Brule River State Forest Master Plan Progress Report 1

• Master Planning Mailing List
• Work in Progress
• Issues Opinionnaire
• Public Involvement Plan and Master Planning Schedule
• Tribal Consultation
• On the Horizon
• Public Meeting
• Additional Information

Master Planning Mailing List

In January 1998, 437 brochures were mailed out to individuals and organizations that had previously expressed interest in the use and management of the Brule River State Forest. The purpose of this brochure was to inform the public of our need to prepare an updated master plan, and to invite public participation in the planning process by being placed on our mailing list. As a result of that first mailing, over 300 names are currently being maintained on our mailing list. Many of these names are of private individuals who have a variety of interests on the forest. Included are many of our neighbors within and adjacent to the forest as well as people from around the state and nation. There are local, regional and national organizations on the list: environmental groups and conservation organizations; motorized recreation clubs; forest industry; local, state and federal government agencies; tribal representatives; media; and more. The mailing list database continues to grow as we hear from more of you. We will continue to add to the list and keep you informed throughout the master planning process.

The large and diverse response from our first mailing illustrates the keen interest in the Brule River State Forest. To develop an effective master plan that meets the needs of the public and the capabilities of the environment, we will listen to your many and diverse voices. We welcome your continued interest in the future of this public property and we will do our best to inform and involve you during the planning process. Join the mailing list...

The public was officially notified in January 1998 that the master planning process had begun. A great deal of preparatory work has been started and is still in progress.

In order to make informed decisions, an intensive resource inventory is needed. DNR is developing and gathering important resource information including regional socio-economics, recreational supply and demand, regional ecology, community restoration/old growth, geographic information system (GIS) data and maps, sustainable forestry, biodiversity, environmental education and awareness, and master plan implementation monitoring.

These inventories and assessments are being prepared by Department of Natural Resources and contract experts. Other information is being prepared by resource specialists within the Department of Natural Resources. We plan to make as much of this information as possible available to the public in both full and condensed versions later this year.

We have also created an "opinionnaire" we would like you to complete and return to us. The list of issue statements were compiled and summarized from a variety of sources over the past several years, including public meetings. We need to determine if the listed issues accurately reflect your concerns, find out how important the issue is to you, clarify any specifics related to the issue, and identify any additional issues that may not have been raised earlier. The results of the opinionnaire can be found in Progress Report 2.

Also created was a proposed public involvement plan and a detailed schedule for conducting the master planning process. Master planning is complex and public involvement throughout the process is critical to making good decisions - in fact, public involvement is required by Wisconsin Administrative Code 44, approved in 1996.

The simplified estimated schedule looks like this:

Phase 1: Identify Issues and Review the Proposed Public Involvement Plan

January 1998 - August 1998

Phase 2: Establish Proposed Vision and Goals

September 1998 - November 1998

Phase 3: Develop and Evaluate Proposed Alternatives

December 1998 - August 1999

Phase 4: Write the Proposed Master Plan and Environmental Analysis

September 1999 - April 2000

Phase 5: 45 Day Public Review of Environmental Analysis

May 2000 - July 2000

Phase 6: Obtain Review and Approval by the Natural Resources Board

August 2000 - November 2000

The actual length of time needed to complete each phase of the master plan and obtain approval by the Natural Resources Board will depend on the range and complexity of issues that arise.

We want to hear your comments about how to improve the public involvement plan or modify the master planning schedule while observing the requirements of Administrative Code 44.

As described in Administrative Code 44, NR 44.04 (7)(c), the Department of Natural Resources will consult on a government to government basis with Indian tribes retaining off-reservation hunting, fishing and gathering rights.

Consultation has already begun and will continue on a monthly basis with representatives of the Lac Courte Orelles, Bad River and Red Cliff tribes, as well as the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission through the Voigt Task Force.

In the next couple of months, we will continue adding to our mailing list, preparing documents for public review, updating our web site, and preparing for the next steps in the planning process. As opinionnaires are returned, we will begin to synthesize your comments and refine issues.

Public Meeting

Our first public meeting will be held on Saturday, June 6th. We are planning a guided tour of parts of the Brule River State Forest and holding an open house. This will be an opportunity for you to meet the planning and forest staff face to face and share your concerns and ideas. We will be sending out additional information on this meeting and asking for a RSVP in early May. The results of this meeting are found in Progress Report 2.

Additional Information

For more information contact: Dave Schulz, Property Manager
Brule River State Forest
6250 S. Ranger Rd.
Brule, WI 54820-0125

Phone: (715) 372-5678
FAX: (715) 372-4836
e-mail: schuldn@DNR.state.wi.us