Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve Subsistence Plan

Cellarius, Barbara

ANILCA Section 808 directed the National Park Service (NPS) to work with the Subsistence Resource Commissions (SRC) in developing a comprehensive subsistence hunting plan for the park. The General Management Plan for Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (1986) further committed the National Park Service to prepare a subsistence management plan for the park; the major component of which would be the SRC’s hunting plan. The plan is intended to provide clarification in the management of subsistence uses by addressing major topics related to management of subsistence, such as timber cutting, shelters and cabins, trapping, resident zones, traditional use areas, access, acquisition of resource and user data, and resolution of user conflicts and possible closures. This is not a decision making document. Therefore, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements have not been met. As aspects of the plan reach a stage where a decision is to be made, the appropriate level of NEPA compliance will be completed as required. The plan is being developed in cooperation with all affected parties, including the State of Alaska, and the Southcentral and Eastern Interior Regional Advisory Councils. The draft plan was available for public review from January 11 - March 21, 1998, prior to its approval by the SRC. The plan will be updated at least once every year depending on the level of activity of the Subsistence Resource Commission and NPS in advancing new issues and recommendations. Significant revisions to the plan will go through a public involvement process.