Forest Watch
National Forests belong to all Americans, and The Clinch Coalition strives to make these forests more than subsidized playgrounds for the logging industry. We organize the community to monitor and prevent proposed and existing timber sales in the National Forest around High Knob. (Read related ARTICLE)
Current Timber Sales
Joel Branch
Status: Active.
Rolling Ridge
Status: Complete. Last inspected 9/8/07 with minor BMP violations.
Jaybird
Status: No longer active.
Kane Gap
Status: Active.
Gemini
Status: Complete. Last inspected 1/16/08 with no BMP violations.
Pending Timber Sales
Wells Branch
Proposed: 2900 acres of prescribed burning, 343 acres of logging, 6.5 miles road construction.
Comments submitted: 9/8/07
Back Valley
Proposed: 1300 acres of prescribed burning, 371 acres of logging, road building
Comments submitted: 11/19/2007
( Comments 1, 2, 3; FS extends public comment period; FS pulls timber sale)
Empowering the Community
The community surrounding High Knob has a vested interest in management decisions in the National Forest. People who live directly downstream from High Knob have been concerned for years about the potential for flooding resulting from clearcuts. Many community members use the National Forest to hike, fish, hunt, or ride horses and are worried that timbering will influence their ability to play. Most of the local community members drink water drawn from the rivers surrounding High Knob. Many local governing boards see the potential for High Knob to attract an ecotourism industry to our beautiful but impoverished region.
Despite the community's interest in High Knob, we have had very little ability to affect the mountain's management in the past. The majority of High Knob is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Forest land is severely threatened by excess logging and prescribed burns. The district of the National Forest in which High Knob is located grows some of the best timber in the National Forest and has the burden of being the most heavily timbered district in Virginia. The U.S. Forest Service insists on cutting excessive timber in this region despite steep mountainsides and increased potential for erosion, landslides, and floods.
Although the Forest Service is required by law to allow community members to comment on logging and burning projects in the National Forest, the local staff have traditionally used the legally minimum techniques to inform the public. The Back Valley timber sale, for example, will affect Scott County residents who live in its watershed, but the timber sale was only advertised in the adjoining county's newspaper. Even when they are informed of proposed activity in the National Forest, many community members feel powerless to influence Forest Service management decisions. We help give these community members a voice so that our community can work together to turn High Knob into a green space we can all benefit from and enjoy.
What you can do: Call or write the district ranger and ask him to protect the area from logging and roadbuilding. If you are familiar with the area, add a personal note or contact TCC for more information on what's happening. Contact information for the Clinch Ranger District: Jorge Hersel, District Ranger, 9416 Darden Drive, Wise, Va. 24293-5900, phone (276)328-2931, email jorgehersel@fs.fed.us
Steve Brooks
|
|
