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June
21, 2002
Forest
Supervisor
Idaho
Panhandle Forest Supervisor's Office
3815
Schreiber Way
Coeur
d'Alene Idaho 83815-8363
Our
Chapter of the Idaho Native Plant Society wants to congratulate you on the
open and inclusive process you are following in updating the Forest Plan
for the Panhandle and Kootenai National Forests. Members who attended the
Sandpoint session were favorably impressed.
On
behalf of our 101 local members, we want to share with you our initial
priorities and concerns. As the process becomes more specific, undoubtedly
our comments will also.
- We
are concerned with survival, and opportunity to thrive, for the
Forests’ sensitive and rare plants. This involves maintaining
habitat for these populations and the larger community with which they
interact. As much as possible, forests that resemble as closely as
possible those found before we began logging and managing for timber
production will best nurture sensitive plants.
- Riparian
protection from degradation and restoring damaged waterways is a very
high priority.
- Weed
control is exceedingly important. This may involve restricting
recreational or other access to sensitive areas. Preventing invasive
plants from entering is much better than controlling them afterwards.
- Regulate
commercial harvesting of huckleberries, mushrooms, beargrass and any
other living resource for sustainability and appropriate harvesting
techniques.
- Roadless
areas which may qualify for future, further protection should be
maintained as roadless and qualifying for possible wilderness
inclusion.
- Access
to our forests is a hot issue. The Kinnikinnick Chapter does not
believe the Forest Service needs to provide access for all the
machines and transportation modes available today, beyond some of
those already open. People always have access by foot – sometimes it
may be difficult and distant, but we are not fenced out. The
limitations are those of individual time available, physical condition
and age. You are not a transportation department with responsibility
for roadway access everywhere. Forest health and that of its wildlife
and flora components should be given higher priority.
In
today's plan how are the following issues being addressed:
rare and sensitive plants, weed control, riparian protection and
restoration, and regulating commercial harvesting of non-timber resources?
Sincerely,
Eileen
Atkisson, President
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