New chief named for Nez Perce-Clearwater forest

LEWISTON – The U.S. Forest Service has picked a new supervisor for the 4-million-acre Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest.

Cheryl Probert will begin her tenure on Nov. 17, the Lewiston Tribune reported. Probert has been serving as deputy supervisor on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Utah. She has worked for the agency for 26 years.

The current supervisor, Rick Brazell, is retiring.

Northern Region head Faye Krueger said Probert has a background in forest planning and partnership building. She also has worked as a rangeland manager and wildlife biologist.

Under Brazell’s leadership, the annual harvest of timber on the forest increased from about 40 million board feet per year to about 60 million board feet.