Review of island forestry plan finished

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has finished an environmental assessment on a forestry project for Wild Horse Island State Park on Flathead Lake.

There will be a walking tour for a similar project at the West Shore State Park on Saturday.

The Wild Horse project is aimed at improving forest health and grassland conditions on the island by thinning selected areas of young ponderosa pine.

Stands would be thinned by hand to re-establish historic densities, to reduce the risk of insect and disease infestations and re-establish Palouse prairie grasslands that have been reduced by encroaching ponderosa pine.

The agency is launching a 30-day period to accept public comments.

The walking tour at West Shore State Park will be at 10 a.m. as part of a public comment opportunity for a timber thinning project. Comments on a draft environmental assessment for the project will be accepted through Feb. 7.

Copies of the Wild Horse and West Shore documents are available at Fish, Wildlife and Parks regional headquarters or at the agency's Web site, www.fwp.mt.gov, under public notices.

on the environmental assessment