3 more Fuel Breaks Comments Due Sept 14

The Sula, Sleeping Child, and Rye Creek fuel breaks are each 2500-3000 acres

All acres are non-commercial thinning and burning with possible commercial logging

Submit comments to the Sleeping Child Fuel Break Here

Submit comments to the Rye Creek Fuel Break Here

Submit comment to the Sula Fuel Break Here

Or e-mail your comments to Ranger Abbie Josie: Abbie.Jossie@usda.gov

Please use these talking points to submit comments, but put them in your own words and tell the Bitterroot National Forest why this area is important to you.

  1. The CE uses condition based management which reveals no site specific information to the public until after the Decision is signed. The scoping information does not invite the public to give feedback during implementation planning when site specific information should be available.
  2. Site specific, on the ground analysis must happen before the comment period so the public can submit meaningful comments.
  3. Bull trout critical habitat and spawning areas are in or near the project area.
  4. The project does not analyze the efficacy of fuelbreaks, how long they last, and the chances of their encountering a wildfire.
  5. Leaving sparse trees near roads will allow for increased illegal motorized use both summer and winter affecting wildlife, the forest ecosystem, and watersheds.
  6. Project activities will destroy snowshoe hare habitat and the habitat of other wildlife species. Burned areas maintain high levels of biodiversity, the BNF must preserve this biodiversity.
  7. The project should not use ground disturbing machines on these burned areas that are just now recovering from the 2000 fires.
  8. Any commercially viable trees in the area should be left in place. They survived the 2000 fires and recent drought. There is no reason to remove them and their drought resistant seed stock from the area.
  9. The project does not consider the loss of carbon storage from masticating trees, prescribed burning, and the carbon emissions from operations in remote areas. These must be disclosed.
  10. How often will this need to be maintained? How will that effect soils, watersheds, and wildlife?