(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - The Alaska Division of Forestry announced the award of a $3.5-million construction contract for the Vallenar Bay Access Road to Rock-N-Road Construction of Petersburg. The project provides access to 2,500 acres of the Southeast State Forest from the existing road system on Gravina Island.

The contract is for construction of a forest road from the Lewis Reef area to the existing logging road on the southeast side of Vallenar Bay and establishes access across Vallenar Creek to State land on the west side of Gravina. The project was financed through the 2013 capital budget as part of the Legislature and Governor’s work to enable access to State resources. The project is projected over time to also benefit the community of Ketchikan due to its proximity to Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Mental Health Trust, University of Alaska and private land.

The 8.5-mile road will take approximately one year to construct. Site work is scheduled to start the first part of August 2016. The single lane road will be maintained per the Forest Land Use Plan.

Developing access to the Vallenar area is part of the State’s intent to actively manage the Southeast State Forest as a “working forest” consistent with the principles of multiple use and sustained yield. A “working forest” means utilizing forest resources to create jobs and support healthy communities through active forest management, while protecting fish and wildlife habitat, providing the public with access to recreation and other multiple use of state land, and maintaining public benefits such as clean air, land, and water.

Proposed state road
Click here or on the map for a larger image

On the Web:

Best Interest Finding and the Forest Land Use Plans http://forestry.alaska.gov/timber/ketchikan

Vallenar Bay Area Five Year Schedule of Timber Sales

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Alaska Department of Natural Resources
http://dnr.alaska.gov

 

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