August 25, 2006
Friday

Hoonah, Alaska - The Tongass National Forest's North Zone Planning Team has developed a proposal to make wood products available from the Iyouktug valley on northeast Chichagof Island, approximately 12 miles east-southeast of Hoonah, Alaska. The Iyouktug Timber Sale proposal involves harvest of approximately 57 million board feet of timber from about 4,430 acres over a 10-year period. All harvest would occur in areas approved for such activities under the current Tongass forest plan.

Chris Budke, Acting Hoonah District Ranger, explained that this sale is larger than many recent sales planned by the Tongass National Forest in an effort to provide a stable supply of wood to the local wood products industry over time: "Our primary intent with the Iyouktug project is to make numerous small sales available over the course of a decade, though the project would not preclude us from offering one or more larger sales if such interest exists. A decision to implement this project could provide some much needed stability to local sawmills and timber operators." The sale is being planned as part of the Tongass timber sale program.

Additional features of the proposal include construction of approximately 5 miles of National Forest System road and 12 miles of temporary road, as well as reconstruction of about 3 miles of existing road. In addition, the boundaries of two small old-growth habitat reserve areas would be adjusted so that they better meet the criteria for such areas specified in the Tongass forest plan.

The planning team will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to disclose the anticipated effects of the project on the environment. At this point in the planning process, the team is gathering information from the public to develop alternative proposals to be considered in the EIS. "Our planning team consists of wide range of resource specialists, including a wildlife biologist, a hydrologist, and an archeologist," said Hans von Rekowski, the project leader, "Nevertheless, we rely on the people that we serve to share their insights about our projects. Sometimes they raise issues that we may not have considered."

An open house is scheduled for September 6 from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 pm at the Hoonah Ranger District office to provide information about the Iyouktug project and to give people an opportunity to comment on the proposal. To learn more about this project, including alternative means of submitting comments, please contact Hans von Rekowski at 907-747-4217. The Forest Service welcomes comments throughout the planning process, but those received by October 2, 2006 will be most useful in developing alternatives to the initial proposal.

Source of News:

US Forest Service
www.fs.fed.us

 

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