Forest Service takes aim

[Lee Borgersen]

    Forest Service now takes aim at all commercial activity in BWCA!

  .....
The U.S. Forest Service will use a lawsuit settlement to take aim at any and all commercial activity in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Big Brother is not only watching, it’s on the hunt.
Forest supervisor Connie Cummins struggled in an interview with the Echo this past week to explain why a lawsuit over how many towboats use the BWCA has been turned into a global rock-turned mission.
“Will professional photographers be included in this study?”
“Yes.”
“Will dog sled operations be included in this study?” 
“Yes.”

  ..
Exceeding the limits of authority has been taken to a new level. And anyone who makes a buck in any way off the BWCA should be very, very concerned.

  ......
This all started when the Forest Service was sued over towboat usage in the BWCA. Well, basically any motorboat usage in the Boundary Waters if we’re being honest. Wilderness Watch is connected with former Friends director Kevin Proescholdt who has made it clear that no matter what the law says, motors shouldn’t be allowed in the BWCA.

There may have been a final decision based on facts in the towboat lawsuit if the Forest Service hadn’t lost/thrown away any usage numbers it did have from 1976-78. Without any hard data to point to (and many of the people involved no longer with us), it’s no surprise the lawsuit couldn’t gain traction.

 
We couldn’t find out from the Forest Service who came up with the idea to look at ALL commercial activity. But it sounds fishy to us.
If this is anything like federal authorities conducting a witch hunt over ciscoes being harvested at Prairie Portage, we’re in for another gong show.

The ciscoe harvest is another commercial activity sure to be examined and found to be incompatible, illegal or worse. Confiscating ciscoes is one of the craziest law enforcement tactics we’ve ever seen. No rhyme or reason given, no charges filed, just businesses damaged financially by the federal government. tut_tut-3315.gif

So if we have strong reservations about the Forest Service expanding a lawsuit from towboats to any and all commercial activity, please forgive us. We’re not in favor of job justification or using a towboat lawsuit to dig into whether dog sled trips or outfitters and guides should be allowed.
For the next 30 months, the ability for people to provide services in the BWCA will be under a microscope. Former outfitter Cliff Wold used to say:

 "The BWCA is going to be a biosphere reserve one day where people aren’t allowed."

              What if it turns out he was right? pouty-1023.gif

[LPS]

Interesting.  So if someone gets lost or injured are motorboats or air support allowed to enter the forbidden land?

[Lee Borgersen]

Interesting.  So if someone gets lost or injured are motorboats or air support allowed to enter the forbidden land?

The answer would be yes on that. I'll tell you one thing for sure. When in trouble the first thing the canoeists look for is a person with an outboard motor to bail them out. I would do the same if I was a canoeist. I've been able to assist many canoeists over the years when in distress. Everything from cutting out treble hooks from hands, rescuing canoeists capsized in half sunk canoes in high seas or bringing emergency injured boy scout out of da BWCA for stiches.

If the motors are eliminated in the BWCA the prairie portage will shut down and any rescue teams with boats won't be able to cross over into the BWCA to save lives if needed. Perfect example was last years rescue of a lad with his leg trapped under a log in a rapids while a group leader held his head above water until rescue teams arrived by motor boat. Also last year first responders had to motor in for a recovery of 2 bodies killed in a bad storm.

[snow1]

seems to me the power boats are restricted to certain areas of the BWCA with motors under 25hp.I've used a tow a couple times,moose lake and sag to american point,saves a good 3-4hours of paddling to get into the wilderness,pretty sure the feds are looking for a pay check in a compromise deal.

This will effect cabin owners on certain lakes with property on the canadian side as well,dirty crooks!

[Lee Borgersen]

seems to me the power boats are restricted to certain areas of the BWCA with motors under 25hp.I've used a tow a couple times,moose lake and sag to american point,saves a good 3-4hours of paddling to get into the wilderness,pretty sure the feds are looking for a pay check in a compromise deal.

This will effect cabin owners on certain lakes with property on the canadian side as well,dirty crooks!

Interesting evaluation on your part Snow1. That philosophy of yours is not an out of bounds scenario. The bottom line is that the environmental groups goal is to remove all motor access to the BWCA. They will come up with any and every trick in da book to achieve their goal. They come up with all the key catch phrases to draw people into their fold. They want to SAVE, PROTECT, PRESERVE and so on!...... People are not destroying the BWCA no more than the limited motor access permits are.

Bottom line is that most of the envro groups members hate the limited motor users.   They are willing to sacrifice the future pleasures of their own paddlers that support them. Many of the paddle in campers have small children. Some are getting older and can't paddle as far as they need to get where they wanted. Some have limitations due to handy caps. Others have limited vacation time and can't afford to paddle for 2 days to get there and 2 days back.  That's why folks are thankful for the tow boats to get them back and forth promptly and safely.

That doesn't even cover life saving situations covered buy rescue teams with outboard motors (cough..cough...that will destroy the BWCA)

So, the way I look at it is the environmental groups are willing to eat their own young (other paddlers)  just to get what they want!