Another Alaska Forest Needs Your Help!
12/18/97
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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Headline: Another Alaska Forest Needs Your Help!
Source: Alaska Center for the Environment/Alaska Rainforest
Campaign
Scott Anaya at 274-3674 or Karen Button at 274-3662
scotta@pobox.alaska.net karenb@pobox.alaska.net
ACE: 519 W. 8th Avenue, Suite 201, Anchorage, AK 99501
Fax: (907) 274-8733
Date: 12/18/97
Dear Friend of Alaska Forests:
Remember the EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL, when over 11 million gallons of oil
spilled into Prince William Sound? Well the land surrounding the Sound is
largely the CHUGACH NATIONAL FOREST, the second largest national forest in
the U.S., and along with the Tongass National Forest makes up the largest
temperate rainforest left in the world. This alert gives more info on the
Chugach and how:
Just 60 seconds of your time can help shape the next 15 years of the
Chugach National Forest
COMMENT DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 31, 1997! PLEASE COPY, SIGN AND EMAIL THE
ATTACHED MESSAGE TODAY!
The Chugach National Forest (Re) Visioning process of the Land Use
Management Plan has begun and the forest needs you! Your voice makes a huge
difference and will help guide forest management for the next 10 - 15 years.
Remember, it was due to public outcry that the Forest Service dropped its
salvage logging program.
What exactly is the Chugach Land Use Management Plan Revision?
Every 10-15 years national forest staff revise their land use management
plans, the document which sets policy for all aspects of the forest, to take
into account changing public opinions, changes which have occurred within
the forest, and new data from the forest. This revision process will take
approximately 2 years with several opportunities for the public to comment
on the future management of the forest. We will keep you posted throughout
to let you know how you can make a difference and have a role in the future
of your forest.
THE CHUGACH NATIONAL FOREST
Our Chugach National Forest encompasses a little over 5.9 million acres,
which makes the Chugach the second largest National Forest in the U.S.
Besides the immense beauty of the land, there are many qualities which make
the Chugach a unique forest.
The Chugach is the northernmost intact rainforest in the world, making it
ecologically rich and home to a diverse and abundant population of wildlife
species.
Site of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, Prince William Sound is still
recovering, yet has no protection from logging or other large-scale impacts.
Over 90% of the forest is "inventoried" as roadless, which affords a
recreation experience found in few places around the world.
Portage Glacier, in Chugach National Forest, is the most visited site in
all of Alaska.
Over 65% of Alaskans live in or near the forest.
The Chugach still has no designated wilderness protection although 90% of
it qualifies.
The Chugach was created in 1907 by Teddy Roosevelt primarily to protect
fish and wildlife of the Copper River Delta. Every year the Delta hosts the
largest bird migration in the world and is internationally recognized as a
critical flyway.
Changes Since the 1984 Chugach Land Use Plan
The number of visitors to the forest has dramatically increased.
The Exxon Valdez oil spill released 11 million gallons of crude oil into
Prince William Sound.
Salvage logging became a reality within the forest.
Brown bears on the Kenai Peninsula have experienced a 70% reduction in
their habitat capability due to logging and rapid development. Biologists'
reports indicate that K.P. brown bears are on the brink of meeting the
criteria for being listed as a "threatened" species.
Snowmachines, ATV and other motorized uses have dramatically increased.
Huge tracts of land have been clear-cut near the forest, impacting both
habitat and watersheds.
Why the Forest Needs You
We, as a NATION, need to make our voices heard in shaping the future of
the Chugach Forest so that all our priorities and the needs of fish and
wildlife are met. The Forest Service wants to hear from all interested
parties before it moves ahead with their revision of the Land Management Plan.
In order to make certain things a reality within the forest, common
points and themes throughout our individual comments are necessary. The
attached letter includes some of these points. Be sure to include personal
items of interest, such as a special area, trail, animal, river, or activity
you would like to see protected, or just general principles you value in a
national forest, like no large-scale commercial logging, quiet areas, etc.
This gives the Forest Service better work direction when deciding what the
public wants in their forest.
