Wilderness Management Planning in an Alaskan National Park: Last Chance to Do It Right? Michael J. Tranel Abstract—Like many wilderness areas, Denali National Park and challenges. Identifying the highest priority data needs and Preserve faces a variety of challenges in its wilderness management addressing these first can be a strategy to overcome limita- planning. As an Alaska conservation unit that has been signifi- tions in previous studies. Since Denali National Park re- cantly expanded by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conserva- ceives considerable attention from the public in Alaska and tion Act of 1980 (ANILCA), Denali faces the additional responsibil- in the context of environmental issues nationwide, public ity of acknowledging that its management of controversial issues involvement strategy is crucial. affects how other wilderness areas are managed throughout the Educating, involving and enlisting the support of the state. Advocates of managing Denali as wilderness in its purest public is essential to successful backcountry management sense encourage the park to see its wilderness management plan- planning for the Park. Protected areas in Alaska have been ning as the “last chance to do it right.” Other individuals and viewed as a “last chance to do it right” by environmental organizations advocate activities such as continued motorized uses organizations. However, other groups view the large pro- in Denali wilderness. As a result, Denali’s backcountry manage- tected areas in the state that are relatively new to the ment plan addresses such issues as aircraft overflights and land- landscape, at least in terms of political boundaries, as viable ings, snowmachine use, other motorized uses, and commercial and opportunities for continued resource extraction and ex- recreational uses. Wilderness management planning in Denali panded tourism. The resulting controversy affects the plan- requires proper interpretation of ANILCA and accurate definition ning process for the wilderness and backcountry of Denali. of types and levels of use. Success requires working with the public to develop innovative approaches to allocating uses, minimizing conflicting uses, and protecting remote yet accessible backcountry Background ____________________ resources. Denali National Park and Preserve is located in south central interior Alaska and includes over six million acres, of which approximately two million are designated wilder- The National Park Service initiated a backcountry man- ness. (See location map.) The Park is slightly larger than the agement plan for Denali National Park and Preserve in state of New Hampshire. Development is limited to visitor 1998, gathering information on levels and types of use in the facilities, maintenance and administrative support facilities backcountry and on the legal parameters for planning. and an employee housing complex near the entrance area of Based on this initial data collection, the agency determined the Park at mile 237 of the George Parks Highway. The that additional scientific information is essential to the Parks Highway connects Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska’s planning effort, as is the need to deal with potential threats two largest cities. Additional visitor facilities exist at several and continue with studies and monitoring. Public under- locations along the 90-mile Denali National Park Road that standing of planning constraints determined by laws, regu- extends from the Park entrance to Wonder Lake and the lations, and policies is also needed. Questions for the plan- former mining community of Kantishna. Lodges and a ning process include: campground are located in the Kantishna and Wonder Lake area near the end of the park road. Automobile traffic on the 1. What are the legal parameters for planning, and what park road is restricted beyond the Savage River at mile 14.8. range of management options should be considered? The primary access into the Park’s interior is on a tour bus, 2. What are the most appropriate and effective methods visitor transportation shuttle bus system, or by bus to a for public involvement? Kantishna area lodge. This controlled access system has 3. How does the plan proceed if scientific information is been in place since 1972 after the George Parks Highway limited? was completed. Controlled access is a significant factor in Establishing the legal parameters for planning sets the protecting resources, especially wildlife, and the visitor context for discussing potential alternatives and manage- experience in Denali. ment options in the public arena and helps prevent legal Denali National Park and Preserve is an internation- ally significant protected area that has been proclaimed a biosphere reserve under the United Nations Man and the Biosphere program. Wilderness is a fundamental value In: Cole, David N.; McCool, Stephen F.; Borrie, William T.; O’Loughlin, Jennifer, comps. 2000. Wilderness science in a time of change conference— identified with Denali at its establishment, and this value Volume 5: Wilderness ecosystems, threats, and management; 1999 May 23– has been reaffirmed throughout the administrative his- 27; Missoula, MT. Proceedings RMRS-P-15-VOL-5. Ogden, UT: U.S. Depart- tory of the Park. The philosophy and policies for managing ment of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. Michael J. Tranel is a Park Planner at Denali National Park, P.O. Box 9, the wilderness and backcountry areas of the Park are Denali Park, AK 99755 U.S.A., e-mail: [email protected] intertwined with and have constantly influenced the USDA Forest Service Proceedings RMRS-P-15-VOL-5. 2000 369 management of the more developed and heavily visited designation, and almost all of it is suitable. National Park regions of the Park. Denali still exemplifies the intent of Service policy mandates that it be managed as designated the 1964 Wilderness Act and provides an opportunity for wilderness. the public to experience wilderness values. The purposes of Denali are specified in the enabling legis- The Park (fig. 1) contains large areas where trails and lation for the original Mount McKinley National Park and in evidence of human use are minimal to nonexistent. Approxi- ANILCA. The Park’s purpose is also tied to the traditions of mately one-third of the Park is designated wilderness. Of the the other national parks and preserves added to the system other four million acres, most is proposed for wilderness through ANILCA. Denali includes several administrative Nenana River Teklanika River To Fairbanks Kantishna River Chilchukabena Lake Minchumina Lake Healy Toklat River Visitor Access Center Riley Creek Sanctuary River Campground McKinley River Campground Park Birch Creek Headquarters Teklanika River Campground Savage River Campground Toklat Ranger Kantishna Station Igloo Creek Campground Wonder Lake Birch Creek Cantwell Eielson Visitor Wonder Lake Center Denali Highway Campground (Alaska Highway 8) ALASKA RANGE Muldrow Glacier Mount McKinley Eldridge Glacier Mount Foraker George(Alaska Parks Highway Highway 3) Tokositna Glacier Chulltna River Ruth Glacier Susitna River Denali State Park National Park Kahiltna Glacier National Preserve Denali State Park State Park Snow and Ice Chelatna Petersville ALASKA RANGE Lake Wilderness Boundary Road North Talkeetna River Boundary The Alaska Railroad 0105 Wilderness Exclusion Zone SCALE OF MILES To Alaska Highway 3 PARK/REGION Denali National Park and Preserve U.S. Department of the Interior • National Park Service Location in Alaska Figure 1—Denali National Park and Preserv. 370 USDA Forest Service Proceedings RMRS-P-15-VOL-5. 2000 subsets with different legislative histories and legal man- from which vision statements and strategic planning goals dates (original national park, national park additions, na- are derived. Along with the Park’s administrative history, tional preserve and designated and proposed wilderness). It legislative mandates set the course for the backcountry is a place where special uses related to subsistence and a management plan. frontier-type way of life continue, subject to regulation to ensure they do not jeopardize the integrity of park resources. Denali’s administrative history clarifies its purposes. The The Alaska National Interest Lands Park’s origins are loosely linked to the large, Western Conservation Act of 1980 _________ national parks established during the first two decades of this century, since the original Mount McKinley National The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of Park was established in 1917 and since early development 1980 (ANILCA) doubled the size of the area administered included railroad access and a hotel. Because of its early by the National Park Service, adding several new units and designation within the National Park System, Denali has extensive areas of designated wilderness throughout the evolved to become one of the most well-established national nation’s largest state. A total of 104.3 million acres of parks. Because of its outstanding natural resources and national parks, national wildlife refuges and other pro- accessible wilderness, Denali has become one of the most tected units were designated by ANILCA (Williss 1985), heavily visited of the national parks in Alaska. Still, devel- and more than 56 million acres were added to the National opment and use have been limited because of the Park’s Wilderness Preservation System (Landres and Meyer 1998). remote location (compared with the lower 48 states) and by The former Mt. McKinley National