Alaska Soles • Entered by Loren Karro on October 11, 2024
Advocate for Wild and Scenic designation for Alaska Long Trail
October 1, 2024
Participants and Hours
| Pre Planning hours | |
| Post Admin hours | |
| Activity Hours | 4 |
| Participants | 1 |
| Total Hours | 4 |
Key Issue: Public Lands Health & Protection
Activity Type: Advocacy (rallies, lobbying, meeting decision makers, letters/calls/emails)
Key Partners: Alaska Long Trail group
Short Description of Activity
Went to Borough Assembly meeting to testify in favor of making at least parts of the proposed Alaska Long Trail a wild and scenic trail.
Reflection/Evaluation
There were many public members in attendance as there was also testimony about how Community Councils can draw up Special Use Districts, which I was also going to testify about. Most of the trail testimony was against making the trail a Wild and Scenic Trail as people complained of “federal overreach”. The real fear was loss of any motorized access on those parts of the proposed trail that already had motorized access, and this access is used to reach remote cabins and recreational sites as well as to hunt and fish. Most of the Borough Assemble seemed deaf to the testimony that the Wild and Scenic designation would apply only to parts of the trail, and these parts either already did not have motorized access or would be new sections where no motorized access currently exists. The Borough ended up voting to pass a resolution against the Wild and Scenic Trail designation for any part of the Alaska Long Trail.