Kruzof Management
Dear Editor: Kruzof Island is an important community resource that provides Sitkans and visitors with a wide range of recreation, subsistence, and economic opportunities. The U.S. Forest Service, Sitka Ranger District, is in the early stages of initiating the National Environmental Protection Act process to begin working in the Kruzof landscape, which includes Krestof and Partofshikof Islands.
However, before the NEPA process is initiated, the Sitka Collaborative Stewardship Group, working with the Sitka Ranger District, would like to have community involvement in the planning processes that will decide what happens on our public lands. We are interested in hearing ideas for enhancing recreation, subsistence, and economic opportunities on Kruzof Island.
The SCSG has already taken some steps to gather ideas. In July 2012, there was a field trip to Kruzof Island that led to some great brainstorming: picnic shelter at North Beach, additional mooring buoy at Mud Bay, hardened camp sites at North Beach, hardened trail to access North Beach, wildlife viewing platform at Iris Meadows, and a culture camp for the tribe. These are only some of the many ideas possible for the Kruzof landscape. Further community involvement is needed to ensure that we gather more community project ideas and understand the relative importance of such ideas.
Additionally, the Sitka Ranger District plans to develop an Integrated Resource Management Plan for Kruzof which might provide potential opportunities for restoration and stewardship contracting for Sitkan contractors.
To help facilitate the sharing of ideas, the SCSG has created a webpage (available on www.collaboratesitka.com/ by next week) that provides additional information and maps of the Kruzof landscape. This webpage is designed to be interactive so that the community can comment on ideas and add their own. The culmination of this pre-NEPA information gathering will be a public meeting, hosted by SCSG and the Sitka Ranger District, at Harrigan Centennial Hall on Jan. 16 (stay tuned for future annoucnements). This meeting will allow for face to face discussion and brainstorming.
For more information or to submit your comments on the Kruzof landscape, please contact: Chris Leeseberg, USFS Fisheries and Wildlife Biologist, at cleeseberg@fs.fed.us or 907/747-4343; Erin Fulton, SCS Tongass Resident, at erin@sitkawild.org or 907/747-7409.
The Tongass National Forest are public lands owned by all. Take part in helping decide their management.
Ray Friedlander,
Tongass Forest
Community Organizer,
Sitka Conservation Society
BMS Soccer Thanks
Dear Editor: Blatchley Middle School soccer recently wrapped up a great season and we would like to thank several organizations for their support. We would like to thank Harry Race Specialty shop for their excellent service designing and printing our team shirts. A huge thanks goes out to Sitka CHARR for funding travel scholarships for our players to go to the Juneau Soccer Jamboree and to Sea Mart for their generous financial support of our dance fundraiser. Thank you, Sea Mart and Sitka CHARR!
Yvonne Christner, Eric Van Cise, and BMS Soccer Team
Tribal Council
Dear Editor: I would like to express my appreciation and gratitude for the honor of serving on the Sitka Tribal Council for the past two years.
I would like to thank all the Tribal citizens that came out to vote on Nov. 13, and especially thank the ones that voted for me.
Special thanks go to KCAW-Raven Radio for taking my speech and putting on their website.
Good luck to the incumbents.
Stephanie J. Edenshaw, Sitka
