The National Park Service recently accepted public input on the final draft of the agency’s new Comprehensive River Management Plan. St. Croix 360 is now highlighting comments submitted by a variety of river users and stakeholders. This series will close with comments from St. Croix 360 readers. Please send your comments to greg@stcroix360.com if you want to be included.

Wild Rivers Conservancy is a nonprofit organization that works to “inspire stewardship to forever ensure the rare ecological integrity of the St. Croix and Namekagon Riverway.” Based in St. Croix Falls, the organization (formerly called the St. Croix River Association) works throughout the 7,700-square mile watershed to protect water, wildlife, and more.

Wild Rivers Conservancy is also the official “Friends group” of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. This close partnership means the nonprofit and the National Park Service work closely together, with the nonprofit supplying funds, staffing, and other resources to make National Park programs and protection possible.

Executive director Matt Poppleton shared the group’s official comments, but stressed that their input is much greater than one statement. Wild Rivers works alongside the National Park Service “nearly every day” in multiple ways, from education to river trips to managing invasive species and beyond.

“While we are not co-authors of the plan by any means, we freely share our thoughts both positive and constructive across our annual and strategic planning that the Park Service takes into consideration,” Poppleton said.

Most of the comments were in support of specific parts of the plan, including the process and framework for its development. Called out for praise were plans for consulting with Native American tribes, overall management direction, and coordination with other governmental units. They also made some suggestions regarding the proposed campsite reservation system.

Tribal consultation

The people of 10 Ojibwe tribes have legal rights regarding the river and the land it flows through based in treaties with the U.S. government. The National Park Service recognizes these rights and plans to “ensure that Tribal subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering rights within the Riverway are available to and appropriately exercised by Tribal members.” They will also consult with tribes on identifying historic sites and interpretation of current tribal use.

“The NPS considers supporting the exercising of these Treaty rights as one of its most important responsibilities,” the agency wrote.

Wild Rivers Conservancy supports this part of the plan as a benefit for the rivers. “We commend the significant level of Tribal consultation reflected in the plan. The inclusion of Tribal perspectives and recognition of Tribal interests strengthens the plan and supports the protection of cultural resources and outstandingly remarkable values.”

Management direction

The National Park Service developed other types of management plans in 1998 and 2002. The new plan expands on those previous documents in both geography and subject matter, but largely incorporates their established aspects. It calls for the above mentioned tribal collaboration, as well as stewardship and restoration of native species, protecting and utilizing cultural resources, diverse recreation opportunities, sustainable uses of National Park facilities, balancing the benefits and mitigating the impacts of commercial service, and collaborating with other government entities, private landowners, gateway communities, nonprofits and other partners.

“Ecological health, integrity, and resiliency are prioritized in the face of social and environmental challenges,” the document says in regards to natural resources.

Wild Rivers Conservancy says it appreciates the “clear management direction,” such as explanations of how the National Park Service will make future decisions regarding river regulations. “This adaptive framework provides important transparency and accountability in Riverway management.”

Intergovernmental coordination

The National Park Service intends to continue working with other federal agencies and other levels of government from state to local on numerous issues. That could include the federal Environmental Protection Agency for water quality, the Coast Guard for navigational aids, and the Army Corps of Engineers for research in invasive zebra mussels, or the U.S. Geological Survey, which manages stream flow gages and other monitoring equipment along the Riverway.

At the state-level, they plan to keep partnering with the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources on fisheries management, State Historic Preservation Offices on historic sites, Departments of Transportation on bridges and roads, and others. Local agencies include the 11 counties that the St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers flow through, as well as emergency services. The National Park Service is also a formal partner in several groups of government agencies and other entities, such as the the Upper St. Croix and Lower St. Croix Management Commissions.

Wild Rivers Conservancy supports these strategies and called for increased effort to collaborate on research and related efforts that can help protect and manage the Riverway.

“Ongoing coordination across jurisdictions remains essential to ensuring consistent stewardship and protection of the Riverway’s ecological and recreational values,” Wild Rivers Conservancy commented. “We also support strengthened collaboration on shared research, data collection, and monitoring efforts to inform management decisions, guide regulatory approaches, and promote science-based, coordinated management across jurisdictions within the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.”

Campsite reservations

The National Park Service is planning to develop a new reservation system for campsites along the river. Seeking to balance opportunities for both spontaneity and predictability, the National Park Service proposes allowing visitors to reserve within a specific river stretch, with nightly quotas that would not exceed the number of available campsites on that stretch. It would be up to the camper to find a site along that stretch.

“A variety of camping options would be available including primitive shoreline individual campsites, campsites within camping areas, island camping, and primitive shoreline group campsites,” the National Park Service wrote. “The zonal reservation system would require visitors to purchase a permit within a designated zone and then select a campsite within that zone upon arrival, with exceptions.”

A final reservation system plan has not yet been developed and there will be future opportunities for public input on proposals. Wild Rivers Conservancy calls for ensuring any new system provides equitable access for new and diverse visitor groups.

“In particular, consideration should be given to the potential challenges associated with reservation zones rather than individual sites, including situations where paddlers may be required to travel upstream if downstream sites within a zone are occupied.”

Coming up: Fishing guides weigh in. Reminder: St. Croix 360 readers are asked to send their personal comments on the plan to greg@stcroix360.com to be included in a future post.