|
March 21, 2005 -
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: LPFW Public Affairs (805) 252-4277
FOREST SERVICE PLANS LOGGING IN FIGUEROA MOUNTAIN RECREATION
AREA
Frazier Mountain Also Slated for Logging;
Agency Will Cut Trees "Of All Ages and Sizes"
The
U.S. Forest Service recently announced plans to log areas of the
Figueroa Mountain Recreation Area, located nine miles northeast
of Los Olivos in the Los Padres National Forest. The proposal
may harm sensitive species, pollute waterways, and interfere
with one of the most popular recreation areas in the entire
national forest.
Figueroa Mountain is a popular destination for forest visitors,
especially during the springtime wildflower season. It is also
home to several sensitive and at-risk species, and the
endangered California Condor has been sighted in this area in
the last few years. These coniferous forests are a rare habitat
type in the region, covering only 8% of the entire national
forest.
“The
Forest Service should not be logging in rare habitats and
popular recreation areas,” said Jeff Kuyper, executive director
of ForestWatch.
As
part of this logging project, the Forest Service will clear
large expanses of vegetation from 667 acres, use chainsaws to
remove trees “of all ages and sizes,” and use prescribed
burning. The agency will also use a large machine called a
masticator to shred brush, trees, and stumps.
ForestWatch
supports efforts to improve the health of forest ecosystems, but
is concerned that the Forest Service is not adequately reviewing
the environmental impacts of this proposal. The agency is
claiming that these projects fall under a "categorical
exclusion," which allows the agency to approve the project
without undertaking more detailed environmental review.
Due to the presence of rare
species and the severity of potential impacts, however,
ForestWatch believes that the agency cannot legally claim this
exclusion, and must prepare a thorough environmental review
before logging can begin.
“If the Forest Service is truly interested in maintaining forest
health, then it should have no problem preparing an
environmental assessment to study ways to reduce or eliminate
these impacts,” said Kuyper.
Logging trees and clearing vegetation have been identified by
the State Water Resources Control Board as the major causes of
water pollution in the Los Padres National Forest. Logging and
vegetation removal exposes and loosens soil, resulting in
increased runoff. This runoff, in turn, carries excessive
sediments into the creeks and rivers that provide important
aquatic habitat and valuable water supplies to local
communities.
In
addition to this logging proposal on Figueroa Mountain, the
Forest Service is also proposing to log 1,741 acres on Frazier
Mountain, located immediately south of the Frazier Park
community in Ventura County. This project could impact the
lodgepole chipmunk and California spotted owl, which are both
designated as “sensitive species” by the Forest Service and as
“species of concern” by state and federal wildlife agencies. The
Mt. Pinos lodgepole chipmunk occurs on only three mountaintops
in the Los Padres – including Frazier Mountain – and is found
nowhere else on Earth.
The
Forest Service will accept comments from the public on the
Figueroa Mountain Project until March 28, 2005, and on the
Frazier Mountain Project until March 25, 2005. LPFW encourages
the public to submit their comments urging full environmental
review to the following address: 1616 Carlotti Road, Santa
Maria, CA 93454, or email to comments-pacificsouthwest-los-padres-santa-lucia@fs.fed.us
. This will be the only opportunity for the public to submit
comments on this proposal.
###
Los
Padres ForestWatch is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization working
to protect and restore the natural and cultural heritage of the
Los Padres National Forest through environmental law, science,
education, and community involvement. We support efforts to
improve ecosystem health and protect communities from wildfires,
and work to ensure that fuel management activities are
undertaken with minimal impacts to water supplies, sensitive
species, and other forest resources. |
