Woodland Lake Park

March 30, 2006

Mr. Mark Rey, Under Secretary
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Secretary
Washington, D.C. 20250

RE: Extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, Woodland Lake Parcel, Pinetop-Lakeside, Navajo County, Arizona

Dear Mr. Rey:

The White Mountains Land Trust (WMLT) has reviewed the lands identified as potentially eligible for liquidation by the USDA Forest Service to fund an extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. Our intent is not to provide comment on the extension of this act or the overall land disposal proposal, but to comment on the inclusion of 575 acres under this proposal located in the town limits of Pinetop-Lakeside, known as the “Woodland Lake Park” parcel. The mission of the WMLT, a recently (2004) incorporated non-profit organization, is to promote the conservation and stewardship of natural areas and open spaces in the White Mountains of Arizona, to promote responsible use of land and water resources, and to enhance and improve the quality of life in the White Mountains for the benefit of the general public.

The proposed acreage associated with the Woodland Lake Park parcel accounts for more than half the total (1,030 acres) identified for the entire state of Arizona, and represents the vast majority of the 583 acre contiguous parcel encompassing the Woodland Lake Park parcel; only the 8 acres around the developed portion of the parcel (ball fields, picnic ramadas, playgrounds, etc.) currently under special use permit to Pinetop-Lakeside was not included in the proposal. For a host of reasons, the WMLT is vigorously opposed to the inclusion of the Woodland Lake Park parcel in the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act funding proposal.

First, contrary to newspaper quotes attributed to you by the Associated Press regarding the proposal that “these are not the crown jewels we are talking about,” the Woodland Lake Park parcel often has been referred to as the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside’s “crown jewel.” Activities associated with the parcel generate tremendous economic impact to Pinetop-Lakeside, ranging from sporting events to hiking. Liquidation of this parcel would limit many of such activities and foster large-scale residential development that could place an infrastructure burden on the town. This parcel is considered the Town’s very “heart and soul,” and its loss would greatly impact the quality of life in Pinetop-Lakeside. Further, 40 acres of the lands proposed for liquidation have long been under special use permit to the Blue Ridge School District for the Big Springs Environmental Study Area (ESA), and play a significant role in education for this and many other school districts. Recently, the Forest Service spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to thin this parcel to reduce fire risk and improve forest health as a public benefit. It is likely that this proposal, should it move forward, will generate considerable resistance and opposition among not only Town residents, but the thousands of visitors that use the park every year.

The WMLT does not dispute that the Woodland Lake Park parcel does not meet the management needs of the national forest system. The Town of Pinetop-Lakeside has been endeavoring for over 20 years to acquire and/or secure this parcel, with efforts ranging from congressional intervention to transfer the parcel to the Town, to passage of Public Law 105-344 in 1998 prohibiting the conveyance of the parcel to anyone other than the Town without further congressional action, potential application for acquisition under the Townsite Act, and use of the Education Land Grant Act to acquire portions of the parcel that support educational activities (e.g., Big Springs ESA). The largest issue facing the Town is the cost of acquiring the parcel at fair market value when it’s intent is to maintain it in open space/recreational condition; no mechanism has been found to address this issue to date (e.g., obtaining authority for the Department of Agriculture to convey lands for public purposes similar to the Department of Interior’s Recreation and Public Purposes Act).

The bottom line remains that though the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside has long been interested in acquiring this parcel, limited tangible progress has occurred. This was a major factor leading to the formation of the WMLT, with the acquisition of the Woodland Lake Park parcel being a very high priority for action among our board and membership. Prior to issuance of this Forest Service land liquidation proposal, our board was already working with the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside to pursue aggressive and proactive strategies to acquire the Woodland Lake Park parcel. We recognize the long-term desire of the Forest Service to liquidate this parcel. However, we strongly urge you to remove the Woodland Lake Park parcel from the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act funding proposal so that the Town or Pinetop-Lakeside, WMLT and other entities can develop a strategy that will indeed promote our community’s economic self-determination and maximize the long-term public benefit associated with this parcel.

Sincerely,

Keith Justice
President

CC:
Town of Pinetop-Lakeside
Arizona Congressional Delegation
Elaine Zieroff, Supervisor, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
Ed Collins, District Ranger, Lakeside Ranger District