| BASELINE | 1: ANAHEIM NORTH | 2: WALLEYE COMMONS | 3: NORTHWOODS QUILT | 4: REFUGEE REVOLUTION |

Northwoods Quilt

Scenario Images: Immediate right: NHLD landscape showing four representative lakes.
Far right: Cutaway views of the four lakes.

Different groups of people have conflicting views about how to manage the NHLD.

People become fed up and state government gives way to local management. Lakes are designated for different uses. Motorized sports are common on some lakes. Only silent activities such as canoeing and nature-watching are allowed on others. As a result, the lakes have variable features depending on the regulations set for individual lakes.

Some recent arrivals to the NHLD work out of their homes by telecommuting.

Management of tribal lands and resources remains separated from that of the rest of the region.

As recent retirees steadily move into the region, services and shopping opportunities increase. Larger, lakefront homes replace smaller cabins on some lakes.

Improvements in transportation, shipping, and telecommunications in the 2000's and early 2010s greatly expanded the locations in which people could live and work. Many people, especially experienced midlife professional people in the 50's and 60's, took advantage of the opportunity and moved to the NHLD, enjoying a more relaxed lifestyle, working part-time out of their homes, and spending more time with their families. To these new residents, sustaining the wild character of the area, the very thing that drew them there in the first place, was important. The influx of new arrival led to the need for more hospitals, better telecommunications and more specialized shops.

As more and more people moved to the NHLD, residents realized that the quality of life was deteriorating due to pressures created by the increasing population. Newly relocated retirees had their own ideas about the area and with time to spare, these residents became active in the decision-making bodies of the community. Discouraged by their powerlessness as taxpayers, out-of-state summer residents turned to non-governmental organizations to express their concerns. Although conflict was increasing, lake associations became more effective as forums for public debate and decision-making as people increasingly became fed up with local problems. The tribes attempted to insulate themselves from these debates, by focusing on the twin challenges of diversifying the tribal economy and maintaining the generally high quality of natural resources on the Reservation.

Motivated by the growing social and political tensions and some sound economic arguments, lake associations approached the county planners to develop a land use plan for the region. The outcome designated different lakes for specific uses in a fairly rigid manner. Power boating and jet-skis were restricted to some lakes while canoeing and ‘silent uses’ were restricted to others. The DNR removed some public access to certain lakes and increased facilities at others. The initial successes of this plan led the DNR to devolve more responsibility for planning and regulation to lake associations, freeing state resources for use in the invention and support of creative management methods as well as additional monitoring and survey work. The DNR made a concerted effort to create flexibility for NHLD residents and provide scientific information that would facilitate better public decisions. In conjunction with the DNR’s allocation of power to local groups, the state authorized a NHLD Watershed Commission with taxing and regulatory authority.

By 2027, the NHLD was more diverse than in 2002. The population had grown by about half. The economy was more diverse as tourism was supplemented by small local businesses, many operated by part-time residents, that provided services in globally-distributed markets. Although debates about rights and responsibilities of residents versus lake authorities continued, increased communication between groups through public forums and debates was beginning to show a significant impact on local decision-making. Enforcement of the different lake use plans was still a challenge, and a focus on lake management had lead to sprawl along the roadsides of the north. However, as people began to see changes in the lakes, they increasingly supported regional management efforts. The lake uses were becoming more diverse, as different lakes were dedicated to different groups of users and different menus of ecosystem services. The dedication of lakes to particular uses and control of access points by lake associations was showing reductions in the spread of invasive species among lakes. The NHLD was buffered from ecological disturbance by the diversifying composition of its landscape. The diversity of recreational and economic activity continued to attract well-educated, innovative residents who contributed to the diversity of the economy and added to the sense of optimism that the NHLD could thrive as a national center of green ecotourism.