Alaska Coalition

The Comment Deadline for the Kobuk-Seward Peninsula is September 15, 2006!

	Planning Area Management Issues • Caribou ACECs • Wild & Scenic Rivers • Mineral Development • Special Areas • Recreation Areas Take Action!
Kobuk River - Photo: Sue Steinacher

BLM has created a long-term Resource Management Plan (RMP) for over 13 million acres of public lands, critical wildlife habitat, and recreation resources in northwestern Alaska. The Kobuk-Seward Peninsula RMP will establish guidelines and goals that will direct BLM’s management decisions on these rivers, lands, and resources for the next 20 years or more!

Public participation is an essential part of the BLM’s planning process.

Submit your comments to BLM by August 4, 2006.

See the draft plan and review maps on-line at
http://www.blm.gov/ak/ksp/index.html

Alaska’s public lands affected by the Kobuk-Seward Peninsula RMP:

Glacial Lake - Photo: Bureau of Land Management

• Critical habitat for the Western Arctic Caribou Herd (WACH), including wintering grounds in the Nulato Hills, and calving and insect relief areas on the Lisburne Peninsula.
• Coastal, salmon-spawning rivers, including Kivalina, Ungalik, Shaktoolik, Inglutalik, Squirrel, and Koyuk Rivers that support the needs of local subsistence users, as well as the activities of sport and commercial fishermen. Human use of these rivers has occurred over the past 10,000 years, and there is a high likelihood that undiscovered cultural or archaeological remains may be present.
• Kigluaik Mountains, north of Nome, include approx. 50 glacially formed cirque lakes which support populations of genetically isolated Arctic char “sensitive” fish species. Spectacular vistas of mountain passes and glacial valleys dominate the landscape. A wide variety of road accessible recreation activities are available, including fishing, hiking, mountaineering, backcountry skiing, snowmachining, dog mushing, and wildlife photography.
• The planning area is mostly roadless and encompasses 22 remote Alaskan communities. Significant issues addressed in the draft RMP include private and commercial recreation use, off-highway vehicle use, mineral and energy resources, and protection of special areas and sensitive wildlife habitat.

Kiana - Photo: Bureau of Land Management

Management Alternatives Proposed in the Draft Plan:

• Protections for Western Arctic Caribou Herd (WACH) critical summer and winter habitat
  Estimated at nearly 500,000 animals (Alaska’s largest), critical habitat for the WACH dominates the Kobuk-Seward planning area, including wintering grounds in the Nulato Hills, a summer insect relief area on the Lisburne Peninsula, and countless migration corridors. Approximately 40 rural Alaskan communities hunt these animals for food as part of their traditional, subsistence lifestyle. Appropriate habitat management is critical.

  Caribou crossing Kobuk River - Photo: Sue Steinacher

  • WACH Calving and Insect Relief Habitat ACEC (Area of Critical Environmental Concern) ACEC designation is recommended for 2,893,000 acres to protect sensitive calving grounds and important insect relief habitats.
  • WACH Winter Range - 2,044,000 acres in proposed ACECs (see Table 2-17, page 2-108)
  • Nulato Hills ACEC - 1,081,000 acres to protect core WACH winter range.
  • Shaktoolik River ACEC - 234,000 acres* to protect anadromous fish habitat
  • Ungalik River ACEC - 264,000 acres* to protect anadromous fish habitat
  • Inglutalik River ACEC - 466,000 acres* to protect anadromous fish habitat
  • * These ACECs will be extensions of existing, designated ACECs on BLM lands in the adjacent Central Yukon RMP planning area.

• Pink Salmon - Photo: Sue Steinacher

  Gold Dredge Near Nome - Photo: Bureau of Land Management

  Wild & Scenic Rivers - 11 eligible rivers worthy of designation and protection:

  Ungalik River ~ Shaktoolik River ~ Inglutalik River ~ Kivalina River ~ Koyuk River ~ Tubutulik River ~ Agiapuk River ~ Kiliovilik River ~ Nilik/Ipewik/Kukpik Rivers ~ Upper Buckland River ~ Fish River

• Dramatic opening of millions of acres for mineral exploration and development.
  Currently, millions of acres of BLM-managed lands in Alaska are closed to mineral entry, location, and leasing. The draft plan assesses the need to continue resource protections on the selected and unselected lands in the Kobuk-Seward region, with the need to balance management of mineral development.

• Special Management Areas (see Table 2-17, page 2-108)

  Alternative C proposals:

  • Kigluaik Mountains ACEC - 382,000 acres to protect scenic, cultural, botanical, and geologic values. (Mostly State-selected lands north of Nome.)
  • McCarthy’s Marsh ACEC - 131,000 acres to protect caribou, moose, anadromous fish, and waterfowl habitat. (Mostly State-selected lands south of Bendeleben Mountains.)
  • Upper Kuzitrin River ACEC - 141,000 acres to protect caribou, moose, and waterfowl habitat. (Mostly State-selected lands adjacent to Bering Land Bridge National Park.)

  Alternative D "Preferred" proposals:

  • Mount Osborn Research Natural Area (RNA) - up to 84,000 acres of State-selected lands within the Kigluaik Mountains will be proposed for designation if substantial lands remain in permanent BLM management after conveyances are completed.
  • No ACEC designation would be recommended for McCarthy’s Marsh or Upper Kuzitrin River.

• Moose at Squirrel River - Photo: Bureau of Land Management

  Salmon Lake - Photo: Sue Steinacher

  Special Recreation Management Areas (SRMA) (see Table 2-12, page 2-72) The draft plan proposes several options for managing intensive recreation use of specific areas to help reduce conflicts between commercial and non-commercial activities. Limitations may be placed on the number of special recreation permits authorized or the number of visitors permitted.

  • Squirrel River Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA)
    859,000 acres recommended for management as a semi-primitive, motorized area to manage intensive subsistence and sport-hunting use.

  • Kigluaik Mountains and Salmon Lake campground SRMA
    290,000 acres recommended for special management to enhance visitor use, safety, OHV trails, and recreation opportunities.