February 7, 2003

Re Chips Ahoy EIS

Steve Johnson

IPNF

3815 Schreiber Way

Coeur d'Alene ID 83815

Dear Steve,

The Conservation Committee of the Kinnikinnick Chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society hopes to see several items addressed in your DEIS:

1. Vigorous weed control in the area you are working in. It is a much-disturbed zone and reducing the population of exotic invasive plants is key to maintaining ecosystem health.
2. Improvement of stream quality and protection of riparian areas through all means possible. We understand that streams in this area are currently in degraded condition.
3. Identification, protection and monitoring of populations of sensitive plants. Your project is in a unique and important ecosystem.
4. Minimizing construction of roads for stream health and prevention of weeds, and taking opportunities to close roads (newly constructed as well as existing ones) to facilitate these goals.
5. Promoting site-appropriate diversity of forest types and plant habitat diversity, including reintroduction of seral tree species.
6. We are interested in soil health of this area as well.

We look forward to being retained on your list for this project. We are potentially interested in an interdisciplinary tour of some of the project area this summer, if possible.

Sincerely,