1 week Ago By The Montana Standard
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s Butte Field Office began a 14-day public scoping period for the Big Hole West Forest Management Project on March 19.
BLM says the project aims to address increasing conifer density, conifer encroachment in riparian and upland areas and high fuel loading across 6,500 acres of wildland-urban interface in Silver Bow and Deer Lodge counties. A look upstream at the Big Hole River. The bureau will host a public meeting March 26 at the Wise River Ranger District, 65600 Highway 43, Wise River, from 5:30 to 7 p.
m. to discuss the project, gather input from stakeholders and answer questions. The BLM says it encourages public participation in the scoping process.
Comments can be submitted through the ePlanning website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2037223/510 , through April 1.
For nearly a century, conifer density has steadily increased in forest stands, uplands, and riparian areas within the Big Hole West Planning Area. The 2021 Jerry Creek Land Health Assessment found that some forest stands in the region have experienced mortality rates of up to 75% due to insect infestations and disease. The project’s objectives align with the 2009 Butte Resource Management Plan, which prioritizes reducing wildfire risks, restoring vegetation diversity, and improving forest health.
The Big Hole River. Proposed treatments include: For more details on the project or to provide input, visit the ePlanning website or attend the March 26 public meeting. The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska.
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