KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
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. ###
