DNR to host Border to Border Touring Route listening sessions

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Parks and Trails Division,in conjunction with the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council and the Minnesota 4-Wheel Drive Association, will hold a series of listening sessions across the northern counties of Minnesota about the Border to Border (B2B) Touring Route.

The route will connect the eastern and western borders of Minnesota across the northern third of the state using minimum maintenance and rugged roadways. The end product will be a signed, mapped route for highway-licensed, four-wheel drive vehicles, following routes that are already open for driving. The project is funded by the off-road vehicle account in Minnesota’s Natural Resources Fund.  Revenues for this fund come from registered off-road vehicle owners.

The purpose of the listening sessions is to gather feedback regarding a draft alignment for the B2B Touring Route. Last year at this time, similar meetings were held on this project to help determine the best location for this adventure route. That information was used to form the draft alignment that will be the topic of the listening sessions. The route is proposed to traverse the counties of Cook, Lake, St. Louis, Itasca, Beltrami, Clearwater, Polk, Red Lake, Pennington, Marshall, and Kittson.

The nine meetings will be between mid-February and early March near the proposed draft alignment for the B2B Touring Route. All meetings will be from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information about the project, and to verify the dates, times and locations of the listening sessions (subject to change in the event of bad weather) visit the DNR website.

Listening Session Schedule
Tuesday, Feb. 20
Cook County School
101 W. Fifth St.
Grand Marais, MN 55604

Wednesday, Feb. 21
Mountain Iron Community Center
Wacootah Room
8586 Enterprise Drive S.
Mountain Iron MN 55768

Thursday, Feb. 22
Beaver Bay Community Center
711 MacDonald Ave.
Beaver Bay, MN 55601

Monday, Feb. 26
Squaw Lake Community Center
52201 MN-46
Squaw Lake, MN 56681

Tuesday, Feb. 27
Black Duck School Library
156 First St. NW
Blackduck, MN 56630

Wednesday, Feb. 28
Clearbrook Gonvick School Library
16770 Clearwater Lake Rd.
Clearbrook, MN 56634

Monday, March 5
Newfolden City Office
145 E. First St.
Newfolden, MN 56738

Tuesday, March 6
Hallock City Hall
163 3rd St SE
Hallock, MN 56728

Wednesday, March 7
Red Lake Falls Lafayette High School Cafeteria
404 Champagne Ave.
Red Lake Falls, MN  56750

The DNR will also accept written comments on the touring route proposal from Feb. 21 through March 25. Written comments will be accepted by email to mary.straka@state.mn.us or should be sent by mail to Mary Straka, Minnesota DNR, Parks and Trails Division, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155.

For more information, or to request a printed copy of the proposal, call Mary Straka, at 218-203-4445, or email mary.straka@state.mn.us.

DNR seeks applications for OHV grants

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is seeking applications for grants to support off-highway vehicle (OHV) trail projects and new trail proposals.

Applications for grants to support projects on existing trails are due by Monday, Nov. 30. New trail proposals are accepted throughout the year.

Grant-in-Aid (GIA) funds are available to help develop and maintain recreational trails for use by all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles and off-road vehicles. First authorized in 1984, the GIA program provides cost-sharing opportunities at the initiative of clubs and other organizations, with the support and participation of local government sponsors.

Organizations can apply for GIA funds through counties, cities or townships. All aspects of OHV trail development and maintenance are eligible for funding, including project administration, site planning, trail improvements, land acquisition for trail development, and trail maintenance. Proposals with a focus on maintaining or improving existing trails and trail systems will be assigned a higher priority.

For grant applications and more information, visit www.mndnr.gov, or contact the DNR Information Center at info.dnr@state.mn.us or 888-646-6367 (8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday).

Grants available for development and maintenance of OHV trails

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Parks and Trails Division has scheduled a series of meetings to provide information about the off-highway vehicle (OHV) grant-in-aid (GIA) program, a cost-share program to facilitate development and maintenance of trails.

These meetings are intended for groups with an active interest in all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), off-highway motorcycles (OHMs) and off-road vehicles (ORVs), such as sport utility vehicles and modified trucks. The meetings will not be for snowmobile trails.

Groups currently receiving GIA funds are encouraged to attend. These meetings will also be helpful to local units of government that sponsor GIA contracts and clubs that want to expand public OHV trails in Minnesota.

DNR staff, including Parks and Trails area supervisors and OHV acquisition and development specialists, will explain the GIA application process, provide copies of the GIA manual and forms and answer questions.

Grant applications for maintenance of existing trails are due by Nov. 30. New trail proposals are accepted at any time.

