"World class biking destination" among suggested ideas for public land along Red River

(Fargo, ND) -- 30 thousand acres of public land on both sides of the Red River in the Fargo-Moorhead area could be used for new recreation projects. 

"You could really have a world class biking destination, you could do horse back riding, you could do snow mobiles. There is a whole host of opportunity I think you could enhance the use of this public land." said Joel Paulsen, Executive Director of the FM Area Diversion Project. 

Paulsen appeared Thursday on "What's on Your Mind" on AM 1100 the Flag with Scott Hennen. He talked about the now locally controlled public land that was acquired for the flood diversion project. Paulsen said the land won't be flooded "99.9 percent of the time" and therefore can be put to use for other projects.

Governor Doug Burgum floated a proposal for some of the 30,000 acres that the FM Flood Diverson Authority will control to be re-purposed for recreational and agricultural uses while speaking at the Grand Farm event Monday.

Paulsen said it would most likely be up to recreation departments and counties and states on both sides of the Red River to come up the projects and the funding.