NEBESNA OFF-ROAD VEHICLE MANAGEMENT PLAN, WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE, ALASKA. [Part 1 of 1]

Dates

Year: 2011

Citation

2011, NEBESNA OFF-ROAD VEHICLE MANAGEMENT PLAN, WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE, ALASKA. [Part 1 of 1]: National Park Service, Department of the Interior, v. 1.

Summary

PURPOSE: Implementation of an off-road vehicle (ORV) management plan for the Nabesna District of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska is proposed. The 13.2-million-acre park and preserve includes the largest contiguous area of designated wilderness in the United States. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve protects braided glacial river systems, including the Copper, Chitina, Bremner, Nebesna, White, and Chisana rivers, but is also an inhabited area where local communities and traditional human activities remain integrated with the wilderness setting. The history of ORV use in the Nabesna District predates the establishment of the park and an established trail network is used for recreation and subsistence [...]

Summary

PURPOSE: Implementation of an off-road vehicle (ORV) management plan for the Nabesna District of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska is proposed. The 13.2-million-acre park and preserve includes the largest contiguous area of designated wilderness in the United States. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve protects braided glacial river systems, including the Copper, Chitina, Bremner, Nebesna, White, and Chisana rivers, but is also an inhabited area where local communities and traditional human activities remain integrated with the wilderness setting. The history of ORV use in the Nabesna District predates the establishment of the park and an established trail network is used for recreation and subsistence as well as a means to access private inholdings and commercial establishments. The proposed plan includes specific trail improvements and ORV administration for the following trails: the Suslota, Caribou Creek, Trail Creek, Lost Creek, Soda Lake, Reeve Field, Tanada Lake, Copper Lake, and Boomerang trails and the existing trail systems in designated wilderness south of Copper Lake (Black Mountain) and south of Tanada Lake. Six alternatives, including a No Action Alternative (Alternative 1), are considered in this final EIS. Under Alternative 1, recreational use would not be permitted on Suslota, Tanada Lake, and part of Copper Lake trails as they are the most degraded. There would be no change in administration or subsistence ORV use and no trail improvements. Alternative 2 would permit recreational use on all nine trails and there would be no change in subsistence ORV use and no trail improvements. Under Alternative 3, recreational ORV use would not be permitted on any of the nine trails and 2.5 miles of motorized trail (part of Soda Lake trail) would be improved for subsistence ORV use or non-motorized uses. Alternative 4 would improve eight of the nine trails and recreational ORV use would be permitted on trails in the reserve but not on trails in the park. Subsistence ORV use would continue, but would be subject to monitoring and management action. Alternative 5 would improve most degraded segments of the nine trails and recreational ORV use would be permitted on both park and preserve trails after improvements are completed. Recreational ORV use would not be permitted on the 7.3 miles Suslota trail. Subsistence ORV use would continue but would be subject to monitoring and management action if resource impacts increased. Alternative 6 is the preferred alternative and would include improvement of all nine trails. After improvements are completed, recreational ORV use would be permitted on trails in the preserve (Suslota, Caribou Creek, Lost Creek, Trail Creek, and Reeve Field trails) but not on trails in the park (Tanada Lake, Copper Lake, and Boomerang trails). Until improvements are completed, recreational ORV use would only be permitted on trails in fair or better condition (Lost Creek and Trail Creek trails). Subsistence ORV use would continue, but would be subject to monitoring and management action if resource impacts increased. On the trails in the designated wilderness, subsistence ORV users would be required to stay on designated trails with allowance for game retrieval. POSITIVE IMPACTS: Implementation of the plan would provide for continued opportunities for access to wilderness and backcountry recreational activities, accommodate subsistence and access to inholdings, and protect scenic quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and other park resource values. NEGATIVE IMPACTS: Trail construction or improvement would result in short-term impacts to soils, vegetation, and wetlands. Improving trails in the park to the wilderness boundary would increase the level of ORV use for subsistence purposes and would have a major impact on wilderness character. Under the preferred alternative, improved ORV access could result in increased hunting pressure and impacts to wildlife. LEGAL MANDATES: Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-487) and National Park Service Or anic Act of 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.). PRIOR REFERENCES: For the abstract of the draft EIS, see 10-0409D, Volume 34, Number 2.

Contacts

Publisher :: National Park Service, Department of the Interior
Institution :: National Park Service, Department of the Interior

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Web Link	http://www.nps.gov/wrst/learn/management/off-road-vehicle-rules.htm

NEBESNA OFF-ROAD VEHICLE MANAGEMENT PLAN, WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE, ALASKA. [Part 1 of 1]

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