Flathead Forest looks to salvage several blowdown areas

The Flathead National Forest is looking to salvage downed trees from a December windstorm in three different locations.

The Flathead National Forest, Hungry Horse-Glacier View and Spotted Bear Ranger Districts have unveiled The Coal Banks Salvage Project, which includes about 228 acres of active management, including commercial harvest and post-harvest fuel treatments to address stands of trees damaged by the windstorm. The project includes three distinct areas: coal banks area in the North Fork Flathead River basin, Firefighter Mountain east of Hungry Horse Reservoir and the Spotted Bear airstrip south of Hungry Horse Reservoir.

The project is expected to be categorically excluded from documentation in an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement. The project is anticipated to be authorized under a rule that allows salvage of dead and/or dying trees not to exceed 250 acres, requiring no more than a half mile of temporary road construction. The proposed action may include incidental removal of live or dead trees for landings, skid trails and road clearing.  

Comments can be submitted electronically to: [email protected] with “Coal Banks Salvage” in the subject line. For more information about the project, go to fs.usda.gov/r01/flathead/projects

Comments will be accepted through July 13.