Another attack on the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund has been launched.

As we noted earlier, Michigan’s road builders are looking to divert money from the Trust Fund to fill their gaps in transportation funding. Fortunately it would require changing our state constitution to do so. Given the backlash this incurred, there seems to be some backing away from this suggestion.

Now State Representative Sheltrown (D-Roscommon) is recommending two-thirds of the Trust Fund’s annual grants be diverted to subsidize hunting and fishing instead of buying park land and building trails.

“Despite the importance hunting and fishing has in Michigan and its impact on the state’s economy, Michigan is near the bottom nationally in support of its conservation programs,” Mr. Sheltrown said. “An increase in state general fund revenue is unrealistic given the state’s continued budget deficits. Imposing new fees or increasing existing fees above the rate of inflation to make up shortfalls is counterproductive to the long-term viability of hunting and fishing programs. There has to be a different solution.”

There is a different solution. Raise the hunting and fishing license fees. The Trust Fund was not created to solve structural deficits in DNR operations.

What can you do? If and when Sheltrown introduces a bill we must be prepared to strongly advocate against it. We’ll stay on top of this.

It’s also worth mentioning that Sheltrown is the same legislator that introduced a bill that would have opened up all DNR trails to ATVs if the rider was 60 and over or disabled.

A PERSON NOT LESS THAN 60 YEARS OF AGE OR A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY MAY OPERATE AN ATV ON A NONDESIGNATED TRAIL, ROUTE, OR?AREA FOR PLEASURE OR HUNTING OR TO ACCESS A DESIGNATED TRAIL, ROUTE, OR AREA. AS USED IN THIS SUBSECTION, “PERSON WITH A DISABILITY” MEANS THAT TERM AS DEFINED IN SECTION 103 OF THE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, 1976 PA 220, MCL 37.1103.

Imagine all the singletrack at our state parks and recreational areas being opened to ATVs! This would have severely decimated many popular trails, but especially those like Island Lake that have sandier soils.

Fortunately that bill died in the last legislative session. It would not be a surprise to see it introduced a third time in his final term.

The Michigan Recreation and Parks Association is having another trails forum on Tuesday, February 3rd in Dearborn.

A list of the trail forum sessions is on-line.

The fee for those already attending the conference is $65.  For those just attending the trails forum, the fee is $105.

I will be there giving the presentation Building Urban Trails and Greenways with a collaborative effort in Detroit.

From the MRPA:

The MRPA Trails Greenways and Blueways Committee presents the 2nd state-wide trails forum.

The day long forum will consist of several case studies of successful trails. Presenters will include information specific to their trail on planning, construction and programming trails. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the successes and flaws in an educational format. Case studies include trail systems of Grand Rapids, Grosse Ille, Heart of Michigan, Detroit, Columbus, and others.

The lunch event will afford networking with trail experts.

The invited keynotes speaker of the forum is Tim O’Brien, former Vice President, Ford Motor Company. As deputy chief of staff at Ford, Mr. O’Brien was instrumental in Ford’s initiative of integrating sustainability into all aspects of its business strategy. Mr. O’Brien was the Ford Motor Company liaison in the Rouge Gateway Partnership. This public/private stakeholder group developed the Rouge Gateway Master Plan and Greenway. He championed the revitalization of the Rouge Center with its environmentally responsible manufacturing system and the largest green roof in North America. Mr. O’Brien is now an independent consultant specializing in “environmental mediation”.

Please join the MRPA Trails, Greenways and Blueways Committee for this day long forum of education and networking.

Here are some bike-related headlines from the past couple days.

Ghost Bike Driver Waives Exam

Kimberly Dancy waived her rights to an exam this week.  Dancy is accused of the hit-and-run accident on Woodward that killed a Detroit bicyclist.

Dancy’s waiving of her preliminary exam in Royal Oak’s 44th District Court amounts to “a concession that there was probably cause” for the felony charges, Royal Oak City Attorney Dave Gillam said.

Earlier this month, she dropped her lawsuit against the Royal Oak police that sought to force the return of her Jeep Liberty, Gillam said.

Dancy is going before Oakland County Circuit Judge Lisa Gorcyca on Monday.

This story was even picked up in the Chicago Tribune.

Polly Ann Trail Upgrade

The Polly Ann Trail is being extended in Orion Township as  we reported earlier (though it appears the costs have changed.)

Jimmy Carter gets Replacements for his Stolen Bikes

Someone recently stole Former President Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter’s bikes in Atlanta.  On the Daily Show this week, Jon Stewart presented Carter with two new bikes.  It was great watching his genuine gratefulness.

The Michigan Air Line is the name of a railroad that ran east and west across Michigan.  Nearly all of that railroad line has been abandoned and much if not most of it is now rail-to-trail.

(Note that the Michigan Airline name has nothing to do with air travel.  In fact, the Airline route was developed before bicyclists Wilbur and Orville Wright flew their first plane.)

A part of the Michigan Airline lies between the Huron Valley Trail and the West Bloomfield Trail.  It was the Coe Railroad which ran a dinner train.  The dinner train has ended and efforts are underway to abandon the rail line and convert it to a trail.

As we’ve mentioned earlier, this would be a hugely critical and popular trail connection.  We also noted last month that West Bloomfield was recommended to receive grant money to purchase their portion of the railroad.

The Spinal Column ran another article this week that sheds more light on the progress or lack thereof.

The Michigan Star Clipper Dinner Train made its final run on Wednesday, Dec. 31, closing a 24-year chapter in Walled Lake’s history but also opening up negotiations on selling the railroad’s land to local municipalities.

Railmark Holdings Company CEO and President B. Allen Brown has entered into discussions with Montoff Transportation Company to sell the railroad land. Although no official transaction has been finalized, Brown insists a deal is close at hand.

“There are legal complications but that’s to be expected in such a complicated transaction,” he said. “There are at least five parties involved. Suffice it to say that as of Dec. 31, there was no deal, but all parties are committed and we are all making a final push this month to finalize something by end of January.”

Rail-trail conversions are never easy or straightforward.  So, with a little luck and committment, there’s hope this missing trail link can become a premier connection in the near future.

Michigan’s DNR Parks & Recreation Division is asking the public to comment on their 2009-2019 Strategic Plan draft.

This plan represents the culmination of two and one-half years of extensive outreach effort to the public and other stakeholders who helped define the goals, objectives, and actions identified in the draft plan.

The draft plan will be available for a 30-day public comment period, and comments may be submitted to DNR-RecreationFeedback@michigan.gov via e-mail, or in writing to: Paul N. Curtis, Park Management Plan Administrator, DNR-Parks and Recreation Division, P.O. Box 30257, Lansing, MI 48909-7757.

The deadline for comments is 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 30, 2009.

Too much too read?  The summary: The plan is quite comprehensive and includes plenty of input on trails, both on land and on water.  We reviewed and commented earlier on in the process.  The plan has been added to and improved since then.

Overall, it looks real good and should help move the DNR Parks Divsion forward.