The State of Alaska wants to know what you think about designating a state forest on the Kenai Peninsula. Next month, the Department of Natural Resources will hold public meetings to gather input on the idea, which it says is an opportunity to invest in state forestry resources.
Alaska has state forests in Haines, the Tanana Valley and Southeast. Together, those forests cover more than two million acres. That’s about two percent of all the state-owned land in Alaska.
Diane Campbell is Kenai and Kodiak’s area forester. She says the land being eyed for a state forest is already managed by the Department of Natural Resources. But the Division of Mining, Land and Water has oversight. Creating a state forest would transfer control to the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection.
“We would be able to make decisions a little faster, make our planning sessions better and have more of an impact on the land, and also it helps with potential budgeting and getting more funds to get some of these things done,” she said.
Campbell says shifting the land to forestry could open the land for timber harvesting – the state already offers timber sales in the proposed areas. But she says revegetation, especially of trees killed by spruce bark beetles, and maintaining public access and recreation are also priorities.
“This is not to be a commercial venture for the state to make money off of that timber,” she said. “It is to allow timber, as I said, for industry to progress. But it also allows better access in. If we can put in some sales here, there in different places within the state forest, it allows more access for the public to get further into different areas in the state forest as well.”
State law says only the Alaska Legislature can designate a state forest. Campbell says public input received on the issue will go to the department commissioner. If there’s public interest, the commissioner will forward the proposal to state lawmakers.
Starting next month, the Department of Natural Resources is holding a series of meetings on the peninsula to gather that input. Campbell says those meetings are an opportunity for the department to field questions and present information.
The first meeting will be Dec. 8 in Ninilchik, followed by Dec. 9 in Soldotna and Dec. 10 in Seward. A fourth meeting will be held Dec. 11 online.
Written comments are due Jan. 16 at 5 p.m. and can be submitted online or by mail to Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection at 550 W. 7th Ave. Ste. 1450 in Anchorage.
