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Hoonah Ranger District Approves EA

Contact: Kent Cummins, 907-747-4295

Tongass National Forest, Alaska, June 15 - The Hoonah Ranger District recently approved the “Big Bear, Dry Stream and Low Ridge Environmental Assessment.” The small-scale timber project will involve the harvest of about 426 thousand board feet of timber from less than 100 acres on Chichagof Island.

According to Hoonah District Ranger John Baldwin, the project will help provide wood products to local, family-owned businesses.

Baldwin said he chose the action alternative because “local-area people would like to see the Forest Service increase the supply of small amounts of wood for possible ‘value-added wood processing.’”

The project meets the goals of the Tongass Forest Plan, which was updated in 1997, and is designed to assure sustainability for all resources and values, while allowing development on a small portion of the Tongass to support dependent communities in Southeast Alaska.

After careful consideration of the EA, Baldwin determined that the project will not adversely impact wildlife or wildlife habitat and there will be no additional detrimental effects to the visual character of the area.

The Ranger’s decision also stated that removal of selected individual trees will open up the stand allowing regeneration of understory vegetation and the project will not require any new road construction.

For further information concerning this decision, contact; John R Baldwin, Hoonah Ranger District, P.O. Box 135, Hoonah, Alaska 99829 or call 907-945-3631. Copies of this Environmental Assessment and Decision Notice may be obtained by contacting Terry Fiske, P.O. Box 135, Hoonah, AK 99829; phone number, (907) 945-3631; or e-mail, tfiske@fs.fed.us.