Petersville timber sale OK'd

January 3, 2006

DARRELL L. BREESE\Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - Mat-Su Borough Manager John Duffy announced Friday that the state has approved moving forward with a planned timber sale in the Petersville area.

Mike Menge, commissioner for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, on Thursday issued the final finding forest land-use plan for the proposed 1,300-acre timber sale, on land located west of Oil Well Road, south of Petersville Road and north of Ambler Lake.

The sale area consists of 35 cutting units, with an average size of 37 acres. Unit sizes range from 11 to 58 acres. In the few units that are larger than 50 acres, islands of timber will be included in the final layout of the unit, so the harvested area in the unit will be no larger than 50 acres.

The proposed units have been properly buffered between themselves with 330-foot no-cut areas. Birch trees that are 6 inches in diameter at breast height and larger will be the only ones removed.

The decision followed an extensive period for public comment, leading to 30 responses. That input resulted in changes being made concerning the sale.

Most significantly, the contract terms will limit hours of operation to provide for quiet times both in the harvest area and on the access roads. Trucks will not be allowed road access during peak traffic times - when school buses are on the roads and on weekends when there is heavy recreational traffic.

&#8220These changes address the issues that we heard during our timber harvest/forest management work sessions,” Duffy said.

One of the restrictions brought about through the public involvement was a limitation to harvesting in the area only during the winter months. This will keep any significant vegetation, soil and water disturbance to a minimum or nonexistent level.

The winter harvest will also lessen impact on the numerous wildlife species present within the sale area. These species include moose, black and brown bear, spruce grouse and ruffed grouse, ptarmigan, fur-bearing animals and various birds. No endangered, threatened, special or unique wildlife species or raptor nests are known to exist in the sale area.

Extra care was taken to protect any eagles that may be in the areas as well. Based on existing U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service eagle nest tree maps and field observations, there are no known eagle nest trees in the sale area. However, should an eagle nest tree be discovered in the sale area, it will be marked on the ground and a 330-foot no-harvest radius will be established to protect the nest tree.

&#8220The birch in the sale area are estimated to be between 110 and 130 years old, with scattered uneven-aged white spruce varying in age from seedlings to mature trees approximately 130 years old,” Menge said Friday. &#8220Removing the older trees will help rejuvenate the forest while removing older and decaying trees.”

Both Menge and Duffy expect the sale to generate royalties for the state and create economic benefits for the borough.

The borough business community will receive direct economic benefits from providing support services for the operators through sales of fuel, food, housing, medical and miscellaneous supplies.

The sale is also expected to provide jobs, by generating an estimated 28,000 man hours of work directly associated with the harvest and wood -processing operations associated with the sale.

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or darrell.breese@

frontiersman.com.