By GRAHAM

JAEHNIG

The Daily

Mining Gazette

KEWEENAW COUNTY — The Nature Conservancy is again asking local residents and visitors to the area to stay on state designated ORV trails and to respect closed gates throughout the Keweenaw Heartlands. The request was published in a Thursday release.

On June 28, 2023, TNC released a statement announcing the closure of the snowmobile-only portion of Trail #3 up to Brockway Mountain in the Keweenaw Heartlands to traffic for the summer to ATV traffic, due to erosion and to protect visitors and residents.

“Erosion is becoming a problem on Snowmobile Trail #3, which is why we made the decision to close it for the summer and avoid additional damage to the trail,” Emily Clegg, director of land and water management for TNC in Michigan is quoted as saying in the release. “We ask residents and visitors to stay on the state designated ORV trails and to respect closed gates throughout the Keweenaw Heartlands. Gates are there to protect the natural resources beyond it and keep the public safe.”

The Thursday release, in asking the public to respect barriers on the trail states that gates are there to protect the natural resources beyond it and keep the public safe.

The release states that for anyone with questions about the Trail #3 closure or any additional thoughts, questions, or concerns about the Keweenaw Heartlands project, you can email Keweenaw Peninsula Project Manager Julia Petersen at julia.petersen@tnc.org.