BLM seeks public input on forest thinning proposal
Organization:
Media Contact:
CAÑON CITY, Colo. - The Bureau of Land Management Royal Gorge Field Office is asking for public input on a proposal to thin 65 acres of forested land in Fremont County. The RGFO will use the comments it receives to prepare an assessment of the project.
The Iron Mountain Fuelwood Sale is intended to promote a healthy forest by reducing tree densities and canopy fuels and improving wildlife habitat by restoring meadows in the area. This fuelwood sale would also create local jobs.
The project is located on BLM lands approximately 7.5 miles southeast of Texas Creek. The trees found in the project area are mostly pinyon and ponderosa pine. In 2013, the RGFO completed a forest inventory that indicated more than 300 trees per acre in the area. The proposed project would reduce the number to between 50 and 100 trees per acre.
By thinning forests, land managers can remove unhealthy trees including those affected by bark beetle, infected with dwarf mistletoe, or those with declining crown health. A variety of tree sizes and species would be reserved to maintain tree diversity. There will be no new roads created for this project. Any temporary road that may be used to access the area would be closed to vehicle use once the project is completed.
Written comments must be received by July 12, 2013. The most effective comments refer to the location of the proposed project and the associated actions. Comments may be submitted via e-mail to BLM_CO_RG_Comments@blm.gov with “Iron Mountain Fuelwood Sale” in the subject line, or by mail to the BLM Royal Gorge Field Office, 3028 East Main, Cañon City, CO 81212.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
For more information, please contact Ken Reed, RGFO Forester, (719) 269-8576 or Melissa Garcia, RGFO Assistant Field Manager for Renewable Resources, (719) 269-8724.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.