The proposed project area for the Central Tongass Landscape Level Analysis would apply to federal, state and private lands within the Petersburg and Wrangell Ranger districts, including its three designated wilderness areas and municipalities. The Forest Service is looking for project ideas and comments for the area in the coming months.
The United States Forest Service is developing a new initiative for the Wrangell and Petersburg districts, encompassing state and private lands in addition to those managed federally.
Tongass National Forest supervisor Earl Stewart last month issued a call for participation to the general public, seeking input on the Central Tongass Landscape Level Analysis.
The announcement explains the purpose of the CTLLA will be to in a single analysis and decision plan a spatially large project for both districts, at the same time increasing the number of authorized activities there. It would identify and analyze the environmental effects of different activities that can be implemented over the next 10 to 15 years.
Six areas of need to address were cited in the announcement: developing diverse natural resource employment opportunities; maintaining existing recreation infrastructure and providing new opportunities in areas relevant to the public or tourism industry; improving watershed health through restoration activities; preserving or enhancing subsistence resources and access, to continue residents' traditional and cultural use of them; providing a variety of wood products in an economically efficient manner; and to implement young-growth stand treatments that promote future timber production while improving habitat for both terrestrial and aquatic species.
The CTLLA will follow the National Environmental Policy Act process, and its proposals must meet the requirements of the Tongass National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan of 2016. The resultant activities would likewise need to comply with applicable laws and regulations.
To that end, USFS is soliciting feedback from the public through a questionnaire, available online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tongass/landmanagement/projects/?cid=fseprd568085. Participants are asked to keep comments concise and clear, stating which forest practices, projects, infrastructure and activities they either do or do not support.
Input from tribal governments and residents will help determine the location and types of activities to be pursued, as well as how extensively they will occur. The project area includes all island and mainland areas within the Petersburg and Wrangell Ranger districts.
Public meetings for the project are being planned for early March, with presentations set for Kake, Petersburg and Wrangell.
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