One or two 7b easements is "not" sufficient for the amount of Parks Hwy (for example) that is involved. The 17b easements were included to allow access to the areas we use to recreate and needs to be a priority in any current or future land issues.
NOTICE - Public access at risk! For trail riders, paddlers, hunters, fishers, skiers, hikers, etc.
* Do you have favorite trails and access points to them and to rivers off the Denali, Richardson & Parks Hwy south of the Alaska Range?
* Have you told BLM about them? Example: A trail from the Parks Hwy to State land in the Yanert River valley.
* Has BLM recognized and recorded those trails and access points and their public uses?
If your answer is "NO", you may soon be told "NO" when you go back to use that access. We've already lost several public access points.
BLM Public Meeting on public access across Ahtna Corporation lands - Thursday, April 17, 4-7PM, Fairbanks BLM Office on University Avenue.
BLM always hears what Native corporations recommend, but not often what the public wants - until the access is lost!
* Go to the access meeting.
* Find out about 17b easements.
* Make sure that BLM knows about YOUR interests and past public use of access across Ahtna selected lands.
* Deadline for comments on 17b easements on AHTNA lands is April 28, 2008.
BLM makes its decisions on previously identified trails and access points. Many were identified years ago. BLM is required to consider the interests of BOTH the land owner, AND the public.
BLM is in the final stage of reviewing conveyance of federal land to Native corporations as mandated by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The law requires BLM to determine where public access to and from public lands and waters or transportation routes across Native corporation lands should be reserved by public easements. The easements are called 17b easements, and can be a trail or a staging area.
In general, public access across those lands is lost if 17b easements are not reserved at the time lands are conveyed to a Native corporation (exceptions are rare and hard to come by).
For general info on 17b easements, go to http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/prog/lands_ ... ments.html