Public Can Offer Suggestions For Project

A plan to cut down old-growth timber infested with bark beetles is still evolving, although officials have picked their preference.

The public can submit written comments on the project - called Small Sales because it’s a smattering of 16 proposed logging sites - until May 15.

The agency wants to log and burn 1,433 acres, with roughly 15 percent of the timber coming out of forests considered old growth or located within a roadless area near Wolf Lodge.

The Small Sales Environmental Impact Statement is the document out for public review.

According to the plan, the project involves:

Salvaging beetle-killed trees and some green trees. Roughly 10 percent of the logging would involve green trees, according to Forest Service estimates.

Clearing areas around ponderosa pines, which are more fire resistant.

Intentionally setting fire to 438 acres - including 225 acres in the Skitwish Ridge Roadless Area - to improve winter forage for big game.

But the agency must consider other options under federal law, including no logging in the controversial old-growth or roadless forests.

The other options are:

No action.

Salvage logging only on the 1,433 acres, without the burning and other activities.

Logging and burning on roughly 1,160 acres, without logging any old growth or entering the roadless area.

None of the options calls for construction of new forest roads; instead, nearly a mile of temporary roads would be built, according to the Forest Service.

After reviewing comments and any other information that becomes available, the Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District will release a final environmental impact statement, and a Record of Decision announcing the logging alternative selected by the district.

For more information, call (208) 664-2318. Send comments to: Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District, Attn: Small Sales Project, 2502 East Sherman Avenue, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.