Susitna Matanuska Area Plan Public Review Draft Note: To receive full consideration, comments on the Public Review Draft must be received before: 5:00 P.M., Wednesday, May 5, 2010 Send comments to: Ray Burger Department of Natural Resources Phone: 907-269-8534 550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1050 Fax: 907-269-8915 Anchorage, AK 99501-3579 Email: [email protected] February 2010 Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Mining, Land and Water Resource Assessment & Development Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction Introduction and Background .............................................................................................. 1 - 1 Summary of Purpose of the Plan ................................................................................... 1 - 1 Description of the Planning Area ................................................................................... 1 - 1 Uplands and Shorelands as Described in This Plan ....................................................... 1 - 2 Update of the Original Susitna Area Plan ...................................................................... 1 - 2 Planning Area................................................................................................................. 1 - 3 How the Plan is Organized ............................................................................................ 1 - 4 Why This Plan Was Developed ..................................................................................... 1 - 4 The Mandate .................................................................................................................. 1 - 5 What the Plan Will Do ................................................................................................... 1 - 6 How This Plan is Used ................................................................................................... 1 - 6 Public Participation in Planning Process ....................................................................... 1 - 6 Process of Plan Preparation ........................................................................................... 1 - 6 Who Developed the Plan? .............................................................................................. 1 - 7 Uses and Resources Within the Planning Area .............................................................. 1 - 7 What the Plan Won’t Do ................................................................................................ 1 - 9 Planning Period ............................................................................................................ 1 - 10 Summary of Plan Actions .................................................................................................. 1 - 10 Management Intent ...................................................................................................... 1 - 10 Land Use Designations ................................................................................................ 1 - 10 Management Guidelines .............................................................................................. 1 - 10 Classifications .............................................................................................................. 1 - 10 Summary of Plan Implementation and Modification ................................................... 1 - 11 Chapter 2: Areawide Land Management Policies Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 2 - 1 Definitions...................................................................................................................... 2 - 1 Goals .............................................................................................................................. 2 - 1 Management Intent ........................................................................................................ 2 - 2 General Framework of the Plan ..................................................................................... 2 - 2 Management Guidelines by Activity or Resource Value .............................................. 2 - 3 General Guidelines ......................................................................................................... 2 - 3 Other State Land ............................................................................................................ 2 - 4 Agriculture ........................................................................................................................... 2 - 5 Management Guidelines ................................................................................................ 2 - 5 Coordination and Public Notice ........................................................................................... 2 - 8 Management Guidelines ................................................................................................ 2 - 8 Cultural Resources ............................................................................................................. 2 - 10 Management Guidelines .............................................................................................. 2 - 10 i Fish and Wildlife Habitat ................................................................................................... 2 - 12 Management Guidelines .............................................................................................. 2 - 12 Forestry .............................................................................................................................. 2 - 20 Management Guidelines .............................................................................................. 2 - 21 Instream Flow .................................................................................................................... 2 - 27 Management Guidelines .............................................................................................. 2 - 27 Material Sites ..................................................................................................................... 2 - 28 Management Guidelines .............................................................................................. 2 - 28 Recreation and Scenic Resources ...................................................................................... 2 - 30 Management Guidelines .............................................................................................. 2 - 30 Settlement .......................................................................................................................... 2 - 33 Management Guidelines .............................................................................................. 2 - 35 Shorelands and Stream Corridors ...................................................................................... 2 - 40 Management Guidelines .............................................................................................. 2 - 40 Subsurface Resources ........................................................................................................ 2 - 47 Management Guidelines .............................................................................................. 2 - 47 Public Access ..................................................................................................................... 2 - 50 Management Guidelines: General Public Access ....................................................... 2 - 50 Management Guidelines: Trails Within and Between Developing Areas .................. 2 - 52 Management Guidelines: Iditarod and Iditarod Trail System ..................................... 2 - 53 Chapter 3: Land Management Policies for Each Management Unit Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 3 - 1 Organization of Chapter ................................................................................................. 3 - 2 Land Use Designations .................................................................................................. 3 - 2 Designations Used in This Plan ..................................................................................... 3 - 4 Explanation of Mineral and Coal Designations ............................................................. 3 - 6 Management Intent ........................................................................................................ 3 - 7 Management Guidelines ................................................................................................ 3 - 8 Duration and Flexibility of Plan .................................................................................... 3 - 9 Glossary ......................................................................................................................... 3 - 9 Plan Structure ....................................................................................................................... 3 - 9 Plan Regions .................................................................................................................. 3 - 9 Management Units ....................................................................................................... 3 - 10 Region Descriptions ..................................................................................................... 3 - 11 Plan Maps....................................................................................................................