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Superintendent Paul Anderson today announced the release of a revised
draft Backcountry Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement
for Denali National Park and Preserve.
This
draft replaces the original draft plan that was released in February
2003. The National Park Service made extensive changes to the plan
in response to over 9,000 public comments received on the original
draft
and is now seeking additional comment on the revisions.
"This
plan is a major improvement from the original draft because we were
able to incorporate the substantive ideas and information that we
received in response to the original draft,” stated Superintendent
Anderson. “We appreciate the public's involvement, and we believe
people will be more excited about this revised draft. With this
new plan, we will be more successful in providing for growth in
visitor use while stabilizing or reducing impacts to park resources."
The revised plan is a General Management Plan amendment that updates
guidance for visitor activities and NPS administrative activities
throughout the park backcountry, which includes about 98% of the
6-million acre park and preserve. As was true of the original draft,
the plan responds to changes in visitor use that have occurred in
the backcountry since the park’s 1986 General Management Plan and
1976 Backcountry Management Plan , and to anticipated changes over
the next 20 years. Of particular concern are increases in aircraft
and snowmachine access, the growing popularity of backcountry activities
in some parts of the 1980 park additions including those areas popular
for mountain climbing and mountaineering, and increasing demand
for commercial services. For example, commercial airplane landings
in the Ruth Amphitheater on the south side of the Alaska Range in
Denali have increased by 43% since 1999, with over 60 landings per
day on busy summer days. Like the original draft, the revised draft
plan describes four alternatives and a “no action” alternative for
managing the backcountry area of Denali for the next 20 years. The
revised draft focuses on setting goals for visitor experience and
resource protection for different regions of the backcountry. The
preferred alternative provides for increased access to the park
and preserve backcountry and proposes almost no initial limitations
to existing airplane or snowmachine access. Areas for commercial
airplane landings are clearly defined. The preferred alternative
calls for monitoring visitor experience and resource conditions,
and identifies both voluntary and regulatory steps that could be
taken to manage access if monitoring demonstrates that goals are
not achieved. The National Park Service has scheduled several meetings
to provide information and take public testimony on the plan. Each
meeting will run from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. There will be an opportunity
for informal explanation, discussion, and recorded testimony from
5:00 pm until 6:30 pm. At 6:30 pm there will be a brief presentation
followed by a formal public hearing. Please check the park web site
listed below for updates on locations. June 8. Cantwell, Community
Center June 9. Anchorage, Location to be announced June 13. Talkeetna/Trapper
Creek, Upper Susitna Valley Senior Center June 14. Healy, Tri-Valley
Community Center June 15. Fairbanks, Noel Wien Library The revised
draft plan is available in many formats including a summary version,
a complete print copy, and a CD-ROM. It is also available on the
Internet at the National Park Service’s new Planning, Environment
and Public Comment web site which may be accessed from the Denali
homepage at www.nps.gov/dena . Printed copies will be available
at the public meetings, and you may request a copy at any time by
contacting the National Park Service at park headquarters, (907)
683-2294, or e-mailing your request to dena_bc_plan_comment@nps.gov.
In Anchorage, you may request a copy by calling Adrienne Hall at
(907) 644-3613. The National Park Service is accepting public comment
on the draft plan through June 30, 2005. Written comments may be
sent to: Superintendent Denali National Park and Preserve P.O. Box
9 Denali Park, AK 99755 Email comments may be sent to dena_bc_plan_comment@nps.gov.
Privacy
& Disclaimer
Author:Jane
Ahern
www.nps.gov/akso
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