Why It Matters: In line with the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) National Active Forest Management Strategy that was released earlier this year, and trying to meet the goal of increasing the volume of timber sold annually by 25% over the next four to five years, the U.S. Forest Service recently announced several large forest restoration projects. Actively managing forests is key to creating healthy forests and watersheds that are resilient to severe wildfires and other forest health threats, and healthy forests and watersheds support both quality habitat for fish and wildlife and enhanced opportunities for sportsmen and women.
Highlights:
- This month, the U.S. Forest Service released scoping documents for forest restoration projects on National Forests across the country, including in California, Colorado, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington.
- The scoping notices and draft Environmental Assessments provide opportunities for public comment. National Environmental Policy Act projects can be tracked on National Forest project-specific planning pages and the Schedule of Proposed Actions
- It is important that hunters and anglers participate in the public input process to ensure sportsmen’s access and fish and wildlife habitat concerns are incorporated into the project decision-making process, especially considering that National Forests have traditionally fallen behind on meeting the wildlife habitat goals outlined in their respective forest plans.
In North Carolina, the U.S. Forest Service proposed the Northside Restoration Project on the Nantahala National Forest. The project proposes to restore forest structure and species composition and improve wildlife habitat, particularly early successional habitat (ESH) for ruffed grouse, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, golden-winged warbler, and American woodcock. The ESH would benefit black bears through soft mast production and by providing denning and escape cover. Silvicultural treatments are also designed to support oak and hickory recruitment for hard mast production.
In Tennessee, the USFS proposed the Dry Forest Communities – Miller Ridge Project on the Cherokee National Forest. The project will use non-commercial stand treatments and wildlife habitat improvement activities on approximately 530 acres a year over a ten-year period to enhance 255 acres of wildlife openings, improve health and diversity on 717 acres of overstocked stands less than 50 years old, and improve health and diversity on 4,374 acres of stands over 50 years old. The project will support species ranging from black bear to wild turkey.
In Washington, the USFS proposed the Forestwide Thinning Treatments Project on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The project proposes to treat up to 1,200 acres annually over a 30-year period to increase stand diversity, structural diversity, and resiliency to insects, diseases, and severe wildfire. The thinning and prescribed fire treatments will increase early seral habitat for wildlife, including deer and elk.
Roughly 63 million acres of National Forest System lands are at high or very high risk to catastrophic wildfire, and these projects are a step in the right direction for the USFS to reduce wildfire threat through various vegetation management practices and prescribed fire, which improves wildlife habitat as well. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) is excited to see these projects move forward to implementation to support the sportsmen and women who hunt and fish on National Forests.
