The Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore (SBNL) has announced the beginning of a process which will lead to new a new General Management Plan for the park, as well as to a new Wilderness Study and a new Environmental Impact Statement. The likely outcome will be a plan which defines where and how the park may be used for a host of activities, including hunting and snowmobiling.

The first phase of the process is defined as "scoping" -- defining the park's long-term goals, methods for achieving them, and issues to be addressed. Comments on the scoping phase are due by March 17, 2006. A planning newsletter with comment form has been posted on the web at this location, and an FAQ can be found here.

A series of open houses have also been planned for the following dates and locations:

Tuesday, February 14, 2006, 3:00-7:00 p.m.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Visitor Center Auditorium
9922 Front Street
Empire, MI 49630

Wednesday, February 15, 2006, 3:00-7:00 p.m.
Traverse Area District Library
610 Woodmere Avenue
Traverse City, MI 49686

Thursday, February 16, 2006, 3:00-7:00 p.m.
Benzonia Township Hall
1020 Michigan Avenue
Benzonia, MI 49616

For more information on Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, visit the park’s web site at http://www.nps.gov/slbe or call 231-326-5134.