| Contacts: | Denise Adamic, BLM (719) 269-8553 |
BLM seeks public input on forest thinning proposal (07-02-12)
CAÑON CITY, Colo. – The BLM Royal Gorge Field Office is asking for public input on a proposal to thin 150 acres in Custer County through the Tyndall Mountain Timber Sale. The RGFO will use the comments it receives to prepare an environmental assessment for the commercial timber project.
“This project is intended to promote a healthy forest by reducing tree density in this area, reduce fuels—which lowers the risk of fire—and improve wildlife habitat,” said Ken Reed, RGFO Forester. “This timber sale would also support the local forest industry.”
Most trees in the project area are ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir. In 2012, the RGFO completed a forest inventory that indicated more than 570 trees per acre in the area. The proposed project would reduce that number to about 100 trees per acre by removing unhealthy trees infected with dwarf mistletoe or declining crown health. A variety of tree sizes would be left to maintain tree diversity in the area. No new roads would be created for this project. Any temporary road that may be used to access the area would be closed and reclaimed once the project is completed.
Written comments must be received by July 25. The most effective comments refer to the location of the proposed project and the associated actions. Comments may be submitted via e-mail to BLM_CO_RG_Comments@blm.gov with “Tyndall Mountain” in the subject line, or by mail to the BLM Royal Gorge Field Office, 3028 East Main, Cañon City, Colorado, 81212.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask BLM in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.
For more information, please contact Ken Reed, RGFO Forester, (719) 269-8576 or Melissa Garcia, RGFO Assistant Field Manager for Renewable Resources, (719) 269-¬8724.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
3028 East Main Street Canon City, CO 81212