What You Can Do: Comment Deadline: Dec. 31, 1997
Submit Written Comments To: Or Also Send Comments By:
Chugach National Forest Planning Team Fax: (907) 271-3992
Forest Plan Revision Phone: (907) 271-2500
3301 C Street, Suite 300
Anchorage, AK 99503
Email:Scoping.Comments/R10_Chugach@fs.fed.us> >
For More Information or To Get More Involved Contact Us At ACE
Scott Anaya at 274-3674 or Karen Button at 274-3662
scotta@pobox.alaska.net karenb@pobox.alaska.net
ACE: 519 W. 8th Avenue, Suite 201, Anchorage, AK 99501
Fax: (907) 274-8733
Below are ready-made comments you may fax, "snail" mail or e-mail to the
Forest Service at the addresses listed above. Just copy them and send them
as email from your account! Thanks for your participation in helping shape
our national forests!
Email: Scoping.Comments/R10_Chugach@fs.fed.us
Dear Chugach Revision Planning Team:
Please include the following comments in accordance with the scoping
process of the Chugach National Forest Revision. Also, please understand
that I want all these categories to be addressed within the framework of
cumulative impacts.
Designate Wilderness Areas: Expand the current proposed wilderness
boundaries from the 1984 Plan to include Knight Island and several
road-accessible areas on the Kenai Peninsula. The Chugach is the second
largest national forest in the country and has no permanent protection, even
though over 90% of it qualifies as wilderness.
Permanently Protect the Copper River Delta: In 1907 President Teddy
Roosevelt created the Chugach National Forest primarily to protect the
forest and wildlife of the Copper River Delta. The Delta, up to and
including Miles Lake and Baird Canyon, with millions of birds and abundant
wildlife, must be permanently protected through the new forest plan by
recommendation for legislative designation.
Protect Prince William Sound: The forest around Prince William Sound
was scarred by the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and portions have already been
logged on a large scale. Protect PWS for lower impact uses and not allow
large-scale commercial logging, commercial mining or large-scale tourism
(such as what has happened with cruise ships in Juneau). Protect PWS from
individual and cumulative impacts, so that wildlife, kayakers, boaters,
fishers, subsistence users, and small independent Alaskan owned tour
operators have priority and that the current character of the Sound is
maintained.
Conserve Brown Bear Habitat: Brown Bears on the Kenai Peninsula are
being threatened due to declining habitat. Because bears are considered an
"indicator species", the Forest Service needs to make habitat protection a
priority in its plan. Please participate in any task force that is created
and initiate a Brown Bear Protection Plan on the Kenai Peninsula. In
addition, work with other land owners to address cumulative impacts for
Brown Bears and other species, as well as watershed issues.
Maintain or Increase Roadless Areas: Maintain or increase the current
roadless inventoried areas on the Chugach. We are fortunate that, unlike
most other national forests, we have relatively few roads. Stop the
ill-planned Whittier Road, and instead upgrade the unique rail experience
for tourists and visitors. Also stop the from the Copper River Dealta to
the Bering River coalfields which will cross over 100 salmon streams.
Designate Quiet Areas: Establish a balance between areas available for
motorized recreation and lands managed for the enjoyment of quiet activites.
Recommend Wild and Scenic Rivers: Recommend for designation all
potential wild and scenic rivers as already inventoried by the Forest
Service.
Mining Claims: When reviewing mining claims for permits, address them in
an environmental assessment. Currently, they are permited under
catergorical exclusions which gives the public no information about how
their resource is managed or what impacts are expected. Please do a
watershed cumulative impacts analysis which includes mining.
Protect Scenery-No Salvage Logging: According to the CNF Recreation
Survey of 1995, "The quality of the visual resources, or scenery, of the
forest is by far the single most consideration to visitors of the forest."
Maintain the natural visual quality of the forest. This means, do not use
logging to interrupt inevitable forest cycles of fire, insects, and disease,
which is of little concern to visitors.
Logging: The public has made it clear that the Chugach is not suited for
commercial logging which exports logs and jobs and cannot be done
sustainably. Sustainable fishing, tourism, and recreation have higher
values. Additionally, small local logging projects can provide value added
products for regional use that helps support local economies. With
large-scale clearcutting of private and state lands near the Forest, it is
especially important that lands on the Chugach be given added protection.
Additional Comments:
Your Name:
Your Address:
Thanks for your help!
Scott Anaya at the Alaska Center for the Environment/Alaska Rainforest
Campaign
Distributed by:
Diana Rhoades
Alaska Rainforest Campaign DC Office
320 4th St. NE
Washington, DC 20002
202 544-0475>