The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority is inviting public comment on a proposed timber sale on Prince of Wales Island. It’s surrounding a culturally significant, historic site on the eastern side of the island. Tribes in the region are speaking out in opposition, asking that the project be reconsidered and the surrounding area be preserved.
The land proposed for the timber harvest is one mile north of Hollis and across the bay from Kasaan. The proposal includes clear cutting primarily old growth Western Hemlock, Red and Yellow Cedar, and Sitka Spruce, and is anticipated to generate around 20 million board feet in total. It is directly surrounding the seven-acre Wolf Creek Boatworks Historic District.
The boat maintenance and repairs facility is over 80 years old. In the Best Interest Decision statement, the Land Trust Authority states that although they legally could, they will not harvest commercial timber within the historic district.
The site has a complicated history. The land was federally owned until 2017, when Congress passed legislation mandating a roughly 20,000 acre land swap between the Tongass National Forest and the Alaska Mental Health Trust. The Trust officially acquired it in 2021, putting the land at greater risk of logging. The site was put on the National Register of Historic Places last year. It is co-owned by the Organized Village of Kasaan.
Mike Jones, president of the organized village of Kasaan, opposes the logging project. The facility has historic ties in Kasaan and with his own family. The proposed sale is also on a hill with a sacred waterfall that he thinks will be at risk if the logging project goes through. He wants that to be considered and for the Trust Land Office to initiate tribal consultations. Ultimately, because the Alaska Mental Health Trust is not a federal organization, they’re not required to consult with tribal governments.
Richard Peterson is the president of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. He wrote a letter opposing the timber sale. The letter outlines concerns of timber revenue being prioritized over cultural resources and lack of consideration for the broader cultural landscape. Peterson said the tribe is concerned that the Mental Health Trust Authority has not complied with federal preservation laws because it was acquired from a federal land exchange. The historic site will be protected, but the clear cut will still be visible from the site. He recommends the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority engage with tribal governments and reconsider the decision.
Allison Biastock is a spokesperson for the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority. She said that because the public comment period is underway, they aren’t yet able to address the concerns. The Trust Land Office manages Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority lands to generate revenue — often through timber or other resources — for Alaskans with developmental and intellectual disabilities, substance use disorders, and traumatic brain injuries. In an email to KRBD, Biastock said all revenues generated on Trust lands support the annual grantmaking program and systems change efforts to improve the lives of Trust beneficiaries.
The Best Interest Decision was published early last month and public comment closes Monday, July 13 at 4:30 p.m. They can be submitted in person or emailed to mhtlo@alaska.gov.
Those comments will be reviewed before a final best interest decision is announced.
