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Kodiak
residents should expect to see a lot more trails in the coming years, in
addition to upkeep of old favorites. The Island Trails Network, a local
organization that builds and maintains trails across the archipelago, scored
$51,000 from the state legislature this year to put toward various trail
projects.
In addition to
trail building and maintenance, ITN also works extensively on marine debris
clean up. Andy Schroeder is the executive director and founder of ITN and said
thanks to a federal grant, there will be many more clean ups ahead.
-- (ITN
Grants 1 :32 "We've had a great year for fundraising
here. We applied for a federal grant from NOAA, to do marine debris clean up on
Tugidak Island. That's a place that's on the
south end of the archipelago. It's a place that is probably well over 100 air
miles from here. Arguably the most remote place in the Kodiak archipelago
because it's really difficult to reach. There are only a few places to land a
float plane, no sheltered deep water harbors or convenient places to get
ashore. But it also boasts this beautiful crescent shaped beach on its east
side that collects a lot of marine debris.")
Schroeder
said the grant, which totals $119,997, will solely be put toward clean up
efforts on Tugidak (Tuh-gee-dak). He said the island is an environmentally
sensitive area, boasting critical habitat for harbor seals and migratory birds.
Schroeder said he estimates the clean up starting sometime in 2013, and hopefully
wrapping up during summer 2014.
As
for the $51,000 from the state, Schroeder said part of that will go toward
trail building on Near Island, what he calls Near Island phase three, and the
other portion will be put toward a variety projects under the Kodiak Island
Trails Plan.
-- (ITN
Grants 2 : 34 "Near Island Phase III will start in north
end park on the north side of the bridge and it will go along the hillside,
over looking the channel, winding underneath that bridge and then continuing contouring
that hillside and meeting up with the city property on the other end, where
people park their boat trailers. But it's a beautiful piece of city greenbelt.
It's got tremendous views. It's going to be a real highlight and really attract
some more people to near island. And it's got some really unique views of the
working waterfront things Kodiak people are very proud of, so I think it will
get a lot of use.")
Schroeder said
he expects construction of that trail to be done in 2013. As for the Kodiak Trails
Plan, he listed a few projects that will be on the agenda in the coming year.
-- (ITN
Grants 3 : 15 "They are all small projects rolled into one
grant, but there's improvements to Perinosa right of way, in island lake
subdivision, There are some improvements scheduled for the resurfacing of the
Father Herman trail that connects Fuller's boat yard to Father Herman street.
That's along a city park. And there are some improvements slated for the future
bike path to clear the way for folks to once they get the end of the bike path
at dead mans curve, which will hopefully be constructed in a few years, what
then, and this intended to give people a place to go, so they can continue
going in that direction toward the coast guard base.")
Those projects will use
about $35,000 of the grant funding, and Near Island phase three will cost an
estimated $16,000. The funding was awarded in July. ###
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