Forest Service seeks comments on timber, fuels project

The Flathead National Forest is soliciting public input about a timber and fuels project 20 miles north of Whitefish in the Tally Lake District.

The project, called Salish-Good, would reduce shrubs, brush, and closely spaced trees close to homes and other adjacent areas and allow commercial timber harvest to provide logs for local mills.

Trees would be harvested to improve forest conditions and increase the numbers of certain tree species including hardwoods, ponderosa pine, western larch, whitebark pine, and other conifer species that typically emerge after fire disturbance.

Having a variety of tree types and ages across a forest typically offers more resistance to insects and disease and can make it more resilient in large fires that occur in a warming climate.

Reducing fuels can improve firefighter success during wildfire events in the area, which includes dozens of homes and other structures.

Out of approximately 2.4 million acres in Flathead National Forest, a little less than 500,000 acres are appropriate for recurring timber harvest due to constraints like topography, habitat, or wilderness designation.

Through this project, the Forest would build a system of logging roads to serve this project and future needs in the area.

“Active forest management projects like this one are extremely important to continue our multiple use agency mission not only to increase the chance of firefighter success during wildfires, but also to help sustain the health and diversity of our forests,” said Flathead National Forest Supervisor Kurt Steele. “The project also helps support our local mills and economy by providing jobs.”

The Forest would like public comment on the environmental assessment by April 19, 2020.

Alternative B would harvest timber on approximately 6,000 acres and reduce fuels on approximately 3,000 acres. It would build eight miles of temporary and 39 miles of permanent administrative road, some of which would be open to hiking and biking when not in use for log hauling purposes.

Dozens of culverts would be approved for replacement, removal, or improvement to reduce sediment and improve water quality and aquatic habitat.

Alternative C would harvest timber on approximately 3,000 acres and reduce fuels on approximately 3,500 acres. It would build 2 miles of temporary and 15 miles of permanent administrative road, some of which would be open to hiking and biking when not in use for log hauling purposes.

Dozens of culverts would be approved for replacement, removal, or improvement to reduce sediment and improve water quality and aquatic habitat.

The public first commented on the Salish-Good project in 2015 during an early project scoping period.

People can learn more about it and how to comment on the environmental assessment by visiting Flathead National Forest’s website.