The Conservation Fund did Alaskans a huge favor when it paid $1.6 million for two big swaths of empty land right next to Chugach State Park in Stuckagain Heights. Those tracts could provide new access to the popular park, which is hemmed in by private property along much of its border with the Anchorage Bowl. The fund planned to sell the tracts to the state park and use the proceeds to pursue other conservation land deals in the region.
It was a good plan, but it has stalled due to the uncertain economy and local opposition. Residents in the exclusive neighborhood have balked because large numbers of visitors from the flatlands might come through their mountain idyll.
With the deal stalled, the Conservation Fund's revolving fund for this kind of land purchases has stopped revolving. Opportunities to buy other important additions to the park may pass by, because the money is tied up in Stuckagain Heights.
It's an unfortunate turn of events, but there's hope a scaled-down access plan will mollify the local opposition. Instead of parking for 25 cars, park planners may settle for one with just six or eight spaces.
If that happens, the Legislature will presumably have more enthusiasm for putting the Stuckagain Heights tracts into the park -- and for putting state money into the necessary fundraising efforts.
We can understand local residents' unease about hosting lots of traffic bound for the park. Nobody wants caravans of Kenai Peninsula-style traffic coming through their neighborhood. Chugach Park trail heads have had their problems with after-hours drinking parties, vandals, and thieves. Even if park staff weren't stretched so thin, they can't possibly patrol as much as needed to keep every troublemaker away.
But we're talking about an access point that's at the dead end of a long, little-used road that requires navigating many twists and turns. You'll need a good map or GPS to find your way there.
Smart planning could help keep things under control, too. Some options might include locking the parking lots overnight, installing good lighting and video cameras, and maybe even recruiting volunteer hosts to keep watch.
The sins of a few don't justify drastically limiting public access to a public park, especially not one as popular as the Chugach. We hope the state can craft a compromise access plan that allows this valuable site to become an official part of Chugach State Park.
BOTTOM LINE: Here's hoping for a constructive end to this access dispute.