Swan River State Forest taking comments on proposed timber sale
Public comments are being taken on a proposed timber sale in the Swan River State Forest.
The proposed timber sale — the Cilly Cliffs multiple timber sale project — covers 18,850 acres of state trust land.
Harvesting could occur on 5-20 percent of the gross sale area.
The proposed sale covers land in Lake County five miles south of Swan Lake east of the Swan River. Affected drainages include the Cilly, Cliff, Napa, Perry, South Fork, Lost and Soup creeks.
Dan Roberson, unit manager for the Swan River State Forest, estimates that the sales will generate between $2-4 million for the state Common School Trust and $500,000 for Forest Improvement funds.
The Swan River State Forest is in the initial stages of developing the project and is seeking public comment on issues or concerns related to the proposed timber harvesting. Public comment is due March 7.
In accordance with the Montana Environmental Policy Act, public input will be used to identify specific issues, define analysis, guide alternative development, and shape project development of the individual timber sales.
Roberson said the timber sale will consist of between three and seven individual sales, both small and large. The first sale is planned for May/June 2015 with bids scheduled for March/April 2015. Logging should begin on the first sale in the summer of 2015, with logging for the final sale by 2017.
The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation plans to assemble a team of specialists — wildlife biologists, hydrologists, foresters, etc. — to evaluate the initial public input and complete an Environmental Impact Statement on the potential environmental effects of the proposal.
A draft EIS is targeted for completion by June 30, 2014 followed by a 30-day public review period. The final EIS should be ready by September 2014, Roberson said, with the state Land Board to make a final decision by October 2014.
The DNRC will manage the lands in accord with the State Forest Management Plan, which aims to produce long-term income for the state land trust primarily through timber management while maintaining a healthy and biologicially diverse forest.
If requested, public meetings or field tours may be held as the project progresses.
Submit comments to: Jason Parke, Management Forester, Swan River State Forest, 34925 MT Hwy 83, Swan Lake, MT 59911; via email at jparke@mt.gov or via fax at 754-2884.