Several things are happening right now of interest to trail users and advocates. All have fairly tight deadlines and all need input or advocacy help. I’ll start with the local and then bring in statewide stuff. I hope you find something here to spur you to action!
Fairbanks North Star Borough Budget Public Hearing
What: The Fairbanks Borough Assembly will be taking public comment tonight on the proposed budget.
Who: Anyone who uses trails in the Fairbanks borough
When: Tonight. Thursday, May 6. The meeting starts at 6 p.m.
Why: I have not had time to dig through the budget to see how the Parks and Recreation Department has fared, but I have not heard anything bad. In any case, this is always a good time to let the Assembly know that trails are important. You can do that best by advocating for the Borough Trails Office. If you don’t have time to attend the meeting, you can email assembly members.
What you can do:
- Email assembly members encouraging support of the Trails Office and/or the Parks and Recreation Department: https://co.fairbanks.ak.us/Directory.aspx?DID=64
- Testify at the meeting: https://co.fairbanks.ak.us/171/Borough-Assembly
Rosie Creek Area Trails Winter Access Meeting
What: The Division of Forestry is facilitating a Zoom meeting to discuss winter trail access options in the Cripple Creek and Becker Ridge neighborhoods. This is related to the division’s efforts to improve trails and forestry roads, including adding signage and trailheads, in the Rosie Creek area for trail use.
Who: Cripple Creek and Becker Ridge subdivision residents & trail users
When: 5:30 on Wednesday, May 12
Where:
- Join Zoom Meeting: by computer
- Meeting ID: 970 3184 1409, Passcode: trail
- Join Zoom Meeting: by phone
- Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/and4JrxgO
- Meeting ID: 970 3184 1409, Passcode: 208161
Why: At an April 1 Zoom public meeting about proposed trail improvements in the Tanana Valley State Forest, many folks in the neighborhood expressed concern about trail access from subdivisions off Cripple Creek and Rosie Creek Trail roads. We’d like to get together to discuss strategies to help trail users safely and easily access these public trails while minimizing impacts on the subdivision.
For more info: Alison Arians: 907-748-3712, alison.arians@alaska.gov (Division of Forestry), Julie Hagelin: 408-621-2526, or Molly Yazwinski: 907-371-0231.
FNSB Comprehensive Recreational Trail Plan Update
What: The Fairbanks Borough is updating the trails plan. Many trails in the borough on the plan, but many are not. If a trail you care about is not on the plan, now is the time to try to get it added. Your advocacy won’t guarantee that the trail is protected, but staying silent will guarantee you won’t have a say. Now is also a good time to bring up issues with maintenance, right-of-way or public access, and use designation. Or maybe you have some ideas for new trails.
Who: Anyone who uses trails in the Fairbanks borough
When: Several deadlines are May 15 (see below).
Why: Because your participation now can affect trails in the Fairbanks area for years to come.
Ways to let your voice be heard:
Go to www.FNSBTrailsPlan.com where you can find four ways to provide trail input:
- Take the Trail Use Survey – Ends May 15!
- Click here for survey: https://tinyurl.com/7ykufd98
- Provide basic information use and perceptions about trails
- Only take once. If you received a post card in the mail, use the link on the post card instead.
- Use the Interactive Mapping Tool – Ends May 15!
- Click here for interactive comment map: https://tinyurl.com/pmpey3vu
- This tool helps you share specific details about your trail needs, ideas and concerns.
- Submit as many map comments as your heart desires.
- Send a comment directly
- Submit a Comment Via Email here and be added to the trail plan email list: https://www.fnsbtrailsplan.com/contact
- Fill out and send us the Trail Info Form here: https://tinyurl.com/3wezx323
- Attend the Trails Advisory Commission planning meetings
- The next virtual zoom meeting is scheduled for May 4 at 6:00 PM. Agenda and links here: https://tinyurl.com/yrr84nuu
- This will be a public workshop to develop a vision and overall goals for the community trail network. More monthly meetings to come. Check the website for updates.
Alaska Long Trail Funding Effort
What: Alaska Trails is trying to get projects for the Alaska Long Trail into the state’s capital budget. The Alaska Long Trail is a project to connect Fairbanks and Seward by trail. Some trail sections already exist, but others do not.
Who: Anyone who would like to see this project completed
When: While the legislature is in session; advocacy is needed sooner rather than later.
What you can do:
- Call, write, or email your legislators for yourself or on behalf of a trail or trail user group.
- Write letters to the editor.
- Post on Facebook.
- To find out more go here https://www.alaska-trails.org/go-bond-2021. (Note that the page mentions the General Obligation, or GO, Bond. As mentioned under “Two Swerves,” the GO Bond may not happen, so the advocacy direction is changing.)
Why: Alaska is going to receive more than $1 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act. Alaska Long Trail advocates believe some of that money could be spent toward creating this trail, which would benefit locals and help strengthen our visitor industry. Alaska could use a long trail as a marketing tool. Plus, wouldn’t it be fun to go from Fairbanks to Seward all by trail?!
Trails Build Alaska Would Create Trails Workforces
What: Trail Mix, a Juneau trails group, is spearheading an effort called Trails Build Alaska, to direct federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act to build a trained trails workforce in the state. The group is advocating for the Dunleavy administration and the legislature to create a statewide trails workforce development program, inspired by Trail Mix’s successful COVID-19 Conservation Corps (CCC), as well as similar programs in Sitka and Anchorage. Those programs, funded from the federal CARES Act, quickly got people working on building new trails or repairing existing trails with a strong focus on job training. The Trails Build Alaska coalition is asking for a $12 million allocation from the recently passed Rescue Plan Act for this trails workforce development program to be administered by the State. Local groups or governments would have to opt in and would have control over their own trail crews.
Who: Anyone who would like to see more paid trail crews in communities across the state
When: While the legislature is in session; advocacy is needed sooner rather than later.
What you can do:
- Call, write, or email your legislators for yourself or on behalf of a trail or trail user group.
- Write letters to the editor.
- Post on Facebook.
- Sign this petition to Governor Dunleavy (bit.ly/trailsworkforcepetition)
- For more information, email sophia@trailmixinc.org.
Why: Fairbanks and other areas need more trail crews. BLM and State Parks have trail crews in the Fairbanks area (though they could probably use even more), but the borough is pretty limited. It does a good job with what it has, but it could really use a robust trail crew to either build new trails or take care of the ones we already have. If this program is approved, the next step would be to lobby the borough to take advantage of it. A local nonprofit might also step forward to create a trails crew (or bolster the one it already has, such as the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks). The program would help trails at other areas in the state, too.