Vegetation treatments to begin in BLM’s Blue Creek Bay Recreation Area
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Coeur d’Alene, Idaho – Active logging operations on the Blue Creek West timber sale will begin the week of July 29. The project addresses hazardous fuels reduction and will improve forest health conditions in the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Wallace Forest Conservation Area (WFCA) at Blue Creek Bay. Logging will focus on the removal of dead and dying Douglas-fir and grand fir trees that have been affected by root disease. The WFCA is popular with recreationists, and visitors should pay extra attention to signage and temporary closures where active logging is occurring.
Logging operations will commence in two treatment areas on the east side of Yellowstone Trail Road. Once completed, operations will then move to the west side of the area adjacent to Bonnell Road. Work will be conducted Monday through Friday, beginning at 6 a.m. each day. Visitors to the area should anticipate heavy equipment operating and log trucks on the roads.
Active vegetation treatments in the WFCA will help preserve the health and character of the mature forest, while protecting the safety of visitors. Root disease spreads quickly and has infected many of the Douglas-fir and grand fir trees on the east side of the area. Root disease can cause trees to rot from the inside and fall without warning, often while appearing to be perfectly healthy, creating a public safety issue near and around the recreation area.
Following harvesting activities, treated areas will be planted with more root disease-tolerant species including western larch, ponderosa pine, and western white pine. Through active management and vegetation treatments, the future stand will be more resilient to attacks from insects and disease.
The logging is part of several phases of vegetation treatments and recreation enhancements in the WFCA. Last fall, work on a 200-foot fuel break began in areas that are adjacent to private lands. In addition, pre-commercial thinning to reduce overstocking was conducted. Multiple recreation projects are underway or planned for the area as well including a new trail and stream crossing in the meadow area, a new loop trail on the east side and once logging is complete on the west side of the area, equestrian trails will be refined and mountain biking trails established.
Idaho Forest Group purchased the timber sale in September 2018 and Lake City Logging, a local logging company, will conduct the work. The project is expected to generate 1.4 million board feet of timber.
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.