Save Prince's Forest; Preserve Chanhassen's Natural Trail
Save Prince's Forest; Preserve Chanhassen's Natural Trail
The Issue
After Prince died, the "city of Chanhassen" was quick to scoop up his land.
During life, Prince lived in Chanhassen, Minnesota where he owned ~180 acres of forest and marshland that he preserved in pristine condition. The forest includes a natural trail that Prince enjoyed walking and that he allowed members of the community to also walk (and that we still walk): this is one of the last remaining natural trails in Chanhassen. The "city of Chanhassen" is quick to develop any and every scrap of nature they get their hands on. Although Prince could have developed this land, he chose to preserve it: Prince loved nature.
After acquiring his land in 2017, the "city of Chanhassen" immediately demolished large swathes of forest on the land and constructed McMansion neighborhoods. Originally, they left one portion of forest intact with this natural trail.
Now the "city of Chanhassen" has committed to a project that shall broaden and pave the trail through the forest, requiring them to kill hundreds of trees and thousands of saplings.
A large portion of the remaining forest through which the trail passes is unique because it is wedged between two lakes: frogs, toads, turtles, and other animals depend on this land as a bridge between the lakes; paving this trail will enable access to trucks, motor bikes, mowers, other vehicles, and increased general traffic, endangering the lives of these small animals.
The width of the proposed trail corridor, especially with a lawn on either side of the trail, can cause the forest to behave differently along the edges due to the size of the opening, as if it is the edge of a clearing or the end of the forest. In effect, trail-goers shall no longer be immersed in the forest.
According to the Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG), an accessible trail is 36" wide (with some minor exceptions) and has a firm and stable surface but does not need to be paved (provisions 7.4.1 and 7.4.2).
https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/FSTAG-2013-Update.pdf
According to these accessibility standards, most of this trail is already accessibility compliant, and, with only minor alterations, the entire trail can be without killing any trees.
These are the same accessibility standards used by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (see provision 6.72 in the handbook).
According to the Minnesota DNR, nature trails should be developed with the following principle in mind: to protect resources and environment and preserve the experience [of walking in the forest]. The "city of Chanhassen" is failing to fulfill this duty.
Many members of the community do not want this project to move forward, as people enjoy having access to a natural trail through a beautiful unpaved forest; there are already abundant paved trails throughout Chanhassen, including existing paved trails around portions of these lakes. There are scant and declining natural trails in Chanhassen: this is one of the last remaining unpaved havens for wildlife in Chanhassen.
Aside from the initial tax-burden to construct this unnecessary pavement, ongoing maintenance costs shall be imposed upon Chanhassen residents for mowing, snow removal, tree removal, upkeep, and chemical spraying that shall also endanger the lives of animals.
Without immediate action to halt this project, it shall proceed immediately and shall likely be complete this fall.
Let us instead preserve this forest in honor of Prince: a greater tribute than a mural, a statue, or a museum is to preserve the forest that he preserved: Prince loved this forest.
My proposal is, in lieu of paving this forest, we declare this forest and trail the Prince Rogers Nelson Wildlife Preserve and Nature Trail.
If you respect Nature and the inherent value of all life, then please sign and share this petition.
(The original photo included estimated trail widths; the updated photo lists precise measurements using a tape measure: the paved trail ranges between 8.5 to 9+ feet, and with the lawn corridor, the total trail width is as much as 20+ feet wide in some places; the majority of the existing nature trail in the forest ranges from 3 to 5+ feet, exceeding state and federal accessibility requirements and complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act.)
599
The Issue
After Prince died, the "city of Chanhassen" was quick to scoop up his land.
During life, Prince lived in Chanhassen, Minnesota where he owned ~180 acres of forest and marshland that he preserved in pristine condition. The forest includes a natural trail that Prince enjoyed walking and that he allowed members of the community to also walk (and that we still walk): this is one of the last remaining natural trails in Chanhassen. The "city of Chanhassen" is quick to develop any and every scrap of nature they get their hands on. Although Prince could have developed this land, he chose to preserve it: Prince loved nature.
After acquiring his land in 2017, the "city of Chanhassen" immediately demolished large swathes of forest on the land and constructed McMansion neighborhoods. Originally, they left one portion of forest intact with this natural trail.
Now the "city of Chanhassen" has committed to a project that shall broaden and pave the trail through the forest, requiring them to kill hundreds of trees and thousands of saplings.
A large portion of the remaining forest through which the trail passes is unique because it is wedged between two lakes: frogs, toads, turtles, and other animals depend on this land as a bridge between the lakes; paving this trail will enable access to trucks, motor bikes, mowers, other vehicles, and increased general traffic, endangering the lives of these small animals.
The width of the proposed trail corridor, especially with a lawn on either side of the trail, can cause the forest to behave differently along the edges due to the size of the opening, as if it is the edge of a clearing or the end of the forest. In effect, trail-goers shall no longer be immersed in the forest.
According to the Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG), an accessible trail is 36" wide (with some minor exceptions) and has a firm and stable surface but does not need to be paved (provisions 7.4.1 and 7.4.2).
https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/FSTAG-2013-Update.pdf
According to these accessibility standards, most of this trail is already accessibility compliant, and, with only minor alterations, the entire trail can be without killing any trees.
These are the same accessibility standards used by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (see provision 6.72 in the handbook).
According to the Minnesota DNR, nature trails should be developed with the following principle in mind: to protect resources and environment and preserve the experience [of walking in the forest]. The "city of Chanhassen" is failing to fulfill this duty.
Many members of the community do not want this project to move forward, as people enjoy having access to a natural trail through a beautiful unpaved forest; there are already abundant paved trails throughout Chanhassen, including existing paved trails around portions of these lakes. There are scant and declining natural trails in Chanhassen: this is one of the last remaining unpaved havens for wildlife in Chanhassen.
Aside from the initial tax-burden to construct this unnecessary pavement, ongoing maintenance costs shall be imposed upon Chanhassen residents for mowing, snow removal, tree removal, upkeep, and chemical spraying that shall also endanger the lives of animals.
Without immediate action to halt this project, it shall proceed immediately and shall likely be complete this fall.
Let us instead preserve this forest in honor of Prince: a greater tribute than a mural, a statue, or a museum is to preserve the forest that he preserved: Prince loved this forest.
My proposal is, in lieu of paving this forest, we declare this forest and trail the Prince Rogers Nelson Wildlife Preserve and Nature Trail.
If you respect Nature and the inherent value of all life, then please sign and share this petition.
(The original photo included estimated trail widths; the updated photo lists precise measurements using a tape measure: the paved trail ranges between 8.5 to 9+ feet, and with the lawn corridor, the total trail width is as much as 20+ feet wide in some places; the majority of the existing nature trail in the forest ranges from 3 to 5+ feet, exceeding state and federal accessibility requirements and complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act.)
599
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Petition created on July 28, 2024