[ndcf] Correction in Letter to USFS

Tue Mar 13 20:41:37 EST 2007

Hi All,

In my recent email regarding the letter to USFS I referred to the unit where 
the proposed trail is located as the Charleston unit.  The correct spelling 
should be Charlson.

I apologize for the error.

Ron Luethe

It is Charlson.

Curtis W. Glasoe, PE & RLS
Grasslands Engineer
99 23rd Avenue, Suite "B"
DIckinson, ND 58601
1-701-227-7854 (W) 1-701-260-9459 (Cell)

             "Kubischta, Ben                                               
             R."                                                           
             <bkubisch at nd.gov>                                          To 
                                       "Ron Luethe"                        
             03/12/2007 07:15          <ron.luethe at bis.midco.net>, "NDCF"  
             AM                        <ndcf at ndcycling.com>                
                                                                        cc 
                                       "Hanson, Jesse M."                  
                                       <jehanson at nd.gov>, "Curt Glasoe"    
                                       <cglasoe at fs.fed.us>                 
                                                                   Subject 
                                       RE: [ndcf] Action Alert! Trail      
                                       Support Letters Needed!             

Ron,

In the letter the phrase "The trail will be within the Charleston Unit of
the Dakota Prairie National Grasslands."  The town in that area is
"Charlson".  So, is it the "Charleston" or "Charlson" unit?

Bennet Kubischta

From: ndcf-bounces at ndcycling.com [mailto:ndcf-bounces at ndcycling.com] On
Behalf Of Ron Luethe
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2007 11:52 AM
To: NDCF
Cc: Hanson, Jesse M.; Curt Glasoe
Subject: [ndcf] Action Alert! Trail Support Letters Needed!
Importance: High

Fellow Trail Users:

The Forest Service needs our support for a proposed trail from Tobacco
Gardens to New Town  It will be a very scenic 45 mile single track that
surfs along the badland bluffs on the south shore of Lake Sakakewea.

The Forest Service would like letters of support for this  multi-use trail
that would benefit bikers, horseback riders, and hikers.

Your letters of support for bikes on the Maah Daah Hey Trail Extension
(south of Medora) made a huge difference and the Forest Service has agreed
to accommodate bikes along the entire length of the trail.  Thank you all!

I encourage all of you to make a difference again and write a letter of
support for this new proposed trail.  I have provided some talking points
in the email below and attached word document.

Thanks you in advance for your support!

Ron

Questions?  Please call or email:
Ron Luethe
1918 Houston Drive
Bismarck, ND  58504-7207
(701) 255-7822 (H)
(701) 530-2032 (W)
(701) 220-6966 (CELL)
ron.luethe at bis.midco.net
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
Send Comments to:

Dave Pieper, Supervisor
Dakota Prairie Grasslands
240 W. Century Ave.
Bismarck, ND  58503

Opening/Background
I am writing this letter in support of the recreation trail from Tobacco
Gardens to New Town.  The proposed 45-mile single-track will have a scenic
view of Lake Sakakawea.  There will be no other experience like it in the
Dakota Prairie National Grasslands.  The trail will be within the
Charleson Unit of the Dakota Prairie National Grasslands.  This trail will
be a very welcome and overdue improvement to the Charleston Unit, which
does not have any non-motorized trails within it.  In contrast, other units
of similar size managed by the Forest Service, there would be 1500 to 2000
miles of non-motorized trails.  Thus, the 45 miles of additional trail
development would enhance, and not burden, the natural resources within the
area.
“Talking points” to consider including in your letter:
      ·        This trail will be a “draw” to active tourists and
      eco-tourists, and will attract mountain bikers, birders, hikers and
      horseback riders.  As visitors come, they will need places to stay
      and eat and purchase supplies.  Thus, I feel this project would have
      strong potential for economic benefit for residents of the area,
      including local ranchers and rural residents who might wish to
      develop supplemental income businesses (such as ranch vacations or
      housing) as well as members of the Three Affiliated Tribes.  This has
      occurred, for example, with the Maah Daah Hey Trail.
      ·        The public lands across which the trail would pass are by
      law to be multi-use, and a single track trail of the type proposed is
      well within one of these intended purposes  -- outdoor recreation.
      This is explicitly stated in by Congress.  See, Congressional
      declaration of policy, 43 U.S.C. §1701(a)(8):  “The Congress declares
      that it is the policy of the United States that .   (8) the public
      lands be managed in a manner that will 
 provide for outdoor
      recreation and human occupancy and use, 
”  As noted above,
      recreation trails similar to the proposed trail are in common use on
      other parts of public lands managed by the Forest Service, thus
      indicating that this type of trail is an appropriate use of these
      public lands on the Dakota Prairie Grasslands.
      ·        I understand there is some opposition to the project.  There
      are some that simply do not want to share the public lands with
      prospective recreational users of the proposed trail.  We do not
      believe that that opposition is well founded or based on legitimate
      reasons.  The local ranchers have permitted authority to utilize the
      lands for grazing purposes, only.  The ranchers do not have exclusive
      use of this public land.  Obviously, the recreational users do not
      compete with the cattle for grazing or for forage.  The grazing usage
      simply could not be appreciably affected by a single track trail that
      meanders along one border of the 70,000 acre unit.  But, in any
      event, we are simply not aware of any reason to believe that the
      ranchers’ ability to graze the cattle they are authorized to put on
      this land, their usage of the forage, or the fees that they pay would
      be in any way affected by the single track recreational trail that we
      support.

I urge the US Forest Service to approve and construct this trail as soon as
possible.