Military to hikers: Take up indoor hobbies
Friday, 18 December 2009 04:21 by Jude Lizama | Variety News Staff
SINCE bonnie stompers are likely to lose access to jungles and cultural sites on island, the military is suggesting that hikers switch to indoor hobbies.
The Marine Corps Community Service has proposed various quality of life facilities such as hobby shop, indoor physical fitness centers, indoor recreational resources such as bowling, skating rink, youth center, theater and recreational pavilion.
These are among the alternative recreations cited by the military in the draft environmental impact statement.
“By presenting alternate recreational options to the potential users, impacts to the recreational resources on non-DoD lands in north Guam could be lessened,” the study cited.
A significant portion of nonmilitary acreage on the east coast of the island, in addition to the loss of some of the island’s recreational and cultural sites, may be confiscated as a result of the training range complex construction alternatives proposed within the draft environmental impact statement.
According to the impact study, “There are several recreational resources that the public would lose the access to, and the use of the features if the proposed action were implemented: Guam International Raceway, Marbo Cave, Pagat Trail and associated trails near it, cultural gathering activities (suruhana), and off-shore fishing near Marbo Cave.”
Through the possible implementation of Training Complex Alternative A, the U.S. military would look to acquire 921 acres of nonmilitary land located east of both Andersen South and Route 15. This alternative would also require 1.7 miles of Route 15 to be realigned. Alternative B could possible would see the military take 1,129 acres with no realignment to Route 15.
If conducted, both of the training facility options would consist of live fire ranges under the classifications of known distance, unknown distance, pistol, square-bay, and machine gun; in addition to range control, range roads, range towers, and proposed special use airspace.
Additionally, the study cited that “Implementation of [Main Cantonment] Alternative 1, regardless of the Training Complex Alternatives A or B, would cause the cessation of the present activities at all the resources mentioned because the Known Distance Range Complex is proposed in that location. The loss of Guam International Raceway land and use would be an adverse impact. Therefore, [Main Cantonment] Alternative 1 would result in significant impacts to recreational resources.”
“Heightened awareness and education about environmentally sensitive areas,” will contribute toward “minimizing deterioration of resources,” the draft study says. “The general wear and tear of the amenities available and the conditions of the recreational resources would likely be accelerated due to the presence of potential users.”
Showing posts with label cultural heritage sites. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cultural heritage sites. Show all posts
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Friday, December 04, 2009
Buildup to impact heritage sites
Buildup to impact heritage sites
Friday, 04 December 2009 04:06
by Jennifer Naylor Gesick and Zita Taitano | Variety News Staff
SEVERAL endangered species of trees endemic to Guam and important to the traditional culture of islanders are under serious threat if plans for militarizing Guam further, as indicated in the draft environmental impact statement, are followed through.
Additionally, significant adverse impacts to archeological and culturally valuable properties, most of which but not all, have been identified on department of defense lands are also at great risk due to military development schemes.
Extensive data collection and surveys examined more than 5,000 acres on Guam, recording more than 100 archaeological sites and architectural resources that would qualify for protection under the National Register of Historic Places.
Rare wood
Construction eyed for Finegayan at Andersen South, and a firing range tentatively sited for lands not under control by the defense department would require the removal of dukduk trees, a traditional resource used by canoe builders and the decimation of critically-endangered ifit, or ifi, trees traditionally used as timber, for fuel wood and craftsman art.
The ifit tree, often called ipil or ifil by locals, is the official tree of Guam. The termite-resistant hardwood has completely disappeared from some parts of southeast Asia already and is increasingly harder to find on Guam.
Saving culture
The military impact report did however outline some potential mitigation measures that might serve to reduce the negative effects of the military buildup and expansion on Guam. The report states that through data recovery, implementation of a preservation plan, public education, signs, brochures and documentation adverse repercussions could be brought to less significant levels.
Apra Harbor, Andersen AFB, Orote Field, and Andersen South and a sizable portion of land south of Route 15 were identified in the impact study as being at-risk of serious disturbance of areas with both a low and high probability of containing important cultural heritage sites.
