An attempt to brand the Minnesota-Ontario border region as the “Heart of the Continent” is being made by federal agencies on both sides of the border.
Koochiching County commissioners expressed skepticism about the initiative Tuesday after Kathleen Przybylski, management assistant/administrative officer with Voyageurs National Park, explained the objectives of the partnership.
Commissioners were also concerned that the public is not aware of the partnership, which has existed for the past year.
The partnership is made up of 22 federal agencies and private organizations to promote more than five million acres of land and water along the border as a “world class international adventure destination,” Przybylski said.
Its purpose is not to create policies, but to promote the area and to share research between the different organizations, which include VNP, Quetico Provincial Park and Superior National Forest.
Commissioner Chuck Lepper said that if the objective is to promote the area, it “sounds good.” But with collaborators such as the Izaak Walton League and The Nature Conservancy, he sees “red flags.” The public in this area does not need more restrictions on outdoor activities, he said.
Commissioner Mike Hanson said he considers the partnership a way for more personal rights to be taken away. Based on agencies that are participating in the partnership, he said he doesn’t buy it that it is only for promotion purposes.
“I see this as a threat,” Hanson said.
Hanson also questioned why the Koochiching County Board had not heard of the partnership. He said he assumed it was because the partnership didn’t want the public to know about it.
Commissioners were made aware of the partnership after county board Chairman Wade Pavleck received an e-mail from former resident Don Parmeter of the American Property Coalition.
Pavleck said he found it hard to believe that the partnership would be a year into organizing without the county board’s knowledge. The partnership missed an opportunity to include the public by not making itself known, and that has created suspicion, he said.
Przybylski said she assumed the partnership had made itself known to the governmental affairs committee, but found that was not true.
Environmental Services Director Richard Lehtinen said things will change as of today because a local government is now aware of the partnership.
“The cat’s out of the bag,” he said.