Why reduce the number of PO’s?
USFS press release:
BLACKDUCK, MINNESOTA – August 1, 2019 – The Chippewa National Forest (Forest) is seeking comments on the Forest-Wide Permanent Opening Management Project. To assure your comments are fully considered during this scoping phase of the project, we request that you submit comments by August 30, 2019.
The purpose of the project is to develop a management plan for the long-term maintenance and/or enhancement of high-quality permanent openings (POs). These openings are areas of land managed in order to create and maintain a wildlife habitat of grass, low shrub, and/or herbaceous ground cover. The project proposes to reduce the number of current PO’s from 4,103 to 513 and the managed acres from 7,313 to 1,223 across National Forest System lands within the Forest. Management would focus on high-quality POs that would benefit the native flora, fauna, ecosystems, and processes endemic to the lands within the Forest boundaries.
To assure your comments are fully considered during this scoping phase of the project, we request that you submit comments by August 30, 2019. Submit your comments electronically in a common file format (.doc, .docx, .pdf, .rtf, .txt) to: [email protected] with the subject line “Permanent Opening Project.” Please include your name, address, telephone number, and the title of the project with your comments. OR Mail your comments to the Blackduck Ranger District Office, Attn: District Ranger, Karen Lessard, 417 Forestry Drive, Blackduck, MN 56630. You can also submit your comments by fax to: (218) 835-3132.
For additional information about the public comment process or to receive a map of the project area, please contact Karen Lessard at: 218-835-4291 or [email protected].
I’m guessing that it is pretty expensive to “manage” them – keep out tree encroachment and invasives. So just like many national forests are trying to identify which roads to maintain and which campground/recreation facilities to keep to fit their budgets, the forest is trying to reduce the cost of keeping these “permanent” openings open.