TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE-FOREST SERVICE
News Release
Julie Speegle
Asst. Public Affairs Officer
Work: 907-789-6246
Cell: 907-723-3304
For release: June 10, 2010
Forest Service to hold ribbon cutting for Blind Slough Picnic Area Saturday
Petersburg, AK—The Tongass National Forest will hold a ribbon cutting Saturday, June 12, at 3:30 p.m. for the newly renovated Blind Slough Picnic Area, followed by a picnic and potluck at 4 p.m.
Blind Slough is located 18 miles out of Petersburg, making it a highly-used and visited facility for Petersburg residents and visitors. The new picnic area includes three new pavilions constructed of Alaska yellow cedar from Icy Straits Lumber and Milling, two new paved parking lots for vehicles and buses, and two newly constructed accessible fishing piers, making the facility completely accessible.
Originally built in the early 1980s, the facility was closed in the fall of 2008 for upgrades, and reopened this spring.
The Petersburg Ranger District has combined the Blind Slough Picnic Area ribbon cutting event with National Get Outdoors Day and the City of Petersburg Centennial for a full day of healthy, active outdoor fun. The Blind Slough Picnic Area is the base for most of the activities, including kayaking, biking, hiking, and demonstrations on nature photography and Leave No Trace methods beginning at 10 a.m. Activities elsewhere include Plein Air painting at Sandy Beach at 9 a.m.; Devil’s Thumb Archery Club demonstrations at the archery range from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; and fly-casting demonstrations at Man Made Hole. There will also be opportunities to get your photo taken with Smokey Bear.
For more information contact the Petersburg Ranger District at 772-3871.
The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land and is the largest forestry research organization in the world.
The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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