Willow residents have message for MSB Assembly timber harvest resolution-“ Leave this land alone.”

On Tuesday, the Matanuska Susitna Borough (MSB) Assembly held a special meeting out in Willow as part of a series of special meetings for communities to participate in public hearings for the Borough budget.

However, the people who call Willow home had no interest in the budget, instead taking the opportunity to speak to Assembly members about an issue close to the heart of the small community-a resolution authorizing the solicitation of bids for a timber harvest along Long Lake Road.

The proposed land to be harvested is a 137-acre parcel of MSB owned forested land that is being sought for the timber salvage due to high stocking of birch with little damaged and dead spruce.

“The proposal for the timber sale is in the best interest of the forest and the surrounding community,” reads part of a summary statement that was issued along with the resolution. It goes on to say that the timber harvest will help reduce wildfires, timely management of the forestland, and salvage timber before it more trees are lost to rot and infestations like the beetle spruce.

Within the supporting documents, Borough officials also state that the MSB selects areas for proposed timber harvests based on other factors including access, timber quality and density, soils, and the surrounding land use, and that the Borough is looking at lands with dense spreads of dead spruce and over-mature birch.

“The last two similar harvests have occurred in similar areas…Zero complaints were received for those harvests.”

The previous harvests were at the intersection of Church Road and Seldon in Wasilla, and another off Yoder Road in Talkeetna.

If the resolution is approved, it is expected to yield 1,000 cords of wood, but that mattered little to the people who attended the meeting.

“My parents acquired our property in 1957, and we have been fortunate enough to enjoy it all these years, and are hoping we can pass it down to our family as our legacy,” said Karen Kelly, who told members that upon retiring, she built a home with the idea of having an oasis her family could enjoy. She said that her home has a view of Lynn Lake and the “big, beautiful Abbey Hill with its robust greenery.”

“We don’t want Willow to end up as some less desirable area…the Willow community is vibrant and an attractive destination for single- family homes for retirees and young families alike. This will lower the real estate in the marketplace and in the surrounding areas of Willow.”

“There are 27 year olds that are building out here as well, and they don’t want to see their beautiful old-growth forest cut down either.” Jake Warden, a 27-year-old resident of Willow, owner of the Toasted Joe’s Coffee stand, and a member of the Willow Area Community Organization (WACO) Secretary.

“There is beautiful flora and fauna the live there that hasn’t seen fire. The forest is beautiful and powerful, and if we want to bring recreational tourism out here, we can’t be cutting our trees down.” Warden suggested that there were other options for land to have the timber harvested that are away from tourists and residents.

He also said that area is especially poignant to him as it is near where he lost his partner in a car accident last year.

“I drive by there every day, so to have it logged out would be terrible.” He was also happy to see so much community participation against the resolution.

“I moved out here to Willow about 2 years ago with my partner Audrey, and the message is that there are people my age that are building out here, not just people getting ready to retire. We’re out here to build a life and didn’t want to have to live in an apartment building with people and dogs and noise,” says Warden. “There’s plenty of land to build but we don’t want to lose all of the trees and the plant life and wildlife within. That’s why it’s special.”

James Carr, a lifelong Alaskan who lives near the proposed timber harvest area, also spoke out in opposition to the resolution.

“I’ve seen some areas get decimated by fires and by clear cutting, and both are ugly,” he said. “The last thing we thought we would see is the lot next to us getting clear cut. I think there are a lot more options…I’m sure there are a lot of flat lots in areas that not everybody in the surrounding area is going to see when something gets cut.”

Carr also pointed out that terrain change would be highly visible and could cause harm to the vegetation within the forested land, and more erosion later on.

“You take down a bunch of trees, it’s going to erode, especially on the steep slopes.”

Many of the Willow residents who spoke, asked for the Assembly to reconsider the resolution.

“Last week, you had the opportunity to end the Long Lake Road timber sale. You had the opportunity to cut your losses and not waste any more resources on what is obviously a bad idea,” said Mike Fromm.

MSB Borough clerk Lonnie McKecnhie addressed the possibility of reconsidering or rescinding the resolution.

“It is too late for the assembly to reconsider. There are other options such as rescinding, should somebody want to do that, or new legislation.”

Because of Robert’s Rules, if any member were to call for a rescinding, it would need to be advertised to the public and would therefore not be able to come forward until the May 16 MSB Assembly meeting.

“Next time this issue is on the docket, we will be there, louder and angrier because it seems the elected officials are perfectly comfortable ignoring what is clearly a consensus of your constituents. If that fails, we will see you in court,” said Fromm.

Warden brought a different result to the table, telling the Assembly that he and his friends could bring out a tried and true action from decades ago.

“We’ll bring the hippies and chain ourselves to the trees, so it’ll be a little more expensive to deal with,” he said.

No one in attendance spoke in support of the timber harvest resolution.

Assembly member Dee McKee, who had previously voted against the resolution, tried to make a motion to rescind the motion, however, McKechnie advised that a motion like that could not be made at that time due to the advertising rule, but did say she could ask for it to be put on the agenda. Assembly member McKee did make the request to add it to the agenda for the May 16 meeting, a motion which was met with much applause and approval from the audience.

As for the next round of MSB Assembly meetings discussing the budget, there is to be another meeting at the Menard Center in Wasilla on April 27, and a final special meeting at the MSB Building in Palmer on May 4.