Whitefish Range forest plan taking shape

A plan for prescribed burns and timber harvesting in the mountains above Haskill Basin is coming closer to a final form.

The Whitefish Municipal Watershed Fuels Reduction Project calls for about 800 acres of prescribed burns along the south face of the Whitefish Range. Timber harvest is planned for some 300 acres, mostly on the lower flanks of the mountains.

The Forest Service held a public open house last week at City Hall to discuss the project that falls under the 2014 Farm Bill. The bill designated 5 million acres of Forest Service land in Montana with expedited review to address wildfire risks in areas with weakened forests.

The collaborative Whitefish Face Working Group — which includes forestry officials, recreationists and conservationists — met twice a month for a year and recommended a treatment plan.

“The act allows us to do things a little different if we do collaboration up front,” said planning team leader Deb Bond. “We’re trying to feel the pulse of the community for this project, then we can just develop one alternative.”

Bond says the three open houses are have also played a critical role in helping design a proposed action. Suggestions from an October open house led to some minor tweaks in what will be proposed.

One property owner expressed concerns about the impact on wetlands around Walker Creek. The shape of some timber harvest areas were changed to allow for more coverage for wildlife, and a fuel break on the ridge of the mountain range was eliminated. The project boundary near the Danny On trail was shifted, as well.

“We’re listening to the concerns,” Bond said.

The official proposed action will be released following the collaborative phase. That will open a 30-day public comment period. A decision could be issued by September and work could start next summer.

Ultimately, the project is aimed at addressing disease concerns in the forest, including root disease, bark beetles, and mortality in white bark pine. The top priority is to lessen the impact of a wildfire that could be destructive to the city’s water supply from Second and Third Creeks.

Bond points out that some areas in the range haven’t burned in more than 200 years.

“It’s almost due,” she said. “By doing the [prescribed burns] we’ll have more control of where the fire is.”

Visual impacts will vary throughout the project. Commercial thinning operations will leave a textured look on the landscape, but there will be some openings more than 40 acres, Bond notes.

To learn more about the project, visit online at www.fs.usda.gov/projects/flathead/landmanagement/projects