The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) held a meeting April 19 to discuss possible changes to how the federal agency manages Anan — the popular bear-viewing site near Wrangell.
It has been roughly ten years since the USFS made any major management changes to Anan. USFS Wrangell District Ranger Bob Dalrymple said last week’s meeting served as the “first step” in the management review process, which is expected to take years to complete.
The USFS will have to begin a scoping period, which will include additional public meetings, and create an Environmental Assessment to create any new management plan for Anan.
That process, required by the National Environmental Protection Act, will likely begin late this fall or early next year, Dalrymple said.
Any changes to the Anan management plan are not likely to take effect until 2014.
Changes being considered by the USFS include extending viewing hours at the observatory and increasing the number of allowed visitors to the site each day.
Currently, 60 people a day can visit Anan from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the peak-viewing season of July 5 to Aug. 25.
The USFS may also be reconsidering how the visitor passes are granted, to possibly allow local Wrangell residents and private travelers— those visiting Anan without a commercial guide— a better chance at getting a pass.
The approximately 15 people that attended the meeting included many local jet boat operators and some members of the public.
Both groups expressed concerns towards having the bear observatory remain as “wild” as possible in order to give visitors the “wilderness feel” instead of the feeling they are visiting a zoo.
Other suggestions made at the meeting included allowing visitors to Anan as early as 6 a.m. and changing “peak season” dates to end earlier in August to accommodate for the decreased bear activity that occurs later in the month.
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