(Anchorage, AK) - The public is invited to participate in a Board of Forestry meeting and teleconference on Wednesday, August 8 from 8 a.m. to noon and on Friday, August 10 from 8 a.m. to 10:25 a.m. to discuss statewide forestry issues.

Topics for the board meeting include: 

• Fiscal year 2018-19 forestry and forest practices budgets,
• Coordination of forestry and wildlife habitat management in the Tanana Valley;
• Air quality and wood energy in the Fairbanks North Star Borough;
• Forest management issues and opportunities on state land in Interior Alaska
• Opportunities for forest management on military land under the Sikes Act;
• Fish habitat permitting legislation (HB 199) and fish habitat ballot initiative (17FSH2);
• State regulatory proposals related to forest operations in Alaska, including small negotiated timber sales under 11 AAC 71.045(e), state fees, and public notices; and antidegradation regulations and potential processes for identifying Tier 3 waters; and
• Coastal forest management issues including reports on Tongass Roadless Rule litigation, the Mental Health Trust land exchange, timber sales under the state-federal Good Neighbor Agreement, and proposed University of Alaska timber management in the Haines area.

Other forestry matters may be included on the agenda. The meeting is intended to comply with the requirements of AS 41.17.047(b) and (d).  Public comment is scheduled for 11 a.m. on August 8, and for 9 a.m. on August 10.

The August 8 session will be held in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) large conference room, 3700 Airport Way, Fairbanks; the August 10 session will be in the DNR Division of Forestry Tok Area Office, Mile 123 Tok Cutoff, Tok.  Both sessions will be available by teleconference and webinar at the following sites:

• Juneau:  DNR 4^th floor conference room A, 400 Willoughby Ave.
• Anchorage:  Suite 1450, 550 W. 7^th Avenue
• Fairbanks:  Department of Natural Resources large conference room, 3700 Airport Way 

Anyone outside of Anchorage, Fairbanks, or Juneau who would like to participate in the teleconference should contact Alison Arians at the Division of Forestry in Anchorage at alison.arians@alaska.gov or call 907-269-8467 no later than noon on Monday, August 6. If no one has contacted Alison and no one is present at a teleconference site by 9 a.m., the teleconference may be terminated at that site.

The agenda is attached. For additional information about the meeting, or for special accommodations due to audio or visual impairment, contact Alison using the contact information above. Any individuals wishing to receive announcements of future Board of Forestry meetings by e-mail or in hard copy should contact Alison to be added to the mailing list.  

CONTACT: Alison Arians, 907-269-8467, alison.arians@alaska.gov 

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