Public comments are sought by the Vicksburg National Military Park on how the historic park’s landscape should be shaped in the future. The park, along with four contractor companies, will hold its second open house to gather public input on the Cultural Landscape Report/Environmental Assessment Project that is currently under way.

The open house will be inside the park at the Old Administration Building from 3 to 7 p.m, Thursday.

In November 2007, four alternatives for future park landscapes were drafted. Those drafts — which range from no changes in the park’s current landscape to removing exotic plants and implementing advanced technologies and media, will be on display at the public hearing.

The process is a part of an ongoing effort by the park to develop a Cultural Landscape Report and Environmental Assessment in hopes of identifying the best methods to meet the park’s mandate of commemorating the battle and siege of Vicksburg, while preserving resources and enhancing visitor understanding of the events that took place in Vicksburg during the Civil War.

Park administrators will consider all comments on the drafts, and re-present revised alternatives in the coming months. In addition to submiting comments in person Thursday, the park is also accepting comments online at parkplanning.nps.gov/VICK/. Faxed comments, e-mails and telephone messages will not be accepted.