Assembly to Decide on Reforestation Contract

Kayla Desroches/KMXT

One item under new business for tonight’s Kodiak Island Borough Assembly regular meeting is the purchase of spruce tree seedlings for reforestation of the area burned in the Twin Creeks fire. The assembly and borough staff have been discussing reforestation hand in hand with timber harvest in that area, a process which is ongoing. The recovery of that forested area may be underway soon.

While assembly members have talked about replenishing the damaged forest, they’ve also brought up building development as another way to bolster the community and the Chiniak area. On the table at tonight’s meeting will be a sole source agreement to buy 300,000 spruce tree seedlings from Koncor Forest Products for the spring 2017 planting season. While A-1 Timber is carrying out the salvage and recovery efforts, Koncor would be a third party partner in the project.

As Resource Manager Duane Dvorak explains in a letter included in the packet, Koncor Forest Products is offering the trees for a total of roughly $110,300. As also stated in the meeting packet, the salvage timber sale will pay for the reforestation, and staff already put money aside from the Special Revenue Land Sale Fund so that the project doesn’t impact the general fund.

The budget for the project is approximately $436,300.

You can hear the assembly’s response to the contract at the regular meeting tonight beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tune in live on KMXT or drop by the assembly chambers in the borough building.