The Nantahala Ranger District is reaching out to the public seeking comments on a pair of forest management proposals.
The first proposal seeks to conduct prescribed burning on 28 permanent wildlife openings totaling approximately 47 acres located in Macon and Jackson counties. The second proposal seeks to thin approximately 28 stands of trees totaling about 451 acres by way of “crown touch release.”
In a letter written by Acting District Ranger Chris Ham, the burn authorization would be in effect for 10 years allowing the U.S. Forest Service to conduct multiple burn treatments.
“Prescribed burning would be conducted by qualified personnel during the dormant season of the year, generally between Oct. 15 and April 15,” Ham said in a written statement. “Treatments would occur when fuel moisture levels in the leaf litter in the surrounding forest is too wet to burn, allowing the field edges to serve as containment lines.”
Ham said the wet conditions would prohibit ground disturbances associated with the prescribed burns.
“The purpose and need for the project is to use fire to kill encroaching woody vegetation and to consume coarse, dead vegetation that is overtaking the fields and beginning to impede the growth of tinder browse that provides more nutrients to the wildlife species that utilize the openings for browse,” Ham said.
Following the comment period the USFS will publish a decision on the project.
The second proposal seeks public comment for the district’s proposal to thin approximately 451 acres of forest land on 28 stands via “crown touch release” treatments located in Macon, Jackson and Swain counties. Crown touch release is a forestry term to mean the thinning of less dominant trees and saplings via chainsaw slash-down, or cutting, to favor the development of selected crop trees within the hardwood stand, usually oaks.
No herbicide use is proposed and no ground disturbance would occur, Ham said.
Work is expected to begin immediately after a decision has been reached. Stands earmarked for the crown touch release treatment are stands that were previously harvested or non-commercially cleared and have regenerated naturally, Ham said.
“Stands are approximately 10-20 years of age,” Ham said.
Comments can be emailed to: comments-southern-north-carolina-nantahala-nantahala@fs.fed.us. Or, comments can be sent by regular mail to: Steverson Moffat, NEPA Planning Team Leader, Nantahala National Forest, 123 Woodland Drive, Murphy, NC 29806. Those interested in making a comment can also do so by phone at 828-837-5152.
All comments for the prescribed burn must be received by Mar. 4. Comments for the crown touch release treatments proposal must be received by Mar. 5.
Those commenting are asked to make comments as specific as possible and the following information must be included:
• Name and address
• Title of the proposed action
• Specific substantive comments on the proposed action along with supporting reasons for the USFS to consider in reaching a decision
• A signature or other means of identification verification. For organizations, a signature or other means of identification must be provided for the individual authorized to represent the organization.