SandBox Comments: Summit County Citizens Voice "USFS approves Aspen ski area forest health work"

"SUMMIT COUNTY — The Aspen Skiing Company will try to stay ahead of the forest health curve with treatments across more than 4,000 acres aimed at encouraging the growth of new trees and maintaining forest cover where it exists.

The U.S. Forest Service last week approved the forest health project, set to proceed during the next 10 years.

“Maintaining a diversity of tree species and age classes in an area can help encourage stand resilience, thereby improving forest health,” said District Ranger Scott Snelson. “Age class diversity is one way to assure future resilience of a forest ecosystem to a threat such as mountain pine beetle.”

According to the Forest Service, the projects are designed to maintain or improve forest health conditions in timber stands located within each of the four SkiCo permitted ski areas. Forest health has deteriorated regionally due to a combination of problems such as mountain pine and spruce beetle infestations, aspen decline, mistletoe, and past drought. Without intervention, stand resilience and overall forest health is likely to continue deteriorating.

Copies of the environmental assessment and Decision Notice and FONSI are available on-line at the White River National Forest website...."

(Summit Voice)

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