National Seashore proposes new plans

The Gulf Islands National Seashore is accepting public input on four proposed alternative long-term management plans until Nov. 11.

Superintendent Dan Brown said the plan will probably be approved in 2012 and encouraged the public to provide feedback on the different alternatives.

“I invite people to take the opportunity because we don’t get to redo the plan very often, only every 15-20 years,” he said. The only other plan the park has had was approved in 1978.

Alternative 3 is the National Park Service’s preferred plan and would enhance visitor education, research and resource protection opportunities throughout the national seashore.

The plan stated that implementation of Alternative 3 would have long-term, beneficial and moderate impacts of natural resources but adverse impacts might occur.

“Alternative 3 focuses on the use of the seashore as an outdoor classroom,” Brown said. “And has a greater emphasis to research and management of the marine environment.” While the proposed plan is quite lengthy, he said people may want to focus on pages 103-119 to get a better understanding of the plan.

The draft plan and environmental impact statement is available for public review at the visitor centers or by visiting http://parkplanning.nps.gov/GUIS. 

For more on this story, see the Oct. 27 issue of Navarre Press or subscribe online.