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This document was mailed to Gustavus Electric Company customers in August, 2002. As the efforts to acquire Mental Health Trust Lands continue, a number of questions and concerns have been raised. This mailing is intended to provide a brief update of the project and answer some of the questions that have been posed. If anyone has questions in addition to the ones listed below feel free to get in touch with either Hank (697-2221) or Meadow (697-2348). You can also visit our website (www.gustavuslandlegacy.org) which has minutes from all our meeting and copies of all relevant documents. Q: What is the Gustavus Land Legacy all about anyway? A: In 1998, a survey was sent to all Gustavus box holders asking how folks wanted the Mental Health Trust lands to be managed. The responses overwhelmingly favored purchasing and protecting those parcels along the beach for open space, hunting and recreation. Following this survey, the Gustavus Land Legacy was formed as a sub-committee of the Gustavus Community Association. With the help of The Nature Conservancy, the committee is working to raise funds to purchase close to three thousands acres. Once purchased, title to the land will be held by The Nature Conservancy and be co-managed by the Conservancy and the community. We have until March 2004 to raise the money. Q: Will the Gustavus Land Legacy project "lock up" lands and preclude my children from someday buying land here? A: The Mental Health Land Trust is not selling all of their Gustavus properties to The Nature Conservancy. They are keeping two thousands acres of the driest land to sell as residential lots. Assuming the average lot size to be 2 acres, this will provide space for an additional 1,000 families in town. In addition, Cook Inlet Regional Incorporation owns 1,100 acres which will likely be sold as residential lots. Also, there are currently more absentee land owners then residents which means there are plenty of parcels already in private hands that will continue to be available for purchase. Q: Once The Nature Conservancy holds title, will the public be excluded from using these lands? A: The intent of the Gustavus Land Legacy is to preserve both wildlife habitat and public access. A management agreement has been written (with much local input) which clearly states that activities like hunting, fishing, trapping, berry picking, and recreation will continue as long as those activities do not damage the habitat or result in irresolvable user conflicts. If these lands are NOT purchased by the Nature Conservancy and are sold as residential lots we will encounter "private property/no trespassing" signs in places where we currently hunt and recreate. Q: The Gustavus Land Legacy has done a lot of fund raising events. How much money needs to be raised locally? A: The estimated price tag for the 3,000 acres the Gustavus Land Legacy project is trying to purchase is between 3 and 4 million dollars. We are soliciting both private and public dollars from outside the state to reach this ambitious goal. In seeking these funds it is important (in some cases required) to have a strong show of local support. We have raised $80,000 so far, well on the way to our local goal of $100,000. |
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