The BLM Ely District wants to hear from the public on three restoration and/or wildland urban interface-type projects scheduled to be implemented in Lincoln County in summer 2006. The deadline to provide input to the BLM is close of business, Friday, Jan. 13, 2006.

The approximately 900-acre Clover Mountains Ponderosa Restoration Project would restore and protect the health of ponderosa pine communities in the Clover Mountains, located about 8 miles southeast of Caliente, by manually and mechanically thinning encroaching pinyon-pine and juniper trees. The tree thinning would be followed by a low-intensity prescribed burn to further reduce fuel loading.

The approximately 130-acre Acoma Wildland Urban Interface Project would reduce the potential for catastrophic wildland fire and subsequent flooding in the community of Acoma, about 15 miles northeast of Caliente, by manually and mechanically thinning pinyon-juniper to create a 500-foot buffer west of the privately-owned property.

The approximately 40-acre Elly Mountain Protection Project would provide fire protection for the Elly Mountain Lookout and nearby communication sites on Elly Peak, about 10 miles southeast of Caliente, by selectively thinning and removing brush and/or trees to create a buffer around the structures.

The three BLM-proposed projects meet criteria established by the Healthy Forests Initiative and implements strategies outlined in the National Fire Plan.