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Poison
Creek and Caribou Mesa Timber Sale Project Scoping Scoping details Poison Creek Map (pdf) - Scoping details Caribou Mesa Map (pdf) Google Earth Poison Creek area map (jpg) Sample Letter (Microsoft Word Document)
The Poison Creek and Caribou Mesa Timber Sale project areas encompass more than 10,000 acres of the Powder River District on the Bighorn National Forest (BNF). Areas to be logged are going to be big, massive timber sales in an area already heavily logged. Public involvement is important in this process. The BNF has given some very QUESTIONABLE reasons for proposing this huge timber sale, and we hope that in your comments you will question their reasons: Suspect Reason #1: One of the primary purposes for this big sale is for “maintaining the forest health”. Ask Where are the beetle kill trees, how many acres of beetle kill, diseased and green trees will be logged for this purpose? Suspect Reason #2: The other primary purpose was to “offer forest products for commercial sale”. Ask if this is another below cost timber sale, how much this timber sale will make for the public or will it end up costing the taxpayers thousands of dollars to perform? Suspect Reason #3: “Reduce wildfire risk with an emphasis within the Wildland Urban Interface areas within the project area.” How many cabins are in the project area? Where are they located? Are the cabins within timber stands directly in the proposed logging areas or nearby, if nearby, how far away? WWA cannot find from any maps even one cabin in the project area. Suspect Reason #4 “…opportunities for enhancing livestock grazing” and also, cutting down the trees to “remove natural barriers (tree stands) to livestock movements”. How can cutting down ten thousand acres of trees enhance grazing? Is it the role of the U.S. Forest Service to cut down trees to make room for more domestic livestock? OR is livestock grazing taking a severe toll on the Bighorn NF and taking away important and critical feed for wildlife? It is appalling to think that the Forest Service would actually consider cutting down trees to let cows travel freely. Suspect Reason #5: “…opportunities for wildlife habitat improvement”. This area was once important habitat for elk and some of the best hunting on the mountain. Since the extensive logging of the 70’s & 80’s from the Caribou and Hazelton Timber Sales, the elk have left the area. Just when the trees are filling in to provide significant hiding and security cover, the BNF thinks that logging more will help the elk… Suspect Reason #6 “Improve the ability of Hwy 16 to function as an emergency escape route”. Escape from whom and to where? They are going to cut down 10,000 acres of trees to provide an “escape route”. Huh? Although this project is not in a roadless area or wilderness, the mere size & scope of the project area will negatively impact recreation, wildlife, plants, water, soil & natural ecosystems of the Bighorn Mountains. ISSUES OF CONCERN TO ADDRESS IN YOUR COMMENTS: WATERSHEDS AND FISHERIES: maintain 300 feet buffer on all streams and watersheds. Require stream crossings to be protected from sedimentation. Close all Class 1 roads after use. Enforce closures. OLD GROWTH TREE INVENTORY AND PROTECTION: identify and protect. Do not cut any old growth stands or trees which provide habitat for diverse wildlife species such as goshawks, pine martens, woodpeckers, owls, nuthatches, flickers. WILDLIFE CRITICAL HABITAT and MIGRATION CORRIDORS: identify and protect. REGENERATION STATUS: The National Forest Management Act requires that forests that have been logged regenerate to certain standards within 5 years. If this standard has not been met, do not log. SMALLER (40 ACRES) CLEAR CUTS: Do not make clear cut areas more than 40 acres, leaving equal or more acres of uncut sections. SOIL DISTURBANCE: Proper mitigation and avoidance of some areas will reduce soil disturbance to ensure regeneration and prevent infestations for noxious weeks. RARE PLANT SPECIES: Please inventory plant communities and species for rare, threatened or endangered plants that may reside in the area. Get More Information on this project in the Bighorn National Forest: WWA will have more information and a sample letter on our website: www.wildwyo.org Or go to the Bighorn NF’s Poison Creek /Caribou Scoping notice web site: Your comments will help in mitigating this project for people who use the land for quiet recreation, great fishing and wildlife hunting and appreciation. Written comments are due June 12th & should be addressed to:
David
Anderson
This alert is brought to you by the generous funding of
Earth Friends Wildlife Foundation
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