Page 26 - 2018 MHT Annual Report

Forestry
The Trust’s forest resources are located throughout Alaska, with the most valuable reserves in Southeast Alaska. The Trust Land Office (TLO) continues to seek opportunities to create sales when the market, available timber and interests are aligned. The TLO is collaboratively working with landowners throughout the state to manage forest resources in a healthy socioeconomic and environmentally responsible manner while meeting Trust objectives. The TLO
also issues negotiated timber sales for fuel reduction, biofuels, commercial firewood and other specialty wood harvest projects.
It is essential to protect the value of timber resources so the TLO timber program can provide a long-term source of timber from its land base. A steady supply of raw materials for industry use will allow revenue production for the Trust and investments in future projects to facilitate maximum returns. It is the TLO’s intention to provide ongoing timber sales in Southeast, while generating new economically viable timber sales in the Fairbanks, Delta Junction, Mat-Su and Kenai areas.
USFS LAND EXCHANGE
The TLO continues to work toward completing Phase 1 of the United States Forest Service (USFS)/AMHT land exchange pursuant to the Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Exchange Act of 2017, by which the USFS and the Trust will each swap approximately 20,000 acres of land. The TLO anticipates conveyance of Phase 1 in January 2019 following final board of trustees’ approval.
The TLO and the USFS are working diligently to resolve title, trespass, encroachment and other due diligence items for Phase 2 lands, which is anticipated to close later in 2019.
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