The U.S. Forest Service is now taking comments on its draft environmental assessment for the Jackson Mountain Landscape Project.
According to a bulletin from the Forest Service on June 27, “The initial proposal that was scoped in January of 2023 also considered the development of a trail system and the development of a gravel pit in the Jackson Mountain area. The trail system and gravel pit projects have been removed from consideration as part of the current project. The current project now only includes fuels reduction and vegetation management activities.”
A legal notice published in the June 27 issue of The SUN states the proposed action of fuel reduction and vegetation treatment would “improve forest health and resiliency, regenerate aspen stands, and help improve wildlife habitat.”
The legal notice also notes the responsible officer the decision is Pagosa District Ranger Josh Peck.
The bulletin explains that fuel treatments such as mowing, chipping and hand trimming are being proposed on up to 1,600 acres in the Jackson mountain area.
Vegetation treatments such as thinning, tree removal and aspen coppice treatments intended to promote aspen regeneration are being considered on up to 900 acres in the area, it notes.
“The proposed action would help increase opportunities for safe and effective wildland fire management and reintroduction of fire into forest ecosystems, promote diversity in forest structure and composition that provides resilience to disturbances such as wildfire, drought, and forest insects and disease, promote conditions that provide for long-term wildlife habitat sustainability, and provide wood and forest products for both commercial and non-commercial uses,” according to the bulletin.
The bulletin notes that electronic input is preferred and can be submitted through an online form at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=61809. The form can be found under the “Get Connected” tab on the right side of the page in the “Comment/Object on Project” section.
Additional documents and maps relating to the proposal can be found online using the same link.
Comments can be submitted through the mail, as well, and need to be addressed to the Pagosa Ranger District at P.O. Box 310, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147.
Comments can be submitted to Peck at joshua.p.peck@usda.gov or faxed to Adam Tlachac at (970) 264-1513.
Include “Comments on Jackson Mountain Landscape Project” in the subject line of your email or fax, the bulletin states.
Comments can also be hand-delivered to the Pagosa Ranger Station during regular office hours, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The station is located at 180 Pagosa St.
“Acceptable formats for electronic comments are text or html email, Adobe portable document format, and formats viewable in Microsoft Office applications,” the bulletin notes.
The bulletin adds that all comments received by Peck, “including names and addresses of commenters,” will be placed in a file to become a matter of public record for the proposed action.
“Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide the Agency with the ability to provide the commenter with subsequent environmental documents,” it states.
The Forest Service will accept comments for a 30-day period, which began on June 27.
The Jackson Mountain area is located northeast of Pagosa Springs and north of the San Juan River Village subdivision. The area is accessed by the U.S. Forest Service Road 37 from U.S. 160.
The press release directs inquiries for more information about the proposal to contact Tlachac at (970) 262-1513 or adam.tlachah@usda.gov.
clayton@pagosasun.com
