Nonmoto trails council takes shape

Two years after former Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle signed a bill creating the Nonmotorized Recreation and Transportation Trails Council, current Gov. Scott Walker recently seated the advisory group. It's first organizational meeting will be held in Stevens Point's Schmeeckle Reserve on August 16.

Per state statute, "the council will carry out studies and provide advice and consultation to the legislature, governor, Department of Natural Resources and Department of Transportation on all matters related to nonmotorized recreation and transportation trails, including trail planning, acquisition, development, maintenance, and management."

Walker appointed to the council 10 people who own or maintain nonmotorized trails or promote a variety of nonmotorized trail activities.

The members include Rod Bartlow, of Slinger, Ice Age Trail Alliance board member (representing long-distances hiking and backpacking); Bill Hauda, of Dodgeville, former director of GRABWAAR and SAGBRAW bike tours and Silent Sports columnist (representing long-distance bicycle tours and rail trails); Anne Murphy, of Poynette, a Maple Bluff Police Sergeant and mounted patrol training officer (equestrians); Dana Johnson, of Waukesha, owner of Open Leaf Excursions (small business owners); Joel Patenaude, of Middleton, editor of Silent Sports (tourism); Debbie Peterson, of Balsam Lake, director of the Polk County Parks and Forestry (northern Wisconsin county trail operator); David Phillips, of Madison, Ice Age Trail board member and Wisconsin State Trails Council member (bird watching, nature study, hunting, fishing); Geoffrey Snudden, of Green Bay, business developer at Trek Bicycle Corp. (bicycling industry); Blake Theisen, of Madison, landscape architect with SAA Design Group, Inc. (trail facility planner); and Ned Zuelsdorff, of Cable, executive director of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (nonmotorized trail sports).

For more information, go to dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/trails/nrttc.html