Proposed, anticipated and feared restrictions on land use alarmed many who attended, triggering emotional and heartfelt comments.

I’m encouraged that so many of my neighbors care so strongly about the valley we call home. We’re investing our future in a community that we hope our children can return to and build their lives, if they wish.

The state’s revised land plans are important documents for us to study as we plan our future, and decisions made in developing them will clearly help chart the valley’s growth. Our informed input is important in shaping them.

But the way we provide our input, the manner in which we, as a community, set goals, air our differences and make choices for the future also affects our economic prospects, as well as the emotional fiber of our community.

State land belongs equally to every resident of the valley, as well as every Alaskan, and we all have a right to be heard as planning for it occurs. And, while it’s important to be heard, it’s as important to be respectful and allow all to be heard. Name-calling, interruptions and intimidation have no place at public meetings.

Such behavior sets an ugly example for our children and violates a basic tenet of democracy – that all citizens have a right to address their government openly and freely, without fear or intimidation.

Haines is a community of diverse individuals and viewpoints. If we sincerely and respectfully listen to each other, we can learn a lot, find common ground and move ahead. We can capitalize on our strengths, utilize the valley’s natural assets and work together to develop a sustainable, broad-based economy.

If not, we will have no community at all. It will be more difficult to come together for positive causes because hateful statements and actions linger long after issues are forgotten. A lack of ability to reach local agreement on management of a national treasure such as the eagle preserve may lead to greater influence and intervention by outside forces, and ugly displays of intolerance can drive away our youth and other residents as surely as a lack of jobs.

Haines currently has a reputation of being a good place to live. Senior citizens statewide retire to Haines, teachers turn down higher paying jobs in other towns in order to stay here, and a growing number of high tech entrepreneurs have set up shop in the Chilkat Valley.

We should work to keep it that way.

The state’s efforts to update the Haines State Forest and eagle preserve management plans are a necessary reflection of numerous changes that have taken place in the valley during the past 20 years. All residents who have an interest in state public lands should go to the meetings.

But, please be civil.

-- Bonnie Hedrick