Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact South Fowl ...

from Royal Lake, but it will involve members of the public in restoring tree diversity to
the bench area that is dominated by mountain maple.
Alternative 3 was not selected because it did not seem to resolve any issues. It would still
require new construction on the segment coming off from McFarland Lake. As well, it
would require construction of switchbacks on the steep segment in section 11. Further,
similar to Alternatives 4 and 5, it would continue to place snowmobiles on South Fowl
Road.
Alternative 5 did not meet the purpose and need. There would be no safe snowmobile
route from McFarland Lake to the intersection of South Fowl Road. While people could
trailer their machines to the parking lot, I find the other alternatives, particularly
Alternatives 2 and 4, provide a reasonable solution and meet the purpose and need.
No action alternative has been discussed above in that it would leave an unsafe situation
in place. There are those who would suggest that snowmobilers don’t need to be able to
ride to South Fowl Lake and maybe this is an area from which they should be precluded.
There are approximately 3 million acres of land within the borders of the Superior
National Forest. Of that, approximately 2.2 million are under National Forest
management, and of that 2.2 million acres, approximately 1.1 million acres are within the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The debate for what should be wilderness and
what should not be wilderness was determined by Congress in 1978, with a strategic
management plan for the BWCAW revised in 1993. Strategic management for lands
outside the wilderness were determined with the Forest Plan revision that was concluded
in August, 2004. My conclusion from reading each of these laws and policies is that
snowmobiling to South Fowl Lake is historical and legal. I have determined it reasonable
to continue to allow its use and make it safe.
If the need becomes evident that the north route should be closed and Alternative 4 be
constructed, I am fully confident closure of the north route would be successful.
Techniques for our road closures have been demonstrated to be very successful. Further,
as I walked both the Border Route Trail and the Tilbury Trail, I have witnessed how
quickly the regrowth of trees and brush encroach and take over those trails. I have also
witnessed how quickly trees die; fall and cover the trail, making it blend in with the
surrounding forest (see Figure 7).
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