Citizens Gathered to Discuss the Future of Trails and Biking in Bayfield County

On June 25th, Bayfield Area Trails (BAT) joined with the Northwest Regional Planning Commission in hosting a public meeting in Washburn to discuss the future of hiking – as well as biking and walking -- on the Bayfield Peninsula.  Turnout was strong, with more than twenty-five people signing in for the BAT portion of the program -- in addition to the dozen or more current BAT volunteers and National Park Service employees who attended.

Lots of ideas were shared!

The evening started with attendees engaging with BAT volunteers at various stations to learn about Bayfield Area Trails, the community and economic impact of silent sports study recently completed by BAT, and the draft Bayfield Peninsula Trails Plan -- a long-term blue print for creating a peninsula-wide silent sports trail system and a strategy to support it.

​The Plan, which is being developed with support from the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program, will outline the work to be undertaken by BAT on trails maintenance and expansion over the next 10 years.  Attendees were asked to offer their thoughts -- through the use of interactive displays and maps -- on key components of the current draft.

Participants visited maps and posters during the open house.

Specifically, they were asked to weigh in on the timing priority of improvements to existing trails and the priority and timing of proposed new trails and trail segments over the next five and ten years, respectively.  This input will be valuable as BAT’s Planning Committee continues to work to finalize the Plan.

Discussing improvements to existing trails.

Following this open house session, attendees heard short presentations from representatives for BAT and the NW Regional Planning Commission.  Kate Kitchell presented on behalf of BAT and offered an overview of the planning process and the draft Plan, including its implementation component.  Kate noted that 101 initial new trail and route concepts were identified through stakeholder input, and that number was whittled down to 27 priority proposals included in the plan’s ten-year horizon.

Kate emphasized that the plan is still in draft and final decisions about whether and how trails will be developed will reside with each landowner or public land manager.  The evening concluded with interactive break-out sessions during which attendees and volunteers together offered feedback on ways BAT can attract additional volunteers, further engage the community on trail enhancement projects, and strengthen its communications and outreach more generally.

Participants gave input on trails proposed for the next 5 to 10 years.

If you were unable to attend the meeting, we encourage you to review information on our Bayfield Peninsula Trails Plan webpage via this link; and provide online input via this link. 
 
Stay Tuned!

Part One of the Draft Plan will be posted on the website by July 15th.

There was a chance to give thumbs up or thumbs down on new trail proposal.