concern about all of the recent improvements to roads and intersections in the forest. Mike Roper from the road commission stated that with the exception of the paving of Sturgeon Valley Rd. to the Twin Lakes Rd. intersection road maintenance in the forest would be minimal.

During the council discussion that followed this report it was also mentioned that the road on the east side of the Pigeon River, across from the pigeon bridge campground, will probably upgraded in the not too distant future, because of new homes being built on the Song of The Morning Ranch.

Eugene Horan

Feb. 2005 Advisory Council Happenings Report

Starting with the Nov. 2, 2004 Standards & Limitations Committee meeting, there were two major topics of discussion.

Scott Whitcomb presented the revisions to the 2001 State Land Use Rules, and the draft guidelines. He made it clear that the handouts, which contained the rules and guidelines, were still in draft form.

Bob Baril presented information about the Great Lakes Relay and their request for an event permit in the forest. Patty Sutherland of the Song of the Morning Ranch also made a similar event request. After lengthy discussion a motion was made to recommend denying both requests because they don’t fit with the character of the Pigeon River Country State Forest (PRCSF) and they are in conflict with guidelines set forth in the Concept of Management.

The recommendation for permit denial was then presented to the full Advisory Council at the Dec. 10, 2004 meeting, where a motion was also made to recommend permit denial.

At the Dec. 10, 2004 meeting of the PRCAC Bill O’Neill presented an update on the Horseback Use Plan. He stated that there are still some things that have not been done, but will be as time goes by. There are three things on the list that will not be done. (1) There will not be any new campsites installed at Elk Hill for non-horse camper use only. (2) There will not be a system of closed loop trails from Elk Hill or Johnson’s Crossing campgrounds. (3) The former MCCC Camp Vanderbilt will not be made into any type of horse camp.

Don Huff explained to us that the paving of the last mile of Sturgeon Valley Road would happen in 2005. From the way it was explained if we had wanted to stop the paving it would have to have been done twenty years ago. Once the road improvements had begun it was always the intent of the Otsego County Road Commission to pave.

Although there was probably no one other than Don Huff that thought that this was a satisfactory result, the matter was not pursued further because we are all aware that the road commission has final say in these matters.

Joe Jarecki reported that the Emerald Ash Borer had been found near Crockett Rapids, probably brought in on firewood. At the time of the meeting a specific eradication plan had not yet begun.

Pete Gustafson was reelected as chairman for one more year and Bob Bolenger as vice chair. The next meeting date was set for March 18.

Since the first of the year the Standards & Limitations Committee has held two meetings to discuss the new land use rules and the items that we would like to see changed or added to address how the new rules would affect the PRCSF. To put it simply we would like to be assured that the Concept of Management would continue to be the guide in the administration of the PRCSF. At the last meeting we were informed of the revisions that are in store for the Concept of Management and we are all concerned that any changes still maintain the original intent.

Eugene Horan

Standards & Limitations Committee

A very important meeting of the Advisory Council's Standards and Limitations Committee took place at the DNR Headquarters in Gaylord the evening of March 2nd. The principal topic was nothing less that the updating of The Concept of Management that was intended to guide the policies in effect in the Pigeon River Country ever since its inception as a special management unit in 1973.

The idea of any changes being made in this governing document, of course, raises many apprehensions, and the turnout at the meeting gave witness to this concern. Besides the two PRCA representatives serving on this committee, Chuck Titus and Eugene Horan (who is also the PRCA's official voting representative on the Advisory Council), PRCA Board members Lance Weyneth and Richard Kropf were both there to share the concerns of the Association as well as their own concerns.

The Advisory Council's Chairman, Pete Gustafson, who has been asked to be a member of the steering committee appointed by the DNR Director, Becky Humphies, emphasized that the decision to "update" The Concept of Management is seen by the Director as a high priority project, and one that needs to be accomplished this year to adequately meet the needs of the 21st. Century. He also emphasized that the project should be thought of primarily as an "update" -- not as a "revision" that would lessen in any way the DNR's commitment to managing the Pigeon River Country Forest "in keeping with its unique and wild character" and "protect the area from overuse and overdevelopment" (The above quoted words taken from the original Concept of Management statement of objectives and incorporated into the proposed new text.) Likewise, the idea is to retain the same emphasis on management policies "to protect the natural beauty of its forests and waters, and to sustain a healthy elk herd and wildlife populations" (words also taken from the original Concept of Management).

Why then any changes or "update" at all? The reason or reasons, as explained by Gustafson as well as Bob Jacobson, another "steering committee" member, retired DNR veteran, and well-known conservationist, is/are that not only were not all the challenges to the integrity of the forest foreseen at the time of the original Concept of Management's composition, but also that in the meantime, certain specifics of the Management plan have not always been consistently followed, or if attempted, have for one reason or another not proved practicable.

For example, few anticipated the pressures that the increasing popularity of snowmobiles would generate, or the extent of horseback usage of the Pigeon River Country. Nor was the appearance of the now highly popular fat-tired ATB or "mountain bike" anticipated, especially its use on trails designed for foot traffic. Likewise, timber harvesting methods have changed drastically in recent decades, not to mention even some of the theories and accepted practices of forest and land management.

Of major concern, of course, is the status of oil and gas extraction operations and the future of any exploitation of state-owned mineral rights (as well as remaining privately owned rights) within or adjacent to the forest. While the transfer of the existing Shell operated facilities to Merit Energy (a company specializing in the retirement of old oil and gas fields) has been successfully come about, a growing demand for future sources of energy and innovative new techniques of extraction pose further questions regarding other levels of hydrocarbon deposits and large areas of the forest hitherto considered as "non-development" lease areas not included in the original restricted development area. And what about new areas added to the Pigeon River Country Management Unit since its original borders were drawn up? All this needs to be addressed.

All this, of course, raises apprehensions. Will the fine language (of the Concept's objectives and general policies) remain -- but be neutered or eviscerated by extensive changes in the specific policy guidelines?

At this point it is hard to say. The steering committee's plan is, according to Gustafson, to appoint at least six different committees to deal with each of the major parts of the Concept of Management: Forest Management & Wildlife, Recreational Activities, Water & Fisheries, Minerals (including Oil & Gas), Vehicular Access, and finally, Boundaries & Ownership Issues. This is not including Forest Administration (which in turn includes the role of the Advisory Council). Some felt that Wildlife should be separate from Forest Management, while others pointed out that there is bound to be a lot of overlap between Recreational Activities and Vehicular Access issues. All this will have to be worked out.

Probably more critical is the issue of who will serve on these committees. Jacobson said he could almost guarantee that besides a DNR person acting as Chair, there would be representatives of special interest groups, especially from the various industrial (logging, oil & gas) and recreational users groups. Everyone agreed that it is essential that these special interest groups be counterbalanced by representatives from the Advisory Council, and a resolution was passed that both an active member of the Advisory Council be on each committee, as well as someone else with Advisory Council experience or ties if necessary to achieve such balance. Another member of each committee representing other interested groups (such as the Resource Stewards) is also envisioned, bringing the minimum number of members of each committee to four, and allowing up to six members when necessary.

The timetable for this updating process is moving right along. The steering committee is meeting again on March 7th. The first formal notification to the Natural Resources Commission will be made on March 10th. -- with the NRC's approval of the process expected about a month later. Meanwhile, the Advisory Council will be given a chance for input at its next quarterly meeting on March 18th.

Report by R W Kropf 3/7/05