During the past year or two, we've published several editorials about the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' ongoing effort to "hook" people on the great outdoors. With sales of hunting and fishing licenses on the decline, and overall interest in outdoor recreation apparently flagging, the DNR is pulling out all the stops to get people -- especially kids --into the woods and out on the water.
That's why Minnesota's calendar is now dotted with free fishing weekends, special youth-only hunting seasons and a variety of other events designed to get families outdoors.
We support these efforts, but we're also convinced that the DNR can't do this alone. Local governments can play a big role.
Consider this past weekend. On Sunday, the fishing pier at Willow Creek Reservoir was packed with several dozen people ranging in age from 2 to 82. ...
As an added bonus, two bald eagles put on quite a show, sometimes swooping down within 50 yards of the dock and claiming a fish.
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Similar fishing piers are found at Foster-Arend Lake and Chester Woods Park, and we suspect that the scene was much the same over the holiday weekend. But Willow Creek, with its handicapped parking lot, toilet facilities and large dock, is especially inviting.
We're convinced that if families have fairly easy access to outdoor recreation, they'll take advantage of it. ...
