Copy2 of General Management Plan Amendment
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You Are Invited to a Public Meeting! This Fall the park planning team is hosting meeting with the public to hear their ideas related to the preliminary alternative concepts, including management zoning.
Introduction Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is amending the 1986 General Management Plan (GMP). The GMP will be a broad- based plan that articulates a vision and charts a course for park management for the next 15 to 20 years. Also, at this time, the National Park Service is conducting a study to consider which lands eligible for wilderness designation, if any, should be formally proposed for such designation. Conditions within and outside the park have changed since 1986, some of which are illustrated by the Dalton Highway running along the park’s eastern boundary opening to the public, the land exchange at Anaktuvuk Pass (including deauthorization of wilderness acreage) occurring in 1996, shifting recreational use patterns, and climate change — all of which are affecting both park resources and visitor experiences. In addition, National Park Service (NPS) park planning guidance has been modified, and a foundation statement has been completed which identifies fundamental resources and values of the park. The process to update a GMP is long and requires substantial public involvement. In February and March of 2010, we held public meetings and asked for your ideas and concerns regarding stewardship of this premier wilderness area. We feel that your participation in this process is important. Public input will inform decision-makers about the concerns, issues, expectations, and values of visitors, neighbors, people with traditional cultural ties to the park, interest groups, scientists, scholars, and other governmental agencies. 
GMP Timeline
NPS
What’s happening now? During the spring and summer, our interdisciplinary planning team considered the public feedback received during initial scoping, and began developing draft preliminary alternative concepts for managing Gates of the Arctic. As part of this process, we identified management zones for the park, which generally identify how different areas could be managed to achieve resource preservation, provide for recreational access and use, and serve operational purposes. Once identified, management zones were then applied to various areas of the park according to guidelines offered by each alternative management concept. Ultimately, the preliminary alternative concepts will be further defined by their approach to particular topics related to managing Gates of the Arctic. The alternative concepts must all be consistent with the various laws, regulations, and policies that guide management of this park unit, including the recently completed foundation statement. In addition, all alternatives for management of Gates of the Arctic would protect the four qualities of wilderness character as required by the Wilderness Act: undeveloped, untrammeled, offering opportunities for solitude and unconfined recreation, and retaining natural conditions. For more information on the alternatives, management zones, and other planning issues please see our current newsletter. There are many ways to comment: We invite you to attend one of the meetings to talk with the planning team firsthand about your ideas, comments, and questions. Comment electronically at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/gaar (click on"General Management Plan - Gates of the Arctic NationalPark and Preserve" and then click on "Open for Public Comment") or e-mail us. Print a comment card and mail your comments to : Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve – GMP Amendment Fairbanks Administrative Center, 4175 Geist Road Fairbanks, AK 99709 |
Did You Know?
Bob Marshall named Frigid Crags and Boreal Mountain "The Gates of the Arctic." These mountains are on the North Fork of the Koyukuk River.