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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula Posted June 30, 2004   Text © 2004 Michigan Department of Natural Resources, courtesy Ann Wilson, DNR communications representative, Office of the Press Secretary, Marquette; Friederike Greuer, KPAC secretary; and Ronald Yesney, DNR West U.P. recreation specialist. Photos © 2004 Michele Anderson for Keweenaw Now.

Keweenaw Point Advisory Committee Minutes: June 1, 2004

MARQUETTE -- The Keweenaw Point Advisory Committee (KPAC) will hold its next regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 6, 2004, at the Allouez Township Community Center in Allouez. KPAC was assembled to provide recreation and resource management suggestions to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) on the state's recent Keweenaw Tip purchase of 6,275 acres for public access, recreation and conservation. The Committee is expected to submit recommendations to the DNR this September.

Below are the minutes of the June 1, 2004, KPAC meeting in Allouez:

I. Sign-In:

Friederike Greuer -- UPEC
Sam Raymond -- Silent Sports
Lori Hauswirth -- WUPPDR (Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region)
Bill Deephouse -- Copper Country Trout Unlimited
Don Kauppi -- Keweenaw Tourism Council
Charles Eshbach -- Michigan Nature Association
Dick Powers -- Grant Township
Martin Nelson -- MDNR
Clarence J. Monette -- Keweenaw Co. Historical Society
Jack Lehto -- MUCC (Michigan United Conservation Clubs)
Jason Wyglendowski -- Michigan Tech 4-Wheelers Club
Ron Yesney -- MDNR
Dana Richter -- Copper Country Audubon
Warren Suchovsky -- Mich. Assoc. of Timbermen

1) Yesney called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. The meeting began with introductions and a discussion/review of the Department's view of the role of committee. The committee was assured that the recommendation process they are partaking in is very important to DNR managerial decisions regarding the Keweenaw Point lands.

2) Review Agenda and discuss two public information meetings: February and September. All meetings include an agenda item for public comment.

3) International Paper discussion. Walt Arnold from I.P. will be at the August meeting to address the committee regarding agenda items identified at May KPAC meeting. If committee members have immediate questions for I.P. they can direct questions through Yesney.

4) June 12 Field Trip will begin at 8:00 a.m. at Keweenaw Tourism building in Calumet or at 8:45 at Copper Harbor Mariner Inn. Agenda includes trips to High Rock, Keystone, Mouth of Montreal, and Hoar Lake.

Members of the Keweenaw Point Advisory Committee and DNR officials hiked to the Falls at the Mouth of the Montreal River during their June 12, 2004, tour of Keweenaw Tip sites. Watch for an article on this tour, coming soon. (June 12, 2004, photo by Michele Anderson)

5) Slide show by Charlie Eshbach regarding Keweenaw Point features. Slides included images of Bete Grise and its rugged basalt flows; Bear Bluff -- MNA Sanctuary, unique plant community; Montreal River Bay; Montreal River; Old Dam. Montreal River has remained wild due to inaccessibility; Montreal Falls, thinking of recommending a trail across Montreal River; Fish Cove; Indian Point; Big Bay; Keystone Bay -- has white rocks; bogs nearby due to basalt flows -- has 15 species of orchids; Rocket Launching Site -- from University of Michigan; Conglomerate rock; Schlatter's Lake; Bay Lake -- many boggy areas; Hoar Lake -- many boggy areas -- area is basically 6 by 10 miles.

6) Public comment Period, 7:10 p.m. Yesney called for comments from public wishing to address the committee. Approximately 50 in attendance. Public were asked to introduce themselves and asked to limit comments and questions to 3 minutes each.

John Dee: How did people get to be on committee? -- Land should be more in public trust but committee is largely focused on conservation issues. -- Two comments questioning Eshbach's comments during slide presentation.

Jim Regis: Motorized vehicle traffic should be allowed. It is a boost to tourism. Selective logging should be permitted. Motorized traffic will help elderly and handicapped; should allow camping; put trash containers/dumpsters out and collect waste. Presented a petition with 400+ signatures from Keweenaw and Houghton County residents urging motorized vehicle traffic to be uninhibited on tract. 

John Stodabaker (spelling?): Asked about impact on hunting and fishing in this area now that it is under state management. Answer: No change.

Scott ____ (last name missed) How will we support our local economy if we no longer use snowmobiles and ATVs? Don't close up, we bought it. Committee suggests a need to keep motorized and non-motorized zones separated; short discussion.

Bill Dogowski: Wants a snowmobile trail go out to the point. Thanked Nature Conservancy for buying all the land.

_____Nukkula (first name missed): Hate to see it closed down.

_____Hermanson (first name missed): Shouldn't limit tourist or local motorized traffic. Bad impact on other people's lands can be managed/mitigated.

