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Photo courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service Spencer Flats is one of three river areas identified by the U.S. Forest Service to develop a comprehensive recreation management plan. |
By Paul Clark
Special to the Turnagain Times
Do you race out after work to Twentymile River to fish when the silvers are running? Have you visited Spencer Lake and floated down Placer River, or gone up Placer to hunt? Or maybe a kayak or canoe trip down Portage Creek? Do you run commercial trips on these rivers? If you answered yes to any of these, or enjoy other activities on these rivers, the Glacier Ranger District is looking for you to play a role in helping us develop a river management plan for summer recreation on these rivers.
The purpose of the plan is to provide a diversity of quality recreation opportunities on these 3 rivers while protecting the resource. Your participation is an essential component in developing an effective management plan.
Over the past five years, commercial use on Twentymile has increased significantly and non-commercial use has remained high, especially during the salmon run. The Forest Service established a capacity for recreational use on Twentymile in 2006; based on data gathered over the past three years, use levels are over this capacity for part of the summer. Demand for commercial use continues to increase on both Twentymile and Placer River.
In short, these rivers are becoming ever more popular destinations for a variety of recreational pursuits. The Forest Service has identified the need to develop a more comprehensive approach to managing recreation across all 3 rivers since in this area, as demand is expected to increase further. We have also been meeting with the State of Alaska during the early stages of the planning, and will continue to do so throughout the process.
The Glacier Ranger District will hold a public meeting in the Girdwood Community Center on May 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. We are interested in learning how you use these rivers for summer recreation and the amount and types of recreational opportunities you feel are appropriate. Are there activities that you would or would not like to see occurring on these rivers? Do you feel there are safety or natural resource issues to consider? Should there be a limit on the amount of use for any or all of these rivers? What else should be considered during this planning process?
For more information, or to offer your input on this planning process, contact Paul Clark at pdclark@fs.fed.us or call (907) 754-2352. You can find more information about the planning process on the Chugach National Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r10/chugach.
We look forward to your participation in helping to manage recreation resources on the Chugach National Forest.
Paul Clark is a Recreation Planner and Tribal Relations Coordinator on the Glacier Ranger District of the Chugach National Forest.
Photo:
Photo courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service
Spencer Flats is one of three river areas identified by the U.S. Forest Service to develop a comprehensive recreation management plan.