Forest Service Proposes Tree Felling and Chainsaw Use
In New Mexico Wilderness
January 23, 2009
Help us protect a piece of New Mexico's wilderness! The US Forest Service is proposing to close trails and use chainsaws to cut down thousands of trees in the Sandia Mountain Wilderness. Wilderness Watch strongly opposes this proposal. Below is an Issue Alert, and we urge you to send a short email to the USFS voicing your concerns. Comment instructions can be found within the Issue Alert.
Wilderness Watch ISSUE ALERT
What: Sandia Mountain Wilderness Hazard Tree Felling Proposal
The Forest Service is proposing to use chainsaws for trail clearing and to cut down thousands of “hazard” trees along 80 miles of trails in the Sandia Mountain Wilderness in New Mexico. Wilderness Watch strongly objects to the proposal and urges you to write to the Forest Service expressing your concerns with its plans.
Comments Due: 2/16/09
Written responses may be submitted to: Lisa L. Jones, Trails and Wilderness Program Manager, Sandia Ranger District, 11776 Hwy 337, Tijeras, NM 87059. Fax number 505-281-1176.
Electronic responses may be submitted to: ljones@fs.fed.us.
Hand-delivered or oral responses may be submitted weekdays 8:00 am - 4:30 pm to the Sandia Ranger District, 11776 Hwy 337, Tijeras, NM 87059, or called in via phone: 505-281-3304.
Background: According to the US Forest Service (USFS), significant tree mortality is occurring in the 34,232-acre Sandia Mountain Wilderness due to insects and disease. The USFS believes that dead trees falling on the trails presents a safety hazard in this popular Wilderness, and the Regional Forester is requesting public feedback on a proposal to use chainsaws to fell and remove “hazard” trees along the affected trails (Pino, Embudo, Embudito, La Luz, Cienega, Faulty, Domingo Baca, and the Sandia Crest Trail). The proposal includes closing all 79.5 miles of these trails until the falling trees no longer pose a risk to visitors, and felling trees standing within 1.5 tree lengths from trail center. Public feedback is being requested prior to the agency’s final decision.
The USFS scoping letter describes the following four options:
Option 1: Allow the dead and dying trees to fall to the ground naturally, then cut the fallen trees with cross-cut saws. The trails most affected by the downfall will be closed to public use until the trail has been cleared of the hazard trees.
Option 2: Allow the dead and dying trees to fall to the ground naturally, and then cut the fallen trees with chainsaws. According to the USFS, the use of chainsaws would expedite the trail corridor clearing, allowing the trails to be reopened sooner to use.
Option 3: Close the trails to use until the hazard trees can be felled by cross-cut saws. The USFS claims that the use of cross-cut saws is “labor-extensive and time-consuming;” therefore the trails would remain closed longer.
Option 4: Close the trails to use until the hazard trees can be felled by chainsaws.
Wilderness Watch opposes this proposal, which goes beyond the minimum required to protect the Wilderness, and it places administrative convenience before preservation of wilderness character. Wilderness Watch supports an alternative in which the trails remain open, with warning signs posted at trailheads where hazards may be encountered. Visitors to the Wilderness should be allowed to experience nature on its own terms, including any risks that naturally exist. Dead trees should be allowed to fall naturally, with cross-cut saws then used to clear trails of fallen trees.
Please submit your comments supporting something similar to this alternative, and opposing the Forest Service’s proposal to fell the trees or use chainsaws, by February 16, 2009 (see above for submission information). The Forest Service does not intent to do an environmental analysis of the proposal. While that is probably illegal, it means this will be your only chance to influence the agency’s decision on this project, so please be sure to make your voice heard now on this important issue in the Sandia Mountain Wilderness.
For more information, please contact George Nickas: 406.542.2048/gnickas@wildernesswatch.org
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