michigan outdoors-people help needed

[lonehunter]

HELLO , LONEHUNTER HERE , I HAVE JUST SPENT THE 4th OF JULY WEEKEND IN THE BEST DARN PUBLIC CAMPGROUND I HAVE EVER BEEN TO . IT IS LISTED AS A SEMI PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND , OUT-HOUSES AND A HAND PUMP FOR WATER . IT IS NESSELED ALONG A CLASS 2 TROUT STREAM .

I CAN TELL YOU OTHER THINGS IT DID NOT HAVE , NO TRASH THROWN AROUND , NO BROKEN GLASS , NOT EVEN A DISGUARDED CIGARETTE BUTT ON THE GROUNDS ANYWHERE . NO LOUD MUSIC , NO DRUNKS YELLING OR GETTING CARRIED AWAY , NO FIGHTING , NO SWEARING , NO BOOB BATTA BOOM FROM CAR RADIOS ,NOBODY HOT-RODDING AROUND , IN FACT I DIDN'T HEAR A RADIO ALL WEEKEND . THE LOUDEST THING YOU WOULD HEAR WOULD BE SOME LAUGHTER FROM ANOTHER CAMP DOWN THE WAY . ANY TIME DAY OR NIGHT THERE WAS PEACE AND QUIET NO LOUD NOISE AT ALL !

YOU DID HAVE , A CLEAN PLACE TO CAMP AT A COMFORTABLE DISTANCE AWAY FROM OTHERS FOR YOUR PRIVACY , FREINDLY CAMPERS AS NEIGHBORS , SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN GOING THERE SINCE THEY WERE KIDS WITH THERE DADS FOR THE LAST FOURTY SOME YEARS AGO .

I MYSELF WAS INVITED TO SEVERAL CAMPSITES TO DISCUSS FLY FISHING , THE RIVER AND WELL SADLEY TO SAY , HOW THE D.N.R. HAS FORGOTTEN HOW THIS CAMP WAS STARTED BY FLY FISHERMEN AND WOMEN AND THERE KIDS COUNTLESS DECADES AGO . THEY CLEAN THE PARK DAILEY . THE D.N.R. JUST COMES IN TO PICK UP THE CAMPSITE FEES , THEY ( D.N.R. )DON'T EVEN BOTHER TO DRIVE AROUND THE GROUNDS TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE DOING . JUST TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN .

THESE DEDICATED PEOPLE , JUST LIKE YOU AND I ARE FIGHTING TO PRESERVE THIS HAVEN . THEY ARE UP AGAINST THE D.N.R. AND IT'S ( MY OPINION CRAPPY ) TACTICS . SWITCHING CONTROLL BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT , AND THE D.E.Q. . BACK AND FORTH .

THE D.N.R. WANTS TO CLEAR OUT THE TREES IN THE CAMPGROUND AND PACK IT FULL OF CAMPSITES , ONE AFTER ANOTHER , ROW BY ROW . TURNING IT INTO A BASIC PARKING LOT FOR CAMPERS , DESTROYING THE AMBIANCE THAT EXISTS THERE NOW . WHY ? TO MAXIMISE THE PROPERTY'S PROFIT .

NOW I GOTTA TELL YOU FIRST OFF , THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER CAMPGROUNDS IN THE AREA , THERES THE ONES FOR THE HORSEBACK RIDERS , THE ONES FOR THE OFF-ROAD VEHICALS AND THE BUNCH OF CAMGROUNDS FOR THE TUBERS AND CANOERS . THERS PLENTY OF ROOM TO ADD TO THESE CAMPGROUND SITES WITHOUT DESTROYING THIS ONE .

LOGGING OUT THE SITE WOULD ALSO LEAD TO SEDIMENT BUILD UP IN THIS PRISTEEN TROUT STREAM . I KNOW I LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE THE D.N.R. HAS BEEN SELLING OF THE WOODS TO LOGGERS FOR YEARS . OUR CEDAR RIVER IS FULL OF SEDIMENT NOW . IT CAN LOOK ONLY A FOOT OR SO DEEP , BUT TAKE A STEP IN AND YOUR WASTE DEEP IN MUCK , RUNOFF LEFT FROM THE CLEARCUTS . MAKES THIS ONCE CLASS 1 TROUT STREAM A CHUB INFESTED DITCH . NO LIE .

THE CAMPERS AND FISHERMEN ARE FIGHTING TO KEEP THIS SITE IN IT'S PRESENT CONDITION . THEY HAVE THOUGHT UP A WORKING PLAN TO DO SO AT A LOWER COST THAN THE D.N.R's PLAN . BUT THE D.N.R. IS REFUSING TO LISTEN .

SO THERE STARTING A PETITION TO SAVE THE SITE . IS IT WORTH THE FIGHT ? DARN TOOTING IT IS , I HAVE NEVER SEEN A BETTER ONE . THE FOLLOWING POST WILL BE THE PETITIONS CONTENTS . READ IT , THINK ABOUT IT , MAKE YOUR OPINION KNOWN . PRO OR CON .

I AM ASKING THAT IF YOU FEEL IT WOULD BE WORTH THE TIME TO SAVE THIS GEM OF OUR STATE THAT YOU COPY THE POST AND SEND IT TO WHOEVER YOU CAN TO HELP IN THE EFFORT . OR MAKE A COPY FOR YOURSELF AND GET AS MANY PEOPLE YOU CAN TO SIGN IT . HECK , SEND A COPY OF IT TO THE GOVERNESSS AND MAKE HER LIVE UP TO HER OATH OF OFFICE . I AM .

ONCE YOU HAVE FILLED OUT YOUR PATITION YOU CAN CONTACT ME THRU A P.M. OR REPLY TO ME IN A POST AND I WILL GET IT SENT TO THE LADY IN CHARGE OF THIS BATTLE WITH THE D.N.R.

THIS IS A FLY PERSONS PARADISE , AND A FAMILY GET-A-WAY SPOT THAT IS UNLIKE ANY I HAVE EVER EXPERIANCED , IT IS WELL WORTH FIGHTING FOR .

THANKS , LONEHUNTER .
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[lonehunter]

PETITION TO SAVE THE TREES IN THE UPPER MANISTEE CAMPGROUND



The undersigned are requesting that the Upper Manistee Campground NOT be closed for rennovation and redesign to :

1. Replace michigan woodland enviornment with grass campsites and thereby require logging .

2. Intensify the number of sites per loop , and thereby require logging .

3. Add a loop between the Upper Manistee Campgroung Road and the existing campsites, thereby require logging.

It is our hope that:

1. the "overflow"campground can be used for group camping, and

2. The present group/walk-in campground can be used for additional drive-in sites if additional sites are necessary.

This would make it easier to build the necessary handicapped facilities without destroying the beauty of the Upper Manistee Campground .

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