About
the National Trails System Act:
The National Trails System
Act (Public Law 90-543), as amended by the National Parks and Recreation
Act (Public Law 96-625), required that a comprehensive plan be completed
for the management and use of the trail. The plan must include,
but not be limited to the following items:
Specific objectives
and practices to be observed in management of the trail, including
the identification of all significant natural, historical,
and cultural resources to be preserved. -- The National Trails
System Act as amended (through P.L. 96-625, November 10, 1978),
Section 5 (e) (1). (Emphasis added.)
To qualify as
a National Historic Trail, the trail had to:
...have
significant potential for public recreation use or historical
interest based on historic interpretation and appreciation.
Section 5 (b) (11) (c). (Emphasis added.)
To meet these
congressional requirements, the Iditarod Project Team and specialists
from other State and Federal agencies determined the "significant"
natural, historic, cultural, and outdoor recreation resources associated
with the Iditarod. Because of the vast mileage of the trail system
and hundreds of historic, cultural, and natural sites associated
with the Iditarod Trail, determination of most"significant"
portions was accomplished through analysis of each specific resource.
Then the specialist discussed trail management alternatives until
they could agree on a recommendation for each site or segment. The
recommendations usually tended to reinforce one another. For example,
the trail segment over Rainy Pass is not only highly significant
from a cultural/historical standpoint, but it is also is a highly
scenic area, which offers outstanding recreational opportunities
in both summer and winter.
Iditarod
National Historic Trail
Project Team Evaluations
Recreation:
Outdoor
recreation planner
Natural:
Lanscape & Architect
Historic:
Historian & Historic Architect
Cultural:
Archeologist
Historic
Trail Site Recommnedations:
- Restoration
- Stabilation
- Recordation
- Facility
Construction
- Special Designations
- Interpretation
Historict Trail
Segment Recommendations:
- Special Designation
- Right-of-way
- Marking
- Maintenance
- Construction
- Access Improvement
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