7) Discussion of camping (Bill Deephouse)
*Motorized primitive campsites -- Fire ring, tent pad.
*Non-motorized primitive campsite = tent pad, fire ring, hike to get there.
*Wilderness camping even more extreme.
*Schlatter's Lake -- makes sense for motorized camping, 3 motorized campsites on Schlatter's Lake.
*Suggests No camping at High Rock Bay.
*Suggests No camping on Schlatter's Lake island -- only used for day use.
*Suggests Hoar Lake for one motorized campsite with parking spot and table.
*Suggests Campsite on mouth of Montreal River.
*Suggests Fish Cove for primitive camping.
*Suggests Mouth of Hoar Creek for primitive.
*Suggests Union Creek Point -- non-motorized area -- wilderness campsites.
*Manitou Island -- not determined yet.
*Suggests Keystone Point -- non motorized site.
*Recommendation that DNR acquire in-holdings as they become available.
*Manitou Island -- state land is open for the public anyway -- no use having camping there.
*Suggests High Rock -- day use area.

Boaters set out from Schlatter's Lake island, a popular picnic site for groups. (June 12, 2004, photo by Michele Anderson)

*Public comment: Change as little as possible. Signatures of Keweenaw people prove they don't want to see it changed.
*Nelson adds that more than 3 campsites requires a well and involvement of health department.
*Will there be any signage or designation? Answer: There will be a procedure.
*Suggests we have signs for private versus state property, not too much signage but enough to let people know where they are.
*Suggests road shouldn't be improved too much.
*Suggests adequate signage and printed maps of area showing roadways, trails, trailheads, day-use areas, and camping spots.

8) Logging and Timber production (Warren Suchovsky): 
Warren is not impressed with quality of logging on tract. He logs in a different style.
*Quality of logging job is important.
*Not much characteristic old growth.
*Suggests some areas should be hands-off to logging.
*Suggests some areas should be logged on infrequent basis for the maple.
*Notes a minimum of hardwood sites of 20-year intervals.
*What are the old land survey notes of timber types? Answer: Different species and amounts.
*Suggests leaving an area to eventually return to original state.
*Shouldn't try to harvest too much pine.
*Don't be afraid to manipulate vegetation.
*Manage on a large basis across multi-owners, especially as far as view of landscape is concerned.
*Work cooperatively, fully recognize variety of trail systems for variety of uses.
*Some roads should be shut down, not good for general tourist anyhow.
*Suggests Four-wheelers should be limited to some areas.
*Notes that keeping roads in rough shape slows traffic down and reduces noise
*Some roads are in rough shape and need to be fixed.

Deephouse: Suggests a working forest cutting rotation of 20 years.

As a response to a question from the audience, Yesney noted that state land is open to camping by the public via dispersed camping permits.

9) Review Overlay GIS Maps of Recommendations Thus Far

Sam Raymond -- Non-motorized trails: 
*Suggests loops with Copper Harbor being the nucleus/hub with connectors to the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge and south side of Fanny Hooe and west side of Lake Manganese. Suggests using parts of existing trails but sees a need to better define the trails for users.
*Suggests a non-motorized trail shoreline route.
*Suggests loop around to connect with Nature Conservancy Land.
*Suggests some internal trails could be common uses with motorized routes, too (multi-use). Users will have to get along.
*Suggests smaller loops by Schlatter's Lake.
*Mentions connecting to current trails being maintained by volunteer groups.
*Suggests non-motorized sports are as profitable as motorized sports.

Don Kauppi:
*Requests equal and fair access to Keweenaw Point, notes Keweenaw Point is most often requested place to visit for snowmobilers.
*Requests no trail along shoreline or in sensitive areas.
*Notes present trail is on Clark Mine Road; it comes out to the Mandan.
*Suggests that we should bridge or culvert moving water areas.
*Suggests he could get an easement out to the Point for snowmobile use and wants committee to consider this as a recommendation.
*Suggests Fish Cove should be non-motorized with possibility of smaller trail.
*Suggests quality of road should be gradually rougher.
*He works with Land Company (International Paper/Lake Superior Land Co.) every year to reroute trail; logging causes trail to be rerouted; he meets with them 10 to 15 times per year.
*Currently has 7 miles of trail on Keweenaw Point.
*Suggests ORV trails should be named and maintained with hard surface.
*Mentions that funding for snowmobile trails is sometimes done locally when trail is not an official DNR trail.

Dana Richter:
*Provided handout on Minimum Impact Zones.
*Comments intermesh with other things said during meeting.
*Minimum impact zones will have to be considered -- where roads and trails are being put in will have an impact.
*Suggests carefully considering botanical survey done in 2000 by botanist Steve Chadde.
*Suggests points in handout are not set in stone.

10. Schedule next meeting
-- July 6th at 6:30 p.m., same place
-- June 12th Tour starting at Keweenaw Tourism Council in Calumet and Mariner North in Copper Harbor

11. Meeting Adjourned -- 9:15 p.m.

Go to page 2 for Appendix A: Camping Facilities on Tip Property

Editor's notes:  See list of the Keweenaw Point Advisory Committee (KPAC) members. The Minutes of the May 4, 2004, KPAC Meeting, posted on the Keweenaw Liberty Library (under Land Use Planning and Zoning), will be posted soon on Keweenaw Now. Read the Minutes of the April 6, 2004, KPAC Meeting Read the Minutes of the Mar. 2, 2004, KPAC Meeting Read the Minutes of the Feb. 3, 2004, KPAC Meeting Read the Minutes of the Jan. 20, 2004, Organizational Meeting of KPAC.