SEELEY LAKE - Bull Creek Forestry of Seeley Lake has begun work on the Seeley Lake Ranger District’s Mountain Creek Stewardship Project off of Cottonwood Lakes Road (US Forest Service Road #477). Approximately three miles of the road is closed for public safety due to log truck traffic. The closure will remain in place until the work is completed or no later than March 31, 2016.
The Mountain Creek Stewardship Project is 125 acres. There are two primary objectives of the project:
• Reduce the spread of mountain pine beetle by removing the current infestation found in the ponderosa pine plantation located near Mountain Creek along the Cottonwood Lakes Rd.
• Reduce the risk of high intensity wildfire in the urban interface by removing hazardous fuels associated with mountain pine beetle caused mortality.
The majority of the trees being removed are dead or dying ponderosa pine and lodgepole pine. Bull Creek Forestry has been contracted to remove 5,500 tons or roughly 180 log truck loads of timber from the project area. According to USFS Forester Amy Campbell the non-saw material will likely go to Willis Enterprises in Bonner and be made into wood chips for other uses. The contract for the saw logs is with Pyramid Mountain Lumber Inc. in Seeley Lake.
The road will be closed to snowmobiles from mile marker 1.2 (the junction with Road #4353) to mile marker 4.7. Other sections of the Cottonwood Lakes Road will remain open to snowmobiles.
Throughout the closure period the Cottonwood Lakes Road will remain open and available for snowmobile use on New Year’s Day and every weekend. The road will also be open and available for use after 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. during the week.
“We are excited for this project to be completed this winter as it will meet some important objectives,” wrote Seeley Lake District Ranger Rachel Feigley in an email. “We appreciate the patience from snowmobilers, with the special closure order on Cottonwood Road #477, while this activity continues through project completion.”
For updates on the status of the road or potential conflicts in planning winter travel or recreation events, please contact the Seeley Lake Ranger District at 406 677-2233.
Reader Comments(0)