Letters to the Editor

To the Editor:

I and my staff want to thank those in the community who joined us in the recent meeting to discuss the future of the recreation program on the Wrangell District. I appreciate that so many people were willing to take the time to listen and lend their voices to a topic that is important to the entire community.

We heard that the community treasures its surrounding lands and the recreational opportunities they provide. We heard how important the cabin program, the local trails, and the island’s recreation sites are to Wrangell.

We heard that the community is willing to help in these times of declining budgets. You also told us there is frustration because it’s not an easy process to partner with the Forest Service. The Alaska Region and the Tongass National Forest have made it a priority to improve our ability to create and maintain meaningful partnerships. And I am committed to working with anyone who would like to help us continue to provide the quality of recreation we all have enjoyed on the District. If you have a concern or idea about any aspect of our recreation program, please stop by or call the District Office and talk to me or any of the recreation staff. We also really appreciate receiving reports on the conditions of recreation sites across the District.

We also heard that we need to a better job in communicating with the public and that Facebook is one of the most effective ways to do that. We will be posting information, including the notes from the meeting, on the Tongass National Forest Facebook site as well as on the Wrangell Borough’s site. I plan to have a follow up meeting with the community in the fall.

We want to thank the public for your support and encouragement. And thank you for what you already do: reserving cabins (the fees go back into maintaining them); packing out what you pack in; reporting any damage or poor conditions, and leaving recreation sites cleaner than you found them.

Bob Dalrymple

Wrangell District Ranger