The Lemhi County Forest Restoration Group has forwarded their consensus recommendation memo to Salmon-Challis National Forest Supervisor Frank Guzman regarding the proposed Upper North Fork Forest Restoration project. The project encompasses more than 40,000 acres of National Forest lands between Lost Trail Pass and the Hughes Creek area.
Members of the collaborative forest restoration group first started discussing a possible landscape-level forest restoration project as early as May 2008. From that time until now, the group has tried to understand wildland urban interface issues, forest and stream restoration opportunities, and wildlife enhancement possibilities through more than a dozen conference calls, meetings, and field trips.
Members additionally met and attended a field trip with the Idaho Roadless Advisory Committee. Participants involved in these collaborative discussions included: Lemhi County (Commissioners, Weed Department, and Wildland Urban Interface Office), North Fork Fire Department, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Sustainable Northwest, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Lemhi County Economic Development Association, American Wildlands, Wild West Institute, The Nature Conservancy, Moose Creek Estates, Lost Trail Powder Mountain, Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Forest Fuels Solutions, Idaho Conservation League, Salmon Valley Stewardship, and private citizens representing both industry, landowner, and conservation perspectives.
Both the Salmon-Challis National Forest and the Salmon Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management participated as non-voting members. These employees provided valuable resource information and experience that was vital throughout this process. Without their complete cooperation and assistance, this endeavor would have been impossible to accomplish.
**NEWS FLASH** The Salmon-Challis issued their Notice of Intent for the Upper North Fork project. On August 18, members of the collaborative and residents attended the initial scoping meeting at the Gibbonsville Improvement Association.
The collaborative intends to host an open house in Salmon in Salmon. Stay tuned!
