USFS and BLM to hold La Garita Hills analysis public meeting
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LA GARITA, Colo - The Rio Grande National Forest’s Saguache Ranger District and Bureau of Land Management’s San Luis Valley Field Office will hold a public meeting concerning the La Garita Hills Forest Restoration environmental analysis at the Saguache Public Lands Office on May 23 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The public lands office is located at 46525 Hwy 114, Saguache. The open house meeting will also include a short presentation at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The purpose of the meeting is to provide interested individuals with information concerning the analysis area, proposed management goals and projects, and the new environmental analysis objection process. Meeting participants will be able to view maps and photos of the project area and interact with agency specialists.
The analysis area encompasses nearly 188,000 acres of lands west and northwest of the town of La Garita that are managed by the Saguache RD and SLVFO.
Several of the goals already identified by the Forest Service and BLM include: improve human safety and protect infrastructure in areas with beetle-killed trees; reduce soil erosion and restore native plants along creeks; salvage dead and dying beetle infested trees for human use and job creation; restore beetle infested areas by planting seedlings in areas with limited natural regeneration; improve and protect wildlife habitat for a variety of species including the Rio Grande cutthroat trout; and develop forests resilient to insect infestations and severe wildland fire.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.