Who Is CWCS?

CWCS’s Mission Statement is: To educate the public in order to preserve reasonable public access to and sensible recreational multiple-use of public lands and waters (including motorized uses) in Northeastern Minnesota, especially the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), with care for the environment.

CWCS Supports:

1. Reasonable access to and sensible, multiple-use recreation of public lands and waters. Public lands should be managed in a manner conducive to supporting a wide variety of traditional recreational uses including: hunting, fishing, boating, canoeing, camping, hiking, biking, trapping, skiing, dog sledding, snowmobiling, and ATV use as well as forest management. This does not mean that every use at all times is desirable. It does mean seeking ways to accommodate various user groups based on common sense and mutual respect.
2. The use of common sense, the best available scientific data, objective analysis, and broad public input on the part of government agencies and elected officials when making and implementing land management and environmental policies.
3. Continued multiple-use of our National Forests and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and the return of trucks to Four Mile Portage, as they have been on Prairie and Trout Lake Portages. (A 70-year tradition, trucks were returned to these two portages in 1999 after a seven-year absence).
4. Caring for our natural environment. A healthy natural environment, including clean air, water and soil is essential to present and future generations.
5. Being environmentally, economically and socially responsible. The human factor must be put back into land management policies. The needs of local communities and all users can and must be balanced with the conservation of sensitive natural environments.

Other issues CWCS has been involved with and educated people about:

• 1992 BWCAW Management Plan
• Voyageurs National Park (VNP) Management
• BWCAW User Fees
• Re-Opening the Lost Lake SNA to hunting
• Vermilion River Plan
• Roadless Area Policy
• Opposed Little Alfie Logging Protest with Pro-Logging Rally
• Supports logging in National Forests
• ESA De-listing of the timberwolf
• Re-Introduction of Caribou in the BWCAW
• Opposed VNP Bay Closures
• Opposed Blanket Ban of Jet-Skis in National Parks
• American Land Sovereignty Protection Act
• State-wide Land Use Conferences
• Instrumental in obtaining designated ATV trails and Gilbert OHV Park
• Re-Licensing of the Winton Hydro Electric Plant
• Isle Royale Management
• Canadian Lynx Study
• Apostle Islands wilderness proposal allowing established uses
• Opposed Snowmobile ban in National Parks
• Returning vehicle use to Prairie & Trout Lake Portages
• Management & Maintenance of Trout Lake Portage
• Re-Licensing of the Winton Hydro Electric Plant
• Superior/Chippewa National Forest Revision Management Plan
• Superior National Forest/Boundary Waters Management post 1999 blowdown
• Rainy River Basin Plan
• On Community Readiness Committee supporting safer economic development of Mining Projects/Coal Gasification Plants
• Opposes the Friends of the Boundary Waters proposal for 90,000 acres of more wilderness in northeastern Minnesota
• Chain of Lakes Permit Quota Lawsuit, Appeal & recalculation
• Oppose Roadless Areas, Buffer Zones & SPNM Areas including Big Lake & Vegetable Lakes SPNM
• Supports northern South Fowl Lake Snowmobile Trail Re-route & South Fowl Lawsuit
• Supports Echo Trail Timber Management Plan