A 10 Year Reunion Open to All!

Chugach National Forest invites the public to reflect on a decade of management under current forest plan, share unique experiences on the Chugach, and consider future of the Forest

Where were you in 2002?

Perhaps you rolled up your sleeves joining with the Forest Service to shape the identity of the Chugach and develop a roadmap for its management. Your work produced the Chugach National Forest’s 2002 Revised Land and Resource Management Plan and directly influenced stewardship of the Forest. If you were unable to help then, there’s another chance now and everyone is invited to contribute.

The Chugach National Forest has been selected as one of eight national forests across the country to start forest plan revision under a new planning rule for the National Forest System, finalized by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on March 23, 2012. The Forest is currently in the early stages of preparing for plan revision, and is committed to incorporating strong public participation from the very beginning.

Please join us at one of ten public sessions across Southcentral, Alaska to:

• Share what you value about the Chugach National Forest.
• Inspire us with your thoughts on the Chugach’s distinctive roles and contributions considering the social, economic and ecological characteristics of the plan area.
• Compare the opportunities and resources offered on the Chugach to those on neighboring lands.
• Reflect on where the Chugach has been in the last decade and what it is now.

Meeting details

The meetings will be led by Dr. Shannon Donovan of the University of Alaska Anchorage.  During the sessions participants will be encouraged to share perspectives with each other in a variety of formats including maps, worksheets, and small group discussion. All meetings, with the exception of Cordova, start at 6pm.  Cordova will begin at 6:30pm.

Dates

April 16 — Kenai/Soldotna: Kenai Peninsula College, Steffy Building

April 17 — Cooper Landing:  Cooper Landing Community Center

April 18 — Moose Pass:  Moose Pass School

April 19 — Seward:  Legends Building

April 24 — Cordova:  Masonic Lodge

April 26 — Valdez:  Prince William Sound Community College, Training Room

April 30 — Hope:  Hope School Gym

May 3 — Whittier:  Whittier School

May 8 — Anchorage:  University of Alaska Anchorage

May 10 — Girdwood:  Community Center

The timing is perfect to help us shape the future of the Chugach National Forest.  Your contributions at these sessions will help inform the Forest’s next plan revision, scheduled to begin in late 2012. In the coming months look for more information on forest plan revision on the Forest website: www.fs.usda.gov/chugach