|
There are many options for getting involved with Bayfield Area Trails. We have many ways you can volunteer your time and expertise. You can also become involved by granting trail access across your private property for trail expansion. Learn more about each of these options below.
|
|
Volunteers are the heart and soul of of the Bayfield Area Trails vision. Joining the Bayfield Area Trails Stewards (BATS) is a great way to participate in our community and help protect and preserve the amazing trails we have in this area.
|
|
People of all skills and strengths are welcome. The level of effort ranges from light to heavy-duty chain saw and rock work.
Adopt a trail: Adopters monitor their designated trail twice per month. They maintain signs, clear encroaching or fallen vegetation with hand tools, and repair small issues along the trail. Adopters report larger issues to the lead designee for the trail. Maintain trails: clear vegetation and fallen trees, repair trails and boardwalks, fix creek crossings, maintain signage, etc. Construct new trails: work under the leadership of a crew leader to clear vegetation; construct new trail; install steps, boardwalk and erosion control; install signage; and other duties as needed. Become a crew leader: Volunteers with past experience and special skills, such as chainsaw certification, may lead a crew to maintain or construct trails. Public information: Assist with developing and distributing information about trails and the BAT Committee’s vision for the Bayfield Area Trails |
|
|
Grant Private Land Access
|
As we pursue the Bayfield Area Trails mission, it will be necessary to work with willing landowners to secure permission and legal access for trails across their land. To accomplish long-term viability for trails, it will be essential to build trust and to ensure that landowners are properly informed and agreeable to public trail use. This trust is established by one-on-one communication, responsiveness to landowner concerns, and following through on commitments. The options for establishing trails across private land range from casual verbal permission to granting a legal permanent deeded easement, or ultimately transferring land ownership for public purposes. All of these must be premised upon the landowner being willing and all are bounded by Wisconsin Statute Sec. 895.52 regarding immunity from liability when a person is injured while recreating on their land. While our Bayfield Area Trails priority is to secure signed easement agreements or accept donations of land/perpetual easements for trails across private land, we recognize that a landowner may be reluctant to immediately step into a binding agreement due to a lack of familiarity with trails, desire for flexibility, or uncertainty about how a trail segment might impact their land. Thus, a staged approach may be necessary to find a mutually agreeable arrangement that can evolve over time. This staged approach may begin with a landowner choosing one of the less binding options that can ultimately result in long-term security for the trail under one of the more permanent options. The following list of options starts with the most casual and ends with the most permanent. Contact Us to learn more. Informal: No Signatures
Verbal Permission - Documented by Email or Letter. Benefits: Easy for a landowner to grant. Gives them ultimate flexibility. Email or letter could define terms of agreement, including duration. Risks: No documentation of mutual agreement about terms could lead to misunderstanding and lack of accountability. Implementation: Written exchange with landowner, with copy to municipality in which the trail crossing is located (City or Town). Formal: With Signatures
Signed Trail Use Agreement Benefits: Higher level of certainty and clarity about terms and mutual agreement. Less likelihood of misunderstanding. Documents the terms of the agreement and mutual agreement of the terms. Language could be included to allow right of first refusal to purchase. Risks: Predictability of terms and duration or long-term access would remain uncertain. Current or future landowner could change their permission at any time. Landowner could allow incompatible uses on or adjacent to the trail. Implementation: Obtain signature of landowner on trail use agreement. Legal review advised. Trail use agreement should be filed and held by the municipality in which the trail crossing is located (City or Town). View Agreement Outline Easement Agreement with Defined Duration Benefits: Gives certainty to both parties regarding terms and duration of agreement. Establishes accountability and binds future landowner for duration of easement. Gives certainty to easement holder for trail access and associated improvements. Risks: Requires commitment from landowner regarding time frame and terms of the easement. Requires easement holder (e.g., City Council, Town Board, non-profit Board) approval and commitment to monitor/enforce terms of easement. Implementation: Legal review required. Recorded by Register of Deeds. Permanent Easement Benefits: Permanent certainty for public access. May reduce landowner’s real estate taxes. Income tax deduction may be available to landowner if donated. Risks: Requires permanent commitment from landowner. Requires easement holder (e.g., City Council, Town Board, non-profit Board of Directors) approval and commitment to monitor/enforce terms of easement. Implementation: Legal review and appraisal required. Recorded by Register of Deeds. Transfer of Land Ownership Benefits: Permanent certainty for public access. May reduce landowner’s real estate taxes. Income tax deduction may be available to landowner if donated. Risks: Requires landowner to transfer title. Requires City Council/Town Board/non-profit Board to take title to property and maintain in manner suitable for trail use. Implementation: Legal review and appraisal required. Recorded by Register of Deeds. Standard Terms of a Trail Agreement
|
