Inyo National Forest Announces

Scoping Period for Vegetation Management Project

The Inyo National Forest is requesting comments on the proposed Three Creeks Jeffrey Pine Forest Health and Restoration Project and will be hosting a public field trip to the project area on Wednesday, November 14.  The Forest Service is proposing to thin excess trees, treat existing and activity-generated fuels (slash), and use prescribed fire on Jeffrey pine-dominated stands, located on both the Mono Lake and Mammoth Ranger Districts.

The objective of the Three Creeks Jeffrey Pine Forest Health and Restoration project is to promote forest structure, composition, and density conditions more favorable to the long-term resiliency and sustainability of the Jeffrey pine forest.  Fire suppression and harvesting practices from decades past have left these forested stands overly dense and often lacking in larger, older, more fire-resilient trees.  The overly dense tree conditions also increases the susceptibility of these stands to bark beetle attack.  A secondary benefit from this project would be a continued wood supply capable of meeting local demand for fuelwood for home heating for the next several years.

If you have information you feel the Forest Service may not be aware of, or you feel you have issues (points of dispute, debate, or disagreement) regarding potential effects of this proposal, please submit these in writing to Scott Kusumoto at: Mammoth Ranger District, Inyo National Forest, P.O. Box 148, Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546, or by phone at: 760-924-5522.   Comments may also be submitted by fax (760-924-5537) or by hand-delivery during normal business hours (Monday – Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm).  Electronic comments in acceptable formats [plain text (.txt), rich text (.rtf), or Word (.doc)], may be submitted to Scott at: [email protected].   While public participation in this analysis is welcome at any time, comments received by November 30, 2012 will be especially useful in preparation of the environmental assessment.

The public is invited on a field trip on Wednesday, November 14 to visit a sampling of proposed units and discuss planned activities, weather permitting.  Participants should meet at the Mammoth Welcome Center at 9:00 am.  Please contact Scott Kusumoto at 760-924-5522 or [email protected] if you have any questions or have special needs in order to participate in the field trip.