News-Miner Editorial
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Land issues are thorny, important to watch
Published Thursday, April 17, 2008
People who make their way to hunting, fishing, berry picking or other areas off Alaska’s road system should be paying attention to the subject of an open house at the Bureau of Land Management in Fairbanks tonight.
Alaska lands issues are important but sometimes become dense, thorny political fodder.
People who pay close attention to this stuff are to Alaska lands issues as nerds are to Microsoft Vista — they actually understand the problems.
For the rest of us, these issues can seem beyond our scope, and more than just a little boring — until we unload the four-wheeler or snowmachine only to find a “no trespassing” sign suddenly posted where we have always gone to play.
Federal land conveyances under discussion tonight were mandated by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Yup, they’re still finishing up work mandated back in 1971.
Like we said, some of the work has been extremely complicated.
But the important thing to know is that as lands are transferred to Native corporations and villages, the Bureau of Land Management retains the responsibility to consider public use interests in the process.
They can’t consider those public uses if they don’t know about them, however.
That’s where public involvement becomes very important.
Those “secret” trails you and a few dozen of your closest buddies have been using the past 20 years off the Parks Highway could be turned into private property if the BLM doesn’t include them among possible access routes through Native allotments to state or federal lands and waterways.
These easements are not unique, but their creation often gets more attention from bureaucrats than ordinary folks. For example, people who commonly fish along the Gulkana River off the Richardson Highway may use such easements through Ahtna Native Corp. land without even knowing it.
Tonight’s workshop, set for 4-7 p.m. in the Fairbanks District Office, 1150 University Ave., will focus on possible easements across lands off the Parks, Richardson and Denali highways that have been selected by the Ahtna Native Corp. Maps and information about the process will be available.
Access to wild lands from these roadways is important to many, and that should mean there will be broad public interest in this process.
With more public discussion now, perhaps there will be fewer problems and less confusion later.
You don’t have to be an Alaska lands nerd to understand the importance of this one.
For more information on the process, contact the BLM at 907-822-3217 or 474-2200.
Community Discussion
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I wish I weren't out of town as I would really like to attend that meeting. I think it's plain old B.S. that I have to pay someone to go snowmachining in Cantwell these days. I've been riding there for years and now I get harrassed when I go there. I heard that the native corps can even have my "legally parked" vehicle towed because I crossed native lands. B.S. I say.
Olypopper, do you know if they're webcasting the meeting or anything? That might let you watch it. Does anyone at the News-Miner know if they are?
Maps of Ahtna land along the Parks, Denali, Richardson and Edgerton Highways http://www.ahtna-inc.com/ldm.html
Isn't transfering land to private ownership a good thing? It limits government interference in good ole resource development. Won't be long and we'll have roads, mines, houses, plus keep out and no trespassing signs everywhere just like in the lower 48.
I've never seen a native on this land in the 20 years that I have been snowmobiling in Cantwell. This is a plain and simple attempt by Ahtna to generate revenue by controlling access to the use of State lands.
its been a long 37 years and interest is due on the entitlement,and welcome to the real world of native lands in Alaska.
We can always put up tow booths at our borough limits and start charging everyone to use our roads. Shoot why not put coffee carts up at the tow booths not only can we make money for access we can make money selling the coffee.
alaskastoryteller,
You make a convincing point. I call it "Biting the hand that feeds you". I'll just stop riding in Cantwell and I won't buy a damn thing there any more. Make Cantwell suffer as a town. No more staying at the lodge, no more buying fuel there, no more buying food there. I'll bring everything from Fairbanks and spend no money.
why don't we all move back to the lower 48....oh yeah, and then back to mexico, england, africa, russia, france, etc...until only original native peoples are left...this is rubbish, why should we pay the penalty of generations and ancestors before us?? Freedom to roam around the state is one of the greatest parts of being "Alaskan". Lets just load up the dividend checks and the booze and move out....
Skinfish, At least the goverment lets ALL people use their land in some manner. Some native lands are absolutely off limits to none share holders. You can bet someday these native lands will have roads, mining ect, on them because these are business corporations now in it for the $MONEY$.
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