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Ken Perrotte's outdoor column Date published: 2/18/2010
ARECOMMENDATION that public access The proposal would limit access and create nearly 50 "safety zones" that would curtail hunting near primitive campsites. Those are among the most controversial elements of the Watershed Property Management Plan crafted by the Friends of the Rappahannock organization, under contract with the city of Fredericksburg. How to best manage, long-term, the land Fredericksburg owns along the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers has been a pivotal question since the city protected the property with a conservation easement in 2006. The plan was formally unveiled at a public meeting last night at the University of Mary Washington after debuting Friday on the Friends of the Rappahannock Web site (riverfriends.org). Due to deadlines, this column was written before that meeting. The public has until March 3 to comment on the draft--a time frame the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, one of three joint holders of the easement, says is rushed. Other easement holders are The Nature Conservancy and the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. Regional biologist Jerry Sims' assigned counties include those with easement properties. He said the VDGIF provided an agency position with recommendations, but had "almost no involvement in the development of the draft plan that was placed on the FOR Web site Thursday morning." Sims said between 30 and 90 days to enable thorough public review would be more reasonable, adding, "It is very important that the public be heard on this important issue." Eventually, City Council will have a public hearing and determine whether the draft plan or any revision becomes the adopted course of action. PAY TO PLAY? The draft plan is a comprehensive document. Balancing myriad recreational and conservation interests--some of them competing-- The conservation easement allowed for up to five new public river access points. But the draft plan states, "Implementation of this level of access is inconsistent with the easement's goal to also maintain the recreational experience and conservation values of the corridor that have been identified for protection."
The draft does not take into account the recreational fisherman who does not paddle, nor desire to spend a whole day on the river. The original 5 access points should be included as part of the final plan. It may even become necessary to require that all users of the VDGIF river access points have in their possession a valid and current fishing license.
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