GLACIER BAY, ALASKA - The National Park Service (NPS) has extended the timeline for submission of public input on Glacier Bay National Park wilderness stewardship planning to May 5, 2020. The NPS is seeking public comments to inform on-going management planning for the backcountry areas of Glacier Bay National Park designated as wilderness. This planning effort is in the early stages with no proposed management actions at this time.
In consideration of the evolving Covid-19 situation, the NPS has also cancelled the intended in-person community meetings and instead has developed a virtual presentation about the Glacier Bay wilderness stewardship planning process. The virtual presentation, as well as an informational newsletter, is located on the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website https://go.nps.gov/GBwild.
Further, recognizing that citizens, tribes, communities, and park partners face uncertainty and are rightfully focused on public safety and economic recovery, the NPS will add additional opportunities for input and review in the months to come.
In this early stage of planning, public feedback is encouraged to help the NPS learn what the public values about the backcountry areas of the park. This feedback will help inform the update of a 1989 Glacier Bay National Park Wilderness Visitor Use Management Plan. Questions to consider include:
* What is your vision for the Glacier Bay backcountry over the next ten to 20 years?
* What backcountry experiences do you find most important? How are these unique from the rest of the park/and/or other parts of Southeast Alaska?
* In backcountry areas that attract more intensive visitor use (now or anticipated), can you suggest strategies for managing crowding or dispersing use where the benefits outweigh the restrictions?
* What do you think about the NPS constructing new trails in a small portion of the backcountry (originating from road-accessible trailheads in the Gustavus area)?
* What else specific to the management of the Glacier Bay backcountry do you want the planning team to consider?
Park Superintendent Philip Hooge invites those able to participate in the planning process at this early stage. “Even in these times of uncertainty due to COVID-19 there are broad benefits to continuing work on key stewardship topics, including preserving Glacier Bay’s exceptional backcountry visitor experiences, resources and values for the future."
Comments are submitted through the PEPC website, https://go.nps.gov/GBwild, though comments will also be accepted by mail at Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Attn. Backcountry Management Plan, PO Box 140, Gustavus, AK 99826. Comments must be postmarked by May 5, 2020.
Tags: planning backcountry management
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
