SEELEY LAKE - The Lolo National Forest has approved harvest of approximately 3,494 acres of the Rice Ridge Fire that burned over 160,000 acres last summer near Seeley Lake. Nearly 106,500 acres were on the Lolo National Forest,
The project is located in an area allocated to timber management in the Lolo Forest Plan. Habitat for the threatened Canada lynx was avoided and streams were buffered to ensure protection of water quality and habitat for fish. The limited scope and scale of project activities are not expected to disrupt grizzly bear that may be present in the area.
According to Rachel Feigley, District Ranger for the Seeley Lake Ranger District, the Environmental Assessment prepared for the project summarized three alternatives including the No Action, Modified Proposed Action and Alternative with No Temporary Roads. These options were developed in response to public comment received on the Forest’s initial Dec. 21, 2017 proposal. The project was carefully designed to avoid environmental harm considering the sensitive nature of the post-burn environment with the largest of the alternatives proposing salvage on less than five percent of the burned area on the Lolo National Forest.
The Forest Service received a variety of public comments, from those opposed to salvage and those who felt that more salvage should be proposed. The analysis prepared for the project found no significant impacts associated with the three alternatives.
The Chief of the Forest Service approved an Emergency Situation Determination (ESD) for the project in order to facilitate timely recovery of some of the burned timber before product deterioration occurs. The ESD acknowledges the urgent nature of the situation by removing the pre-decisional objection process which typically adds three months to the planning timeline if an objection is received.
“I feel the Forest Service has provided ample opportunity for public engagement with public scoping, internet postings, mailings, newspaper articles, and meetings,” wrote Lolo National Forest Supervisor Tim Garcia in the Decision Notice. “The public was also provided an opportunity to comment and participate in an additional public meeting following preparation of the EA during the comment period in June-July 2018.”
Garcia’s decision allows salvage of approximately 26 million board feet of fire affected timber, removal of hazard trees along 25 miles of forest roads and reforestation on 16,526 acres, in the form of natural regeneration and planting.
“I chose the Selected Action because I believe it provides a balance between the differing viewpoints I have heard regarding this project and takes into consideration the potential for effects of the actions as displayed in the [Environmental Assessment],” wrote Garcia in the Decision Notice. “My decision will offer wood products and contribute employment opportunities; minimize undesired environmental effects; and maintain abundant post-fire habitat. By law, NFS lands are managed for multiple uses and I considered all of these values (social, ecological, and economic) in making my decision.”
The decision authorizes storage, decommissioning and relocation of several roads to improve water quality and fish habitat in Spring Creek and Morrell Creek. About eight miles of temporary road will be constructed. In addition, approximately 15 miles of temporary roads will be constructed on existing road templates. All 23 miles will be decommissioned or stabilized following use.
To offset potential effects on aquatic resources, approximately 27.5 miles of road will be decommissioned, 0.7 miles stored, and 1.6 miles re-routed away from riparian areas. Concurrent with the re-routes, about 2.3 miles of existing road will be designated as National Forest System Roads (NFSR)
The Lolo expects to advertise four timber sales to implement the Rice Ridge Fire Salvage project later this month and in early October. The sales will recover economic value to support local communities and offer logs to Montana’s forest products industry. In part, timber sale receipts will fund tree planting and roadwork necessary to stabilize the burned area.
For more information, please contact the Seeley Lake Ranger District at (406) 677-2233. Project information is available on the Lolo National Forest website: http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/lolo/landmanagement/projects. The Decision Notice is available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/nfs/11558/www/nepa/108320_FSPLT3_4410371.pdf
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