These hillsides start out vegetated with grass and scattered trees of various species. The soils are sandy with little organic matter in the upper horizons of soil. As the ATVs run up and down the hills, the protective vegetative cover is lost, exposing the loose sandy soil. With continued use, the ATV runs become deep channels. The loose sand is spun behind tires resulting in deeper and deeper channels over time.
Water runoff has nowhere to go but down the channel, further accelerating the erosive process.
This project will have to devote taxpayer money to rehabilitate approximately 30 sites from ATV erosion and damage. Sites are located around this area, but specifically around Long and Bladder Lakes. As an aside, the Washburn District implemented the Delta-Drummond timber sale located in the southern portion of the district in 2000 on 5,234 acres that produced 48 million board feet. Back to Top E. Northwest Howell Located in the Eagle River-Florence District of the CNNF, this sale proposes to cut 7,723 acres in an area just south of the state line. Over 6,000 acres will be selection harvests, with the remaining cutting divided between thinning and clearcutting.