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Dave Brandt urges local engagement on Alaskas statewide outdoor recreation plan
Summary
At the Feb. 12 advisory-board meeting, Dave Brandt summarized the 20232027 Alaska Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORE), warned that Alaska receives roughly $5 million annually through Land and Water Conservation-related funding, and urged local representation to ensure places such as Kachemak Bay State Park are included in the next update.
Dave Brandt, who identified himself as an advocate for the Alaska Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORE), briefed the State Parks citizen advisory board on SCOREs role and financing during the Feb. 12 meeting. "This document right here, they put it out every 5 years," Brandt told the board, describing the plans two-year development cycle and its role in making Alaska eligible for federal and state outdoor-recreation funding.
Brandt said the statewide plan supports access to competitive funding streams and cited a statewide estimate that the program helps secure "approximately a combined total of $5,000,000 per year" for outdoor recreation projects and land acquisition. He emphasized that the way those funds are distributed and spent is complex and varies by region and program administration.
Board members and Brandt discussed trends in park budgets and staffing. Brandt noted that from 2010 to 2019 some major outdoor recreation agenciesbudgets were flat even as demand for trails, cabins and other recreation assets grew. He said the SCORE plan calls for expanding public-use cabins, improving trailhead capacity and investing in maintenance and staffing to meet increased visitor use.
Brandt also called out local omissions in the SCORE document: "Kachemak Bay State Park, Wilderness Park wasn't mentioned," he said, and encouraged the board and local organizations to engage with Alaska Trails and the SCORE process so the Central and South Peninsula needs are represented in the next update (the plan cycle Brandt described points toward 2028 work on the next update).
Why it matters: Brandt framed SCORE as both a planning and funding tool. The document helps states remain eligible for grant programs and creates a policy context that can be used to lobby for state-match authority or line-item funding in legislative budgets. Board members responded that professional economic analysis and local advocacy will strengthen requests for increased general-fund support and targeted capital-improvement dollars.
Next steps and context: Board members discussed writing to state officials and coordinating with Alaska Trails and local "Friends" groups to secure representation and input for the next SCORE update. Brandt said copies of the SCORE document are available online and that local volunteers and board members can annotate and forward comments to state staff.
