Forest Service projects waiting in the wings

U.S. Forest Service officials are continuing work on a slate of projects designed to increase local timber harvests in the coming years.

Chad Benson, Kootenai National Forest supervisor, said officials have offered 15 percent of an 83 million board feet portfolio.

Speaking during an April 7 Lincoln County Commissioners meeting, Benson said the bulk of the program — covered by the Ripley, Purple Marten, Black Ram and Pinkham Meadow projects — is still undergoing biological assessment through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The assessments are required to ensure the envisioned forestry work does not harm endangered species — namely grizzly bears — in the area.

Forest Service officials have long awaited the completion of the review process for these four projects. Benson said the hold up with the assessments was primarily a capacity issue.

Commissioners asked if they could assist in speeding up the process but Benson recommended waiting until at least the end of the month before applying pressure.

“We’ve got stuff prepped from here to Troy to the Cabinets to Eureka,” he told commissioners. “It’s ready to go so if we get that kicked loose we’ll be full on.”

Purple Marten is situated seven miles northwest of Trout Creek in the Marten Creek drainage. Ripley extends from the Kootenai River to the McMillan drainage. The Pinkham Meadow Vegetation Management and Fuel Reduction project is located south and west of Eureka along Pinkham Ridge. Black Ram encompasses the northwestern Yaak area.

During an April 9 follow up interview, Benson said the Ripley project assessment had begun to pick up steam.

Benson told commissioners that a recent award of $150,000 from State and Private Forestry, an organization within the Forest Service, will help move along the Hoodoo and Flower Creek projects.

To help implement forest stewardship objectives and assist with the maintenance of existing infrastructure, Benson said officials had received $470,000 through the Secure Rural Schools Resource Act Advisory Committee. Of this fund, Benson said 80 percent would go towards projects that improve watersheds in the Kootenai National Forest. This includes work around roads and trials. The remaining 20 percent of the funds may go to other projects such as campground improvements.

A recent spike in lumber prices may send engineers back to the drawing board for an elevated boardwalk in the Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area. Benson said officials received funding for the construction of the boardwalk through the Great American Outdoors Act but had designed the structure last fall before the cost of wood skyrocketed.