Dear Editor: The USDA Forest Service is fast tracking a revision of the Tongass Forest Plan, a document that guides how our backcountry hunting, camping, and hiking destinations are managed. The initial comment period ends this Friday at midnight.
When Sitka Trail Works was founded in 1997, our community was grappling with the closure of the pulp mill, the largest local employer, and the Tongass was primarily managed for old growth timber extraction.
Sitka Trail Works was established to give those hard-working mill employees a second chance with a local job building trails. The trails that mill workers and later crews built, including Mosquito Cove, Herring Cove to Beaver Lake, and the Cross Trail, are beloved today and part of what makes Sitka a great place to live.
Today, the economic reality of Southeast Alaska has changed. Recreation and tourism are now primary drivers of our local economy and social health. We need a Forest Plan that reflects this by prioritizing the outdoor access that sustains our families and businesses.
We are asking the Forest Service to manage the Tongass for the hunting, fishing, and recreation that define our way of life. Please make your voice heard:
Email: erin.mathews@usda.gov
In Person: Attend the Open House on April 27, 4-6 p.m. at Harrigan Centennial Hall.
Online: Visit the Forest Service website or sitkawild.org for a guided comment form.
Let’s ensure the Tongass continues to serve the people who live, work, and play here.
Ben Hughey, Sitka Trail Works
