Regulacje i polityka gospodarcza · 20/12/2007

Bitterroot National Forest, West Fork Ranger District; Montana; Lower West Fork Project

The USDA, Forest Service, Bitterroot National Forest, will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to document the analysis and disclose the environmental impacts of the proposed Lower West Fork project. The project area is located in Ravalli County, about 15 miles southwest of Darby, Montana. The project area encompasses about 38,400 acres between the Pierce and Wheeler Creek drainages on the west side of the West Fork Bitterroot River, and the Piquett, Violet, Pine, Applebury, Steep Creek drainages on the east side of the river. The proposed Lower West Fork project would manage vegetation to reduce fuel loads and crown fire hazard in the wildland urban interface, improve forest health and resilience to disturbances, and maintain or increase shade intolerant species such as ponderosa pine and aspen. Roads will be evaluated for opportunities to reduce sedimentation and restore aquatic passage. Terraced lands will be evaluated for opportunities to restore soils. Site-specific Bitterroot Forest Plan amendments may be proposed for downed wood, snags, soils, or elk habitat effectiveness. Approximately 5,100 acres of the project area are proposed for vegetation treatments.