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BCLF's Goals, History and Accomplishments
As an infant organization, BCLF is just forming its short and long term vision of how it can best achieve the goals defined in our Mission Statement. Our goals include:
Provide assistance to lake groups wishing to form lake associations.
Make existing lake associations aware of the activities of the Wisconsin Association of Lakes and encourage them to become members.
Establish a list of all lake contacts and initiate regular communications on issues of mutual interest. Make the list available to all BCLF members.
Actively support the NW Lakes Conference.
Attend the Wisconsin Lakes Convention. Participate in discussions with other county associations, UWEX, WAL & DNR, to better define how county associations can participate in lake protection and improvement programs.
Educate members about Adopt-A-Lake and state grant programs for lake management and monitoring activities. Assist members seeking grants for these purposes.
Work with Bayfield County to provide the best protection of all shoreland property values by clarifying and strengthening our shoreland zoning regulations.
BAYFIELD COUNTY LAKES FORUM
Bayfield County Lakes Forum, Inc. (BCLF) was founded and incorporated in 2000. BCLF facilitates education, research and information sharing between organizations, individuals, governmental bodies and the general public. BCLF concerns include issues relating to the protection, preservation and improvement of Bayfield County water bodies, shore lands, environs and watersheds. Issues include aesthetics, water quality, wildlife habitat, fisheries, recreation and the economic impacts of lake shore owners, lake users and businesses depending on them.
BCLF is an affiliate member of Wisconsin Association of Lakes (WAL).
Among many BCLF accomplishments in the last three years, the following are most important:
Supporting lake associations
BCLF assisted groups in forming new lake associations. There are now 19 active organized lake groups. In 2000 there were 13.
Established communication links between lake groups and with BCLF directors to share information on common concerns. Communications include email at BCLF_2000@yahoo.com and the BCLF website, www.BCLF@freewebspace.com.
In 2002, voting membership privileges were extended to representatives of lakes not having a formal organization. This was done to assure all lakes could have a voice, not just the largest or formally organized.
Through affiliate membership in WAL, and working with county organizations we have established a coalition focused on lake issues affecting the entire northwestern region.
Education
In partnership with the Ashland/Bayfield County League of Women voters, BCLF helped organize and present three citizen information meetings regarding then pending changes to the zoning ordinance. Approximately 300 people attended The meetings were held in August, 2000.
Lake Fair 2000, a joint effort of BCLF, Namekagon Lake Association and Cable Wiley Lake Association presented a full day of lake information to over 140 lake owners, local government officials and the public.
Lake Fair 2001, sponsored by BCLF in partnership with Namekagon Lake Association, Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute, Cable Museum of Natural History, and the University of Wisconsin-Extension, presented a full day lake program to over 120 attendees.
BCLF was the lead organization in organizing and presenting the first Northwest Lakes Leadership Conference in June 2002. We teamed with county lake groups from Burnett, Douglas, Sawyer and Washburn County. Wisconsin Association of lakes provided some assistance as well. This educational conference was attended by 200 lake leaders, local government officials and other interested parties. Our 2003 conference again broke attendance records and is regarded as Wisconsin's best one day water conference.
With WAL, using funding from a Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network grant, BCLF assisted Bayfield County in developing a Shoreland Friends information packet and obtaining materials for it. This information packet is distributed through the zoning office, UWEX office and by local realtors.
Government relations
BCLF directors and member organizations attended meetings and provided input to the Bayfield County Ad Hoc Citizens Committee on Shoreland Zoning.
BCLF representatives appeared and testified at Zoning Committee and County Board hearings regarding the ordinance changes recommended by the Ad Hoc Committee. BCLF participation in part resulted in adoption of new and more protective standards, especially for smaller, less developed and more vulnerable lakes.
BCLF wrote many letters to local papers and to local officials on lake protection and zoning issues and urged fully funding the zoning department and UWEX office. We stressed the need to complement education on lake management issues with effective administration and enforcement of land use ordinances.
Using the email alert process, BCLF made members aware of lake issues at the statewide level and encouraged citizens to contact the Governor and legislators with regard to legislation affecting lake management and protections.
BCLF will continue to be an active and ever more powerful voice for the preservation and improvement of the precious water resources of Bayfield County, the value of property adjoining those waters and the economic benefits that derive from them.
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Bayfield County's Lakes and Streams
Baylfeld County has a wealth of surface water resources. We enjoy over 940 inland lakes of which 259 have privately owned shoreline, and hundreds of miles of streams and rivers including the Namakagon Wild and Scenic River and Class I trout streams. We also have extensive shoreline on Lake Superior, the crown jewel of the Great Lakes.
Because of distance to major population centers, development until quite recently was fairly limited on all of these waters except the largest and most accessible lakes. In the past 15 years, however, the pace of development has accelerated and nearly every lake or stream with private shoreline has experienced increased pressure from development and other users.
The BCLF was formed to help shoreland owners, lake users and visitors maintain the fine quality of our waters. We are a citizen group not connected with any government body. We are an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Association of Lakes (WAL).
The idea of forming a countywide association was advanced by Jim Brakken in the fall of 1999. As a Director of WAL, he recognized the gap that existed between local groups and statewide organizations concerned about lake issues. He also saw the value in a countywide perspective, communication and coordination on problems or opportunities that affect all lakes. Many representatives from lakes throughout Bayfield County participated. After a series of meetings, the organization bylaws were adopted and directors elected at Lake Fair in June 2000.
As a result of wide spread concern about proposed changes to the county zoning ordinance, BCLF and the Ashland/Bayfield County League of Women Voters sponsored and presented a series of Citizen Forums on Shoreland Zoning in August, 2000. Many who attended communicated their support or opposition to various provisions of the proposed ordinance to the Zoning Committee and County Board. These citizen inputs contributed to adoption of major revisions in January 2001. The revised ordinance gives our lakes, especially the smaller and less developed, greater protection than ever before.
Who owns our lakes and streams?
Perhaps this quote from Roger Dreher, BCLF President helps answer the above question.
"We must all be responsible stewards of our irreplaceable lakes and streams or they will be passed to future generations in degraded condition and with decreased value. We are not the owners of the waters or the shorelands, we have simply borrowed them for our lifetime from children of the future."
Email BCLF at rhdreher@aol.com
Reach WAL, WDNR & UWEX LAKES
Wisconsin Lakes Partnership |
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