The Haines Borough Parks and Recreation Committee voted Wednesday to draft a letter, for assembly approval, alerting the University of Alaska and the potential timber buyer to the location of trails in the borough.
Committee member George Figdor suggested the group should draft a letter to those involved in the University of Alaska’s proposed timber sale to “identify corridors for existing trails.”
Committee chair Rich Chapell said the university’s maps showed some of the timber offered in the sale straddling the 7-Mile Saddle trail, accessible from Haines Highway. “It’s a valuable recreational asset to the borough,” Chapell said.
The public comment period on the sale officially ended May 22, but assembly liaison Brenda Josephson said the university said at its town hall meeting it wouldn’t cut off communication about the project.
Figdor said because the sale will be negotiated with a potential buyer, there may not be an opportunity for future public comments and the trails of concern needed to be identified now.
Committee member Burl Sheldon specified that the committee didn’t have the authority to “set aside” land, but the letter would be to make the university aware of established trails.
“You’re not identifying the bounds of the corridor, you’re just simply saying this is what’s going through that area, FYI,” Sheldon said.
Committee member Lori Smith added the letter would include only “historically established areas” and not “our fantasy areas.”
The committee voted 4-2, with Zack Ferrin and Patricia Peters dissenting. Ferrin said he thought it was unnecessary to tell the university about the well-established 7-Mile Saddle trail that officials most likely already know about.
“The university, I guarantee they know about it,” Ferrin said. Peters said she would rather wait to give feedback until the university, potential buyer and other agencies have a logging plan.
Figdor, Chapell, Ferrin and Lori Smith agreed to draft the letter that will come for approval at the next committee meeting.