Jazz Timber Sale appeal by enviro group Bark – 9th Circuit ruling.
The video is fascinating: Video of 9th Circuit hearing.
And an article, 9th Circ. Nixes Enviro’s Appeal Of Ore. Forest Thinning Project
The Smokey Wire : National Forest News and Views
Community Sourced, Shared and Supported
Jazz Timber Sale appeal by enviro group Bark – 9th Circuit ruling.
The video is fascinating: Video of 9th Circuit hearing.
And an article, 9th Circ. Nixes Enviro’s Appeal Of Ore. Forest Thinning Project
The video of the hearing is indeed fascinating. And a disconcerting reminder of why efficient common-sense management of our national forests has become an impossibility.
There is a difference between a decommissioned road and a removed road. Decommissioning a road means they think they will need it later. There are also other levels of decommissioning, too. A functioning and well-designed road doesn’t necessarily add significant sediments, as some folks seem to think. Decommissioning a road might be removal of culverts and gating, without any re-contouring or road surface removal.
I’m also kind of surprised at BARK’s demands that their alternatives be part of the decision process. I’d think that in the future, the Forest Service needs to document their consideration, just to cover their butts. It is easy enough to consider an alternative and then reject it for economic reasons. Remember, all sorts of exotic slash treatments and harvest methods have to be assessed for, as a cost of doing the work. Helicopter logging and handpiling is often preferred by conservationists, without really knowing the economics of those activities.