Keeping access open to hundreds of thousands of acres of forestland in northern Minnesota is imperative to the lifestyle and economy of Borderland.

A plan by Gov. Tim Pawlenty to cap the payments made to Forest Capital Partners and other timberland owners through the maximum Sustainable Forest Incentive Act is shortsighted and must be stopped.

The sustainable Forest Incentive Act was passed by the Minnesota Legislature in 2001 and allows annual payments to be made to enrolled owners of forested land as an incentive to practice long-term sustainable forest management.

Pawlenty’s plan would reduce the $7 minimum per-acre payment that Forest Capital now receives, to 39-cents. That means it could make more sense financially for these landowners to sell off pieces for private use or leases.

Locally, the plan could end access to valuable timber and ultimately end public access to miles of groomed snowmobile trails, countless miles of trails open to all-terrain vehicle use, and 296,000 acres open for hiking, berry picking and hunting.

The change may also play a role in deciding whether these landowners would continue to provide conservation easements, which also keep property open to the public.

These lands feed our paper mills, supply jobs to hundreds of people, and draw outdoor enthusiasts to the area from across the Midwest which provides money to area businesses.

Craig Halla, Forest Capital Partners regional manager, wrote in a letter to northern Minnesota lawmakers that our very own former Sen. Bob Lessard called Pawlenty’s plan a disaster for sports enthusiasts across Minnesota.

The International Falls City Council and Koochiching County Board have indicated opposition to Pawlenty’s plan because their members see the value in keeping these privately owned forests open to the public.

State and local officials must band together to keep Pawlenty’s plan from impacting management practices of these timberlands which could effect our local economy.