Disturbance
The Finegayan area marked for military housing and adjacent former Federal Aviation Administration lands, as well as the Harmon Annex, are dotted with historically relevant sites, according to the report.
A variety of construction at NCTS Finegayan and South Finegayan including housing, quality of life facilities, administration, training, and education could be affected by construction and development, too.
The initial planning process considered the locations of notable heritage sites and avoided impacting the majority of the historic properties in the area. Additional efforts would have to be made during the final planning stage to avoid all historic properties, noted the impact study.
However, additional personnel into the area once the community is operational, the impact study warned, could increase site vandalism, especially at the coastal site of Haputo and a latte stone-rich parcel designated as a park.
The perfunctory study goes on to list adverse impacts implications for archaeological sites at Andersen South.
100% disturbia
The air force base is scheduled to see high construction activity during the buildup period as outlined in the impact statement. One construction project at Andersen AFB would occur in an area of low- and high-archaeological probability as artifacts are known to be widely scattered around the entire parcel of land.
Given the level of development in the area, it is assumed that 100 percent of the area would be disturbed, the report concludes.
Other building projects risk several prehistoric Chamorro sites as well also known to military planners from previous studies. However, the impact report claims the ancient heritage sites of the indigenous people would not be impacted by proposed actions.
Friday, 04 December 2009 04:06
by Jennifer Naylor Gesick and Zita Taitano | Variety News Staff
SEVERAL endangered species of trees endemic to Guam and important to the traditional culture of islanders are under serious threat if plans for militarizing Guam further, as indicated in the draft environmental impact statement, are followed through.
Additionally, significant adverse impacts to archeological and culturally valuable properties, most of which but not all, have been identified on department of defense lands are also at great risk due to military development schemes.
Extensive data collection and surveys examined more than 5,000 acres on Guam, recording more than 100 archaeological sites and architectural resources that would qualify for protection under the National Register of Historic Places.
Rare wood
Construction eyed for Finegayan at Andersen South, and a firing range tentatively sited for lands not under control by the defense department would require the removal of dukduk trees, a traditional resource used by canoe builders and the decimation of critically-endangered ifit, or ifi, trees traditionally used as timber, for fuel wood and craftsman art.
The ifit tree, often called ipil or ifil by locals, is the official tree of Guam. The termite-resistant hardwood has completely disappeared from some parts of southeast Asia already and is increasingly harder to find on Guam.
Saving culture
The military impact report did however outline some potential mitigation measures that might serve to reduce the negative effects of the military buildup and expansion on Guam. The report states that through data recovery, implementation of a preservation plan, public education, signs, brochures and documentation adverse repercussions could be brought to less significant levels.
Apra Harbor, Andersen AFB, Orote Field, and Andersen South and a sizable portion of land south of Route 15 were identified in the impact study as being at-risk of serious disturbance of areas with both a low and high probability of containing important cultural heritage sites.
Disturbance
The Finegayan area marked for military housing and adjacent former Federal Aviation Administration lands, as well as the Harmon Annex, are dotted with historically relevant sites, according to the report.
A variety of construction at NCTS Finegayan and South Finegayan including housing, quality of life facilities, administration, training, and education could be affected by construction and development, too.
The initial planning process considered the locations of notable heritage sites and avoided impacting the majority of the historic properties in the area. Additional efforts would have to be made during the final planning stage to avoid all historic properties, noted the impact study.
However, additional personnel into the area once the community is operational, the impact study warned, could increase site vandalism, especially at the coastal site of Haputo and a latte stone-rich parcel designated as a park.
The perfunctory study goes on to list adverse impacts implications for archaeological sites at Andersen South.
100% disturbia
The air force base is scheduled to see high construction activity during the buildup period as outlined in the impact statement. One construction project at Andersen AFB would occur in an area of low- and high-archaeological probability as artifacts are known to be widely scattered around the entire parcel of land.
Given the level of development in the area, it is assumed that 100 percent of the area would be disturbed, the report concludes.
Other building projects risk several prehistoric Chamorro sites as well also known to military planners from previous studies. However, the impact report claims the ancient heritage sites of the indigenous people would not be impacted by proposed actions.
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