Forest Service Logging Project in Cooke City
We want to alert you to a proposed Forest Service logging project in Cooke City that we have some particular concerns with at the moment. The project is currently open for public comment until August 12th. You can review the proposal, projects maps and make a comment here:
The scope of this fuels reduction and whitebark pine habitat enhancement project is quite large (3,693 acres) and multifaceted. The USFS is proposing three treatment types – mechanical fuels treatments, hand fuels treatments and commercial tractor logging. While a project like this is a great idea if done correctly, and we have concerns: primarily, the lack of detail in the proposal leaves the door open for potentially harmful, or heavy handed action.
Upon our initial review, we think that certain areas of forest slated for forest health management are unnecessary. We do not think that any of the forest south of Highway 212 should receive treatment:
These forests are healthy and mature and do not need intervention.
They are situated along Soda Butte creek, on north facing slopes where they hold plenty of moisture, and protect the riparian area. Great efforts have gone into restoring Soda Butte Creek after the impacts of mining in the area. Logging could create erosion and introduce excessive sediments to the creek.
These forests sit on the wilderness boundary, and have wilderness qualities, providing critical habitat and a seamless interface between Silver Gate and Cooke City and the wilderness to the south.
Logging these forests under the guise of fuels reduction, no matter how selective and sensitive the approach, will only create lasting impacts that will diminish the quality of the forest and open the forest to drying effects and yes, actually making it more prone to fire and burning.
Logging will increase the opportunity for the spread of noxious weeds, which are present throughout the Cooke City area already. Any additional disturbance will exacerbate the problem.
These forests survived the 1988 fires that swept through that area; in fact, they were too wet to burn when the USFS tried to blackburn them as the wildfires approached. They do not need a hand to be more fire resistant.
A majority of the area south of Highway 212 are Inventoried Roadless areas that will be negatively impacted by the incursions of logging by opening the forest to potential illegal roads and mechanized use.
We also think that the forest service needs to extend the comment period. The scoping period and draft Environmental Analysis have been combined into one 30-day comment period, when normally they are two separate comment periods. This feels rushed, and hasty. They have not completed their necessary assessments and we are being forced to provide comments without adequate information. We will ask the USFS for an extension, or an additional comment opportunity.
Due to the hurried nature of this proposal, which is lacking in important details, as well as the simultaneously vague, yet complex nature of this large project, we can only recommend Alternative A, No Action, at this time.
