HOLBROOK — The Petrified National Forest will be expanding by roughly 100 percent.

Forest Superintendent Brad Traver told the Navajo County Board of Supervisors at their Feb. 11 meeting that the forest, which was largely north/south in scope, will be expanding both east and west.

Part of the expansion depends on negotiation for state lands.

He also said visitation would have been above 700,000 in 2013, extending a recent trend upward, except for the government shutdown and road construction.  

There are both petrified wood and ancient clam beds in the newly acquired lands, he said.

There would also be around 43,000 acres north of Interstate 40, called the Devils Playground, that Traver is working with county Public Works Director Homero Vela on to acquire access across private lands.

It is an interesting geological area, he said, which would be designated wilderness area. It includes three adjacent rock towers known as the “Three Witches.” He said those make for an interesting day hike.

The clam beds south of I-40 are intriguing to paleontologists because they have found a dinosaur head and seven axe heads 1,000 to 1,500 years old. They also found a 200 million-year-old pond bed. Since most ancient water features in the area were rivers, the pond is an anomaly.

Don Berry, chairman of the area’s Workforce Initiative Act (WIA) board, made a short presentation before introducing new WIA Chief Susan Tegmeyer.

Tegmeyer, who came to the WIA from the Show Low Chamber of Commerce in January, said, “I’ve been very encouraged in the past month about WIA the program and the changes being made. It’s been in the news lately and will help us to serve citizens better. We have requested a complete audit. This five-year plan (which she and Berry presented to the board) is a living document. I hope we’ve laid a good foundation and will have it reviewed by the state.”

The 170-page plan lays out the blueprint for the board’s next five years of trying to unite job seekers and industry in this area. Part of their duties will be to try to assist job seekers who need one-on-one staff assistance with core services.

They also have a goal of making appropriate referrals to partner programs for training or support services. The program has in the past focused on building skills of job seekers.

County officials say Tegmeyer was hired because she has close ties to businesses, and is expected to help them develop a larger labor force.

Reach the reporter at droberts@wmicentral.com