Protect old-growth trees

The Jasper Mountain timber sale, located just north of Priest River, is being developed under the insect and disease portion of the 2014 Farm Bill. One of the directions of the bill is to “maximize the retention of old growth and large trees.” It also directs the U.S. Forest Service to use the best available science.

Despite what the Forest Service states (that they are not entering old growth), I have documented several logging units that cover or overlap old growth that were not mapped or allocated under the old Idaho Panhandle National Forest plan. The location of these units and intent to log old growth is in direct violation of the Farm Bill.

In order to follow the bill’s guidelines, the best available science must be utilized to map old growth stands. In addition, wildlife specialists cannot analyze the effects to species and their habitat without this information. Please contact the Forest Service at the Priest Lake Ranger District and request that they map old growth in the analysis area to the standards of the new IPNF forest plan.

Paul Sieracki

Priest River, Idaho