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The Forest Service will be implementing an integrated restoration project in the Idaho Panhandle National Forests starting this fall with road improvement activities at the Johnson and Granite Creek drainages, according to a press release.

The Buckskin Saddle Integrated Restoration Project covers approximately 50,663 acres of land, and covers the area on the east side of Lake Pend Oreille, south of the Clark Fork River.

It includes the reduction of hazardous fuels near private land, access - egress routes and powerlines.

The project also allows for vegetation management on a total of 19,474 acres. That would include roughly 13,005 acres of commercial timber harvest and 6,469 acres of noncommercial harvest and fuels reduction, according to the release.

The plan was signed off by Sandpoint District Ranger Jessie Berner, who said the plan is designed to increase the health and resilience of forests against insects, disease, drought and wildfires.

“We look forward to implementing these restoration treatments within the Buckskin Saddle project area,” Berner said. “We’ve designed the treatments to enhance and restore vegetation communities, address hazardous fuels, repair old roads, and reduce sources of road sediment to benefit water quality and aquatic habitat.”

The Sandpoint Ranger District is now beginning planning to implement the project.

“We really appreciate the public and collaborative support throughout the project planning and development phases,” Berner said. “This is a great example of working together to make our local communities safer from wildfire risk and improving forest health.”

More information is available on the Forest Service website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=52563.