East-Central Wet Mountains Forest Health & Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project

Project Summary

Completion Date: October 2011

Partners

  • US Forest Service

JW Associates was the prime consultant on an Environmental Assessment through Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) authority for the San Carlos Ranger District of the San Isabel National Forest.

The EA has been been through the Objection Period, without any objections filed. Brad Piehl was the project manager and watershed lead. Jessica Wald was the public involvement lead and writer/editor. John Baas was the socio-economics, recreation and visuals lead. Zoe Ghali was the wildlife lead.

Project Actions

  • Write an environmental assessment for the US Forest Service, addressing the impacts of the proposed project

  • Facilitation of 2 scoping meetings

  • Development and refinement of proposed actions, issues and alternatives, including:

    • Thinning

    • Mulching

    • Tree removal

    • Prescribed burning to reduce forest canopy densities, and ground and ladder fuels in areas across the landscape

  • Management of the drafting and revising of 8 specialist reports, including the Biological Evaluation/Biological Evaluation Assessment

  • Treat approximately 18,800 acres within the 111,627 acres East Central-Wet Mountains Project Area. This area contains:

    • Ponderosa pine, mixed conifer, upland shrublands, aspen & Pinyon juniper

Benefits

  • Reduce fire intensity and behavior

  • Provide a stronghold for fire management resources to defend in the event of large wildfire(s) in that area

  • Restoration of portions of the project area that have moved away from historic forest conditions due to the lack of disturbances

  • Create more sustainable forest conditions that are resilient to fire, insects and diseases

  • Provide for diverse wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, sustainable watershed conditions and increased fire fighter safety

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Dollar Ridge Fire

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East Troublesome Post-fire Mitigation