HAINES — Due to recent budget cuts, the Alaska Division of Forestry office in Haines will be closed to the public for most of the winter starting Saturday, Nov. 21, according to a state press release last week.
The office will be closed from this date to Jan. 10, 2016, and will reopen for two weeks on Jan. 11 through Jan. 22, 2016. The office will then be closed from Jan. 23 to Feb. 29, 2016, and will reopen for the summer season on March 1, 2016.
The release stated budget cuts by the State Legislature have forced the Division of Forestry to lay off resource staff in both the Haines and Ketchikan offices, resulting in the winter closure of the Haines office. The Haines office, located in the Gateway Building on Main Street, will be reopened for two weeks in January to allow staff to deal with any issues that require a local presence and to oversee the beginning of winter logging in the area.
During the closure periods for the Haines office, anyone with questions regarding forestry issues in Haines should contact Joel Nudelman in Juneau by email at joel.nudelman@alaska.gov or by phone at 465-5406.
The Division of Forestry thanks the public for its understanding of the situation and will continue to address the needs of the Haines community with our remaining staff in Southeast.