The DNR asks anyone planning to attend one of these meetings to RSVP (see phone numbers below) so that adequate space and materials will be available:

Bemidji: Wednesday, Oct. 16, 10 a.m. - noon, Lake Bemidji State Park Visitor Center, 3401 State Park Road, NE, Bemidji, MN 56601; RSVP: 218-308-2367.

Tower: Thursday, Oct. 24, 6 - 8 p.m., Tower DNR office, 650 Highway 169, Tower, MN 55790; RSVP: 218-753-2580.

Rochester: Thursday, Oct. 24, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Rochester Community and Technical College (Heintz Center, Room #HA 122), 1926 College View Dr. SE, Rochester, MN 55904;
RSVP: 507-206-2847.

Sauk Rapids: Monday, Oct. 28, 7 - 9 p.m., Sauk Rapids DNR office, 940 Industrial Dr. South #103, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379; RSVP: 320-223-7878.

Fergus Falls: Wednesday, Oct. 30, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Fergus Falls DNR office, 1509 First Ave. NE, Fergus Falls, MN 56537; RSVP: 218-739-7576.

Moose Lake area: Wednesday, Oct. 30, 6-8 p.m., Rutledge Community Center, 7369 Highway 61, Rutledge, MN 55785; RSVP: 218-485-5410.

Windom: Wednesday, Oct. 30, 6:30 - 8 p.m., Windom DNR office, 175 County Road 26, Windom, MN 56143; RSVP: 507-831-2900.

Metro area: Wednesday, Oct. 30, 7 - 9 p.m., Gander Mountain, 10650 Baltimore St. NE, Blaine, MN 55449; RSVP: 651-259-5874.

Brainerd: Wednesday, Nov. 20, 6 – 8 p.m., Brainerd DNR office, 1601 Minnesota Dr., Brainerd, MN 56401; RSVP: 218-833-8710.

As additional meetings are scheduled, details will be posted at www.mndnr.gov (www.dnr.state.mn.us/ohv/ontrack/index.html). 

For questions about the OHV GIA program or suggestions for topics to discuss at upcoming meetings, contact Mary Straka, OHV program coordinator, 218-833-8713 or mary.straka@state.mn.us.

Temporary OHV trail closures begin in November

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will restrict recreational use of off-highway vehicles (OHVs) in some areas during the upcoming firearms deer hunting season. Vehicles affected by the restrictions include all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), off-highway motorcycles (OHMs) and registered off-road vehicles (ORVs) such as four-wheel drive trucks that are not being used in conjunction with deer hunting by a licensed deer hunter.

The restrictions, which apply to state forest trails and access routes but not to state forest roads, aim to protect recreational riders from potentially unsafe riding conditions and to minimize conflicts between deer hunters and recreational riders who may inadvertently disturb them.

Licensed deer hunters may still use these routes in conjunction with their hunting activity:

• Before legal shooting time.
• From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• After legal shooting hours.

Effective dates of the recreational riding restrictions will be:

• Nov. 9 – 24 for the northeastern Minnesota 100 Series deer season.
• Nov. 9 – 17 for the Minnesota 200 Series deer season.

Because recreational OHV trails located in southeastern Minnesota close Nov. 1 each year, no additional OHV riding restrictions are necessary in that part of the state.

While many recreational OHV riders have voluntarily opted not to ride forest trails during deer hunting and small game seasons, recreational OHV riding has become a year-round sport for many. DNR officials remind everyone who visits Minnesota’s state forests this fall to put safety first.

For more information, see the 2013 deer season map online at www.mndnr.gov (http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/hunting/2013/deermap.pdf) or contact the DNR Information Center at info.dnr@state.mn.us or 651-296-6157 or toll-free 888-646-6367 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

DNR seeks applications for OHV grants

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking applications for off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails grants for projects and new trail proposals.

Application forms for projects on existing trails are due to a Parks and Trails area supervisor’s office each year by Nov. 30. New trail proposals are accepted throughout the year.

First authorized in 1984, Minnesota’s OHV trails assistance program is a cost-share program intended to help develop and maintain trails for use by all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), off-highway motorcycles (OHMs) and off-road vehicles (ORVs).

Known as the OHV grant-in-aid (GIA) program, it helps to establish and maintain recreational trails at the initiative of clubs and other organizations, with the support and participation of local government sponsors.

Organizations can apply for GIA funds through counties, cities or townships. All aspects of OHV trail development and maintenance are eligible for funding, including project administration, site planning, trail improvements, land acquisition for trail development, and trail maintenance. Proposals with a focus on maintaining or improving existing trails and trail systems will be assigned a higher priority.

Program and application information is available online at www.mndnr.gov (www.dnr.state.mn.us/grants/recreation/gia_ohv.html), or by contacting the DNR Information Center at info.dnr@state.mn.us or 651-296-6157 (888-646-6367 toll free) between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.