USFS South Fork Project EA

The USFS has issued a scoping letter on the “South Fork Project”, named for the South fork of the Little Red River. The project is located on the Ozark National Forest between the East Fork Wilderness and Gulf Mountain Wildlife Management Area, south of Chimes, Alread, and Marshall, AR.

According to an independent review, the breakdown of USFS activities on this project would include:

Total project area – 12,501 acres
Planned logging and thinning - 7455 acres
Planned chemical herbicide treatment – 4895 acres
Planned Prescribed burning – 12,501 acres multiple times
There is also approximately 50 miles of roadwork planned, as well as,
minerals [shale / gas] development.

The planned use of herbicides followed by burning must be challenged.
Anyone who has information about the dangers of this practice, please
post.

The project is in the Scoping Phase. An EA will be published, followed
by a formal comment period. To request a copy, call Andrew Baker 479-284-3150
albaker@fs.fed.us

According to the USFS Sopa: The South Fork Project includes the following:

- Road management
- Minerals and Geology
- Watershed management
- Fuels management
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Forest products
- Wildlife, Fish, Rare plants
- Recreation management

Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 07/2008 Expected:10/2008 11/2008 Andrew Baker 479-284-3150
albaker@fs.fed.us
Description: Pine thin - 1984ac; Hardwood thin - 238 ac; Pine regen cut - 15ac; Hardwood regen cut - 482ac; Wildlife stand improvement - 1995 ac; Pre-commercial thin - 141ac; Rx fire - 12501ac; Herbicide use - 2720ac; Road work - 48.8mi.

Location: UNIT - Bayou Ranger District. STATE - Arkansas. COUNTY - Pope, Van Buren. LEGAL - T10N,R16W,Sec5-8; T10N,R17W,Sec1-6,10-12; T11N,R16W,Sec29-32; T11N,R17W,Sec24-36. 9 miles N. of Jerusalem, AR between Gulf Mtn Wildlife Management Area and East Fork Wilderness.

Burning Herbicides

A couple years ago at my son's wedding in Springfield, Missouri, the entire area of Springfield and surrounding counties to the Arkansas line were covered in a dense smoke. It was revealed on the evening news that it was from Forest Service Burning in Arkansas.

To herbicide the forest and then burn it is probably the most reckless plan I've heard ...ever. When chlorinated hydrocarbons such as herbicides are burned at low temperatures, they produce dioxins and furans. These are some of the most toxic compounds known to man. The smoke won't be stopped by political lines, state lines, or even physical barriers such as homes and public buildings. Is the Forest Service willing to accept liability for the poisoning of much of Arkansas and parts of Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas and beyond????? Just what is the Forest Service hoping to accomplish? What are they trying to kill that can't be killed by other means??? These questions MUST be asked by citizens who care. I have a grandson in Springfield.

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.