Support the Timberjay by making a donation.

Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

New BWCA permit changes under fire in Ely

Keith Vandervort
Posted 11/20/18

ELY – Local users of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness offered up an earful of criticism to top officials on the Superior National Forest this past week, when they came to town to talk …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

New BWCA permit changes under fire in Ely

Posted

ELY – Local users of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness offered up an earful of criticism to top officials on the Superior National Forest this past week, when they came to town to talk about the new recreation reservation procedures that will take effect for next year.

Paul Hancock, the new Deputy Forest Supervisor for the Superior National Forest, who started his new job just six weeks ago, received a not-so-warm welcome and a blunt education from local residents and outfitters. Local users are concerned that the new reservation system will leave many Ely resorts, outfitters, and wilderness users at a disadvantage.

Advertised as an informational meeting at the Kawishiwi District office, the session quickly turned into a series of complaints and accusations from as many as fifty people who wanted nothing to do with the upgraded nationwide reservation system set to go live on Jan. 30, 2019.

Kawishiwi District Ranger Gus Smith said the new system provides a simpler, more efficient and equitable way for the public to reserve BWCAW quota permits and offers improved tools for people to plan their trips.

“Understand that we are doing our best to work with you,” Smith said. “If you have issues and questions we will bring those back to the contractor who actually created this reservation system.”

As of Oct. 1, recreation reservation services on the Superior National Forest were upgraded within the nation-wide “recreation.gov” website. These include stronger security controls, better protection of personally identifiable information, and increased fraud protection.

Opponents contend that the new system makes it harder for local wilderness outfitting businesses to obtain permits for their customers and for local anglers to secure day-use motor permits.

Ely resident Paul Maki questioned the use of the new reservation procedures for those who can’t get Internet or choose not to have it. “You used to have a telephone number that people could call,” he said. No one has mentioned that.” He was told the telephone number (877-444-6777) remains the same.

Ely-area resident Nancy McReady stressed that she “never sees any people” when she visits the Boundary Waters. “It seems like this system will make it harder for people,” she said. “What initiated the need for the change? Why wasn’t there any public input? Was Ely ever a consideration for the (national reservation system) call center here, or at least for the Boundary Waters?”

McReady said she would rather talk to people from Ely when making her permit reservations. “Why are we going to be talking to someone from Kentucky that hasn’t been up here and doesn’t understand the area?” she asked.

Other opponents lamented the fact that Ely-area residents don’t have access to fast-enough Internet service and can’t compete with those who grab all the available permits on the first day to make reservations. “By day two there won’t be any motorized day-use permits available,” said Ross Petersen. “It’s going to be the Elyites that take it on the chin.”

Superior National Forest Supervisor Connie Cummins said, “If we have problems (as the new reservation system goes live), we need to figure out what they are and what are the ways that we can move forward in changing it.”

“Well, that doesn’t help those of us that can’t take our boat into Basswood next year,” Petersen responded.

Forest Service officials ran through a tour of the new website and reservation system, maintaining that the look and feel of the website remains similar. In addition to security upgrades, the new site will offer real-time notification of availability and reservation of campsites in Superior National Forest developed campgrounds as well as Boundary Waters permits. Beginning in January 2019, the Forest Service will implement the administrative decision to make all BWCAW quota permits for all entry points only available for reservation using the first-come, first-served model.

But those in attendance had other grievances to air. At other recent informational sessions, local outfitters and day-use residents have complained that as many as 40 percent of the permits issued for the BWCAW are unused. They continued to lobby unsuccessfully last week that the unused permits be placed back into the system.

Smith disputed charges made by many members of the audience that the permits are being taken by people or “environmentals” that have no intention of using them. “It is not groups like the Friends of the Boundary Waters,” he said. “The no-shows are among us.”

Kawishiwi District Public Information Assistant Becca Manlove added that the Forest Service office here attempts to contact those who don’t use their permits and she has seen no pattern of abuse. “We see the names and call and ask them about it,” she said.

McReady argues for banning some users. “You have the data on who is applying for the permits. If there are multiple, multiple abuses of no-shows that person should be barred for a season or two from reserving,” she said.

“That would be prohibited by law,” Smith said.

For more information on the new permit reservation system, go to www.recreation.gov.