Welcome to the public reading room for the Huckleberry Landscape Restoration Project. You will find comments from interested parties that have engaged in the Project.
The Huckleberry Landscape Restoration Project FEIS and draft ROD have been completed and a notification was sent to those who have previously requested to be updated on the project or have submitted specific written comments related to the project via the GovDelivery system. The Huckleberry Project proposes landscape restoration treatments on approximately 67,000 acres on the Council Ranger District of the Payette National Forest. This is the fourth project on the Forest that is part of the Weiser - Little Salmon Headwaters Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project. Proposed restoration activities include timber harvest, biomass harvest, road reconstruction, road realignment, temporary road construction, road decommissioning, culvert removal, culvert replacement, thinning of sub-merchantable trees, prescribed fire, and other actions.
Specific vegetation treatments are proposed to enhance northern Idaho ground squirrel habitat, a threatened species as listed by the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as well as species dependent on dry coniferous forests (e.g., white-headed woodpecker), while maintaining habitat for other Forest sensitive and ESA-listed species. Proposed recreation improvements include developed and dispersed recreation site improvements, motorized and non-motorized trail development and realignment, trailhead improvements, and the conversion of Smith Mountain Lookout to a public rental cabin.
The Responsible Official who will issue a decision on this project is Forest Supervisor, Linda Jackson. A hard copy of the FEIS, draft Record of Decision (ROD), and additional information regarding this proposed project can be obtained from: Mark Fox (project lead), 2092 Highway 95, Council, Idaho, 83612, (208)253-0164, mark.fox@usda.gov.
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was originally released for public comment on June 21, 2019. It has now been finalized in response to the comments received. The FEIS, draft ROD and other additional information are available for review at the project webpage at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=50218. Persons interested in receiving updates about this project may subscribe to GovDelivery for project updates via email by clicking the link “Subscribe to Email Updates” on the right side of the project web page under the “Get Connected” panel.
This proposed project is subject to the objection process pursuant to 36 CFR 218 Subpart B. This project is not related to the Hazardous Fuels Reduction Act (HFRA). The Intermountain Regional Forester is the Objection Reviewing Officer.