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Only Small Fraction of Restoration
Work Actually Completed On One Year Anniversary of the Bitterroot
Settlement
On February 7, 2002 the U.S. Forest Service, timber industry
and conservation groups signed a Settlement regarding the
Bitterroot National Forest’s “Burned Area Recovery
Plan” (BAR).
The Forest Service touted restoration as a top priority of their BAR plan from
the very beginning. Conservation groups repeatedly pointed out that the Forest
Service was using restoration as a smokescreen to push through a massive commercial
logging project.
Once the Forest Service began exploring ways to circumvent the public appeals
process, Forest Service officials – including Chief Dale Bosworth and
Bitterroot Supervisor Rodd Richardson – continued to tell the public that
legal maneuverings were warranted so needed restoration efforts could move forward.
- “The ultimate goal of this for us, the professionals who deal with
land management issues everyday, is to get out on the ground and do the restoration
work that so badly needs to be done.” – Ellen Davis, Forest Service
spokeswoman (Ravalli Republic, Nov. 28, 2001)
- “It’s imperative that we move forward with the project to help
restore the land and prevent further environmental degradation.” –
Dale Bosworth, Chief, U.S. Forest Service (New York Times, December 9, 2001)
- “The most important thing to me is getting on with the restoration
work. There’s lots of other work we wanted to do – roads we wanted
to obliterate, watershed work, reforestation. The idea of the whole project
was fire restoration” – Dale Bosworth, Chief, U.S. Forest Service
(Missoulian, January 9, 2002)
- “My intention all along has been simple: To move forward with those
parts of the projects that we need to do this winter, so that by the end of
2002 we have maximized the amount of restoration work that we have done on
the ground.” – Rodd Richardson, Supervisor, Bitterroot National
Forest (Missoulian, February 5, 2002)
- “All along we have felt that restoring the resources and communities
of the Bitterroot was the primary concern. We are extremely satisfied that
restoration activities will proceed.” – Kathy McAllister, Deputy
Forester, USFS Region One (United Press International, February, 8 2002)
This is a good time to take a look at what has happened on the ground on the
Bitterroot National Forest in the year since the Settlement was reached. Despite
Forest Service TALK of restoration, how much restoration ACTION has actually
occurred?
RESTORATION ACTIVITIES:
- BMP upgrades have occurred on 13 of 500 miles (3%). BMP
upgrades are modifications of an existing road’s surface and drainage
that improve its ability to handle traffic without large increases in sediment
delivered to streams. Deferring this work means these roads continue to generate
polluted runoff, and are highly vulnerable to damage from both log hauling
and other traffic.
- Road obliteration has occurred on 1/2 mile of 45 miles (1%).
Road obliteration means the road surface is restored to natural contours near
drainage ways and culverts and other impediments to drainage are permanently
removed, resulting in more natural patterns of runoff and sediment. Most roads
slated for obliteration are of little use to management and are falling apart
due to deferred maintenance, and any delay results in continued erosion and
pollution of waters.
- Road storage has taken place on 3.2 of 102 miles (3%).
Road storage means drainage is altered to more natural patterns, but crossing
structures are not fully removed, and the road can be easily rebuilt for future
use. This does not reduce erosion and other impacts as much as road obliteration,
but the same issue holds – deferring the work means continuing high
levels of impact from problem roads.
- Stream Restoration: Only 1/3 mile of 16 miles completed
(2%).
- Reforestation: Only 4,000 acres of 33,150 acres completed
(12%).
BITTERROOT RESTORATION FUNDS USED ELSEWHERE:
The Forest Service has admitted that $25.5 million appropriated for restoration
efforts on the Bitterroot National Forest was used to offset Forest Service
costs associated with the 2002 wildfires. Forest Service officials have said
that some or all of this money may NOT be replaced, meaning that needed restoration
work is on hold and may never be completed.
WHILE NEEDED RESTORATION WAITS, COMMERCIAL LOGGING PUSHES FORWARD:
- According to the Forest Service, 70% of the commercial logging has been
completed as of December 2, 2002.
- “But the work in the Bitterroot is also emblematic of the controversy
dogging the fire plan. The logging here is 10 miles from the nearest community
at risk from wildfire. And the burned trees being salvaged are the largest,
most commercially valuable ones, not the smaller ones that would likely ignite
most easily in another fire.” – ‘U.S. Fire Policy Isn’t
Cutting It,’ (USA Today, August 22, 2002)
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