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The National Park Service is seeking public comments on its version of “preliminary alternatives” being considered for amending the General Management Plan for Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. They are weak and need to be strengthened if Gates is to continue as a preeminent Wilderness. Click here to access the document that is out for review.
Background: It was the central Brooks Range of northern Alaska that inspired Robert Marshall during his visits there in the 1930's, and influenced his thinking about wilderness and its value to human kind. Part of Marshall's vision was achieved with creation of the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in 1980 which included 7 million acres designated as Wilderness. At the time Gates NP was heralded as anchoring the wilderness end of the spectrum of our nation's park lands. In the early 1980's wilderness advocates fought hard to achieve strong provisions in the General Management Plan to preserve and maintain the great wilderness qualities of Gates as Marshall knew them. Now, we find disturbing changes in how the NPS proposes to administer this iconic wilderness in the future.
The “preliminary alternatives” propose a range of concepts and zones that would degrade the wilderness character of Gates and defile Marshall's vision. In vaguely worded terms this document now out for review proposes for example: “more opportunities for those with less experience or less time” (Concept 3), “Limited permanent and temporary structures may be allowed” (Zone 3). Such provisions would seriously erode the wilderness qualities of Gates. It represents the incremental erosion of wilderness character that is all too common these days. It has no place what–so-ever in Gates. Furthermore, the NPS is inexplicably moving ahead with plans to install at least 4 automated weather monitoring stations within the Gates Wilderness, (and 5 more units in other Wilderness areas in northern Alaska) using helicopters for installation and annual maintenance. This action violates the Wilderness Act, which prohibits installations! (Click here to read Wilderness Watch's comments on the NPS Arctic weather stations draft environmental assessment.)
Gates of the Arctic Wilderness Needs Your Help
Your comments are needed to let the NPS know that the public will not stand for any weakening of wilderness stewardship for Gates of the Arctic Wilderness. Please tell them:
• All alternatives must preserve the wilderness character and qualities of Gates of the Arctic National Park consistent with establishing legislation including the Wilderness Act.
• Reject the vaguely worded provisions that would destroy the Gates Wilderness that Marshall knew.
• The preferred alternative should combine the most protective wilderness provisions with the most protective zone.
• Wilderness ecosystems should not be intentionally manipulated and must be allowed to evolve in their own way. Wilderness character must not be compromised to maintain “natural conditions.”
• The proposed weather station installations are unnecessary, inappropriate and must be addressed in the General Management Plan process.
Please send your comments on or before November 15, 2010
Mail address:
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve – GMP Amendment
Fairbanks Administrative Center
4175 Geist Road
Fairbanks, AK 99709
Email comments to: Gaar_Planning@nps.gov
• Click here to read Wilderness Watch's scoping comments
• Click here to read Wilderness Watch's comments on Preliminary Alternatives
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