NPS accused of pandering, harasssment

Slana, Alaska—When over 70 people show for a public meeting, you know something important is being discussed.  After all, Slana’s population numbers only about two dozen.

Actually, people from Tok, Slana, Glennallen, Chistochina, Copper Center, Gakona, Mentasta, Dot Lake, and Eagle River gathered in this tiny Alaskan community to talk with representatives of the National Park Service (NPS) about a subject that is very important to them—access.

The NPS had announced that several ATV trails in the area were causing ecological damage to the parklands, and they were considering closing these trails. Trail users said the trails had been used for years, long before the area became a national park, so instead of closing them, how about we just fix them up a bit?

Some, including former State Legislator Dick Shultz, saw the trail closures as a direct attack on local resident and businessman Doug Frederick. In a letter to Representative Don Young, Shultz wrote, “During my ten years in the Alaska Legislature, I encountered many frustrating and belligerent actions by both State and the Federal Administrators, but none can compare to the recent actions by the National Park Service in eliminating a longstanding business on the Nabesna Road in Wrangell St. Elias Park.”

Shultz was talking about the Sportsman’s Paradise Lodge, built in the late 1960's by Doug’s parents, Dick and Lucille Frederick. Although the lodge access is by the Nabesna Road, they also have property at Copper Lake, where, for decades, they have been taking fishermen.

Originally the Fredericks used a small Super Cub airstrip, until the NPS disallowed maintenance on the strip. With that closure, came a need for increased traffic on the traditional overland route by ATV. Now, the NPS has not only closed that route, the only access to the Frederick property, but has expanded the closed zone to 1,000 feet either side of the trail, effectively eliminating access to the lodge property.

“I have a caretaker over there and need to get supplies to him,” said Frederick. “They told me if I tried to use the trail they would cite me.”

Shultz pulled no punches in his letter to Young. “I have lived in this area long before Park Status...I have watched promise after promise be broken to the local users of fish and wildlife, and now this absolutely high-handed, devastating news to the Fredericks,” he wrote.

“All of you in our Congressional delegation know the frustrations of dealing with everchanging policies and managers who could care less about the impacts to rural Alaskans and their livelihoods.  Their ultimate mission is elimination of all traditional uses including subsistence,” Shultz continued. “In this particular case I have personally flown over the trail in question. I can assure you the impact to the environment is far less than that of a herd of caribou such as the Mulchatna.”

Beside Shultz, Frederick has been talking to Senator Frank Murkowski. Murkowski has a history of helping small businesses in the park when the NPS gets heavy-handed with them. Several years ago, he came to the aid of McCarthy’s two private campground owners when the NPS opened a free campground across the road from one of the fee units. Right after the senator’s aide paid a visit, the NPS discovered their campground had a “bear route” through it, and would need to be closed—coincidentally during the dates the commercial campgrounds were open.

Although many people at the Slana meeting testified against the trail closures, and no one spoke in favor of them, it seemed to have little effect on the outcome. According to those present, anger and dismay grew more evident as the  evening progressed. Most people called for increased access into the Park, not less, lamenting that in the 13 million acre park there is very little road access. Many accused the NPS of pandering to outside interests instead of listening to the local subsistence users.

Frederick and Shultz tried to partnership with the NPS.  They proposed that the NPS provide materials to stabilize some of the trails, and that locals would volunteer their time for the improvements. Sorry, said Chief Ranger Hunter Sharp, no money in the budget for that sort of thing.

Last week, Frederick received an email message from some friends who had come to visit him, but found he was not at home. “We were stopped by 2 rangers in bullet proof vests and assault guns, and harassed for a long time,” said the friends. “They were pretty rude...I wish there was something we could do about this.”

We tried to contact Ranger Sharp, but our request for information has gone unanswered for two weeks now.