United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Hiawatha National Forest St. Ignace Ranger District W1900 West US-2 St. Ignace, MI 49781 906-643-7900 File Code: 1950 Date: August 5, 2011 Dear National Forest User: Re: Proposed Saint Ignace Ranger District Interpretive Trail Proposed Action The Saint Ignace Ranger District proposes the establishment of a multi-purpose, non-motorized, community based trail network on an 80-acre parcel of National Forest land adjacent to the Saint Ignace Ranger District Office (see vicinity map below) (T40N - R4W, W ½, NE 1/4 of Section 8, Mackinac County, Michigan). The trail system would offer opportunities for hiking, crosscountry skiing, mountain biking, and fitness training as well as interpretive features for the public and schools that focus on the local natural and human history. The trail network would consist of three connecting loops that form one larger loop defined as the perimeter of the trail network. The total length for all three loops, plus the spurs, would be 2.2 miles in length. The map below shows the trail network with its three loops, spurs, trailheads and viewing platform. Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recycled Paper
Proposed Multi-Purpose, Non-Motorized, Community Based, Trail Network located at the Saint Ignace Administrative Site:
Each of the three loops provides slightly different themes with the following descriptions: Northern Loop The Northern Loop is a single-track trail providing a 0.8 mile loop for hiking, running, skiing and biking. Natural history interpretation consists of relatively small labeling of plant and tree names and modest outdoor posters explaining the early human history within the historic Gros Cap farm field. The single-lane trail tread would be 16-28 inches wide. Wet areas would be mitigated by avoidance, graveling and short corduroy s, and planking. The main trailhead would be located on the south side of the office building, but could also be accessed via a short spur from the north side of the employee parking or along the baseline. Southern Loop The Southern Loop would be 0.8 miles in length and would be built to the same standard as the Northern Loop. The trail would accommodate hiking, running, skiing, and biking. Small plaques labeling plants and trees would be placed along the route. Trailheads to access the Southern Loop would lie directly east of the office, from the employee parking lot. The baseline would form the northern segment of the southeastern loop. A viewing platform may be established near the southern boundary of the 80 acre parcel to offer views of Lake Michigan and the Saint Helena Island and Lighthouse. A viewing platform would be dependent on funding from non-forest Service sources and would need to be built to specifications acceptable by the Forest Service. Additional interpretive opportunities of early human history may be provide at the viewing platform. The viewing platform would be placed back from the tree-line from the US-2 right-of-way and would not exceed the top of the canopy. The intention is to keep it non-visible from the highway. Interpretive Loop The three segments of the Interpretive Loop would lie south and east of the office building. The northern segment follows an existing, faint corridor that bisects the native forest island between the visitor and employee parking lots. The eastern segment would continue down the eastern side of the loop and the last segment brings the visitor back to the employee parking lot. The Interpretive Loop shares a segment of the southern loop while adding an additional 0.5 miles of spurs. The Interpretive Loop would follow the highest level of maintenance standards which would provide for ADDA accessibility and a higher level interpretive signing. The Interpretive Loop would be ideal for small children, the elderly and people with disabilities. Trail tread may be imported material. Obstacles would not be present and grades would be kept to less than 8%. Bridges and trail structures may be needed for resource protection and user convenience. Trail side amenities such as benches and/or tables may be present. Mountain Biking Mountain biking would be initially allowed and monitored. Use of mountain bikes would be monitored and if either accelerated resource damage starts to occur or public safety is jeopardized as determined by the District Ranger, then the mountain bike use may be discontinued. We do not anticipate that this would be a popular mountain bike destination because the trail distances are considered too short for most mountain bikers. It would be important for mountain bikers to understand proper trail etiquette to make it work.
Winter Use All three loops may be groomed for winter cross-country skiing. The standard of the groomed trail would be the same that are currently used for the Sand Dune, McNearney and Waboose cross-country trails. This would allow the Eastside Units to maintain the grooming with their existing equipment while minimizing the clearing and tread width of the summer trail. This does not provide for skate-skiing which requires a wider track that is frequently groomed. The same trailheads would provide access and be maintained by grooming. Access to the viewing platform would not be maintained during the winter time. Motorized Use Motorized use would not be allowed on the trail system. The only exceptions would be snowmobiles would be allowed to groom the trail during the winter time by the Forest Service and Forest Service Volunteers. Motorized equipment may be used for construction of some sections of the trail. ORV s may be needed infrequently, and with a high degree of discretion, for maintenance by the Forest Service or Forest Service Volunteers. This project falls within the category of actions that may be categorically excluded from documentation in an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement, provided there are no extraordinary circumstances related to the proposed action (36 CFR 220.6(a)). Specifically, the proposed activities meet Category 6, Construction and Reconstruction of trails. (36 CFR 220.6(e)(1).). Although this is not an appealable decision, I would appreciate any comments or concerns you may have regarding this project. Comments, concerns, and questions can be mailed to me at: USDA Forest Service St. Ignace Ranger District W1900 US 2 St. Ignace, MI 49781 Your comments would be most useful if received by August 22, 2011. If you have any questions about this proposal, contact the project leader, Jim Ozenberger, at 906.643.7900, ext 157. Sincerely, /s/ Stevan J. Christiansen STEVAN J. CHRISTIANSEN District Ranger
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