The Forest Service announced today that due to a lawsuit by LIRPA, a private, non-profit environmental protection group, that a number of entry points would be closed until an appeal could overturn the injunction. Entry points 31,32,33,36,37, and 39 are all closed until further notice. The Forest Service believes they will be able to win an appeal and the entry points will be reopened in time for most 2004 permits to be used. LIRPA obtained the ruling to close these entry points while an an environmental impacts study is performed. LIRPA obtained the judgement using a obscure St. Louis County law passed in 1963 protecting endangered plant species on public land. LIRPA has show prelimarly results that certain endangered plants in the region of these entry points have been further endangered by portaging and canoe camping in the region. Chuck Robers of the USFS says "Ironically, the plant species in question may not be native to this area and could have been transported by canoe campers in the late 70's. We have calls into the Forest Service for an update on what there action plan will be, and we will post with any information.

Thank you for posting. Please keep up updated on this important issue.
I have a permit for entry point #37 in September.

Thank you for the info, I to have a permit for one of the mentioned sites. It is for #33 in early June. I sure hope this gets cleared up soon. Please keep us posted on any updates.

Yeah - LIRPA always waits until about this time of year to start stirring up trouble...

This isn't the first time I've heard of them, either. The problem is, they always get things backwards...

How dare they-LIRPA has tried this before. They play us for fools every year only to learn that their misdirected issues are frivolous and not worth anyones time. I am sure that by tomorrow, next week or next month this too shall pass. If you have any of these permits, hold on for a couple of days-mark my words this too shall pass and your trip will go on without any delay. I know these people and their tactics. This is another one of their smoke screens.

Well great news for non-LIRPA members and permit holders! A federal district court judge has overturned the lower court ruling restricting access to the BWCA through the above mentioned entry points. The judge ruled that the evidence of destruction and consumption of the lichen subspecies, Cladina stellaris, the main endangured plant in questions, by canoe campers was not substantiated with enough scientific evidence to warrant the closing of BWCA entry points. The evidence was primarily anecdotal and was exagerated to imply that lichen is a main food source of Boundary Waters travelers. The Forest Service offerred to the court to further educate BWCA travelers on lichen, promising to extend its entry permit video to include mention of lichen in the leave-no-trace segment. We encourge people to educate themselves at www.lichen.com. Hopefully, with education, we can keep LIPRA away for at least another year from making headway into the BWCA with their message of lichen protection.

Nice,
"The Forest Service offerred to the court to further educate BWCA travelers on lichen"

does this mean more lichen affiliated recipes? ;)

Hex

I knew LIRPA would fail again. It seems like every year around the first of April this group gets someone to feel sorry for them and advance their frivilous and foolish causes. After seeing so many of their "pranks" over the last several years I knew that this would be like every other year. One day an issue the next day gone. Guess it is kind of like Death and taxes. One of the few things in life you can count on.

Oh well, glad it worked out in our favor again. Can't wait to see what they pull first of April next year.