tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3814464431995035927.post7995750072294910186..comments2024-03-18T10:33:45.820-04:00Comments on Mountain Wandering: Steve Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16403760631302934834noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3814464431995035927.post-64930802462135808712010-09-19T14:52:32.561-04:002010-09-19T14:52:32.561-04:00Thanks LNT and Dr. Wu, there aren't many bette...Thanks LNT and Dr. Wu, there aren't many better places to be in the woods!<br /><br />SteveSteve Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16403760631302934834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3814464431995035927.post-68621795508762569412010-09-09T10:25:11.743-04:002010-09-09T10:25:11.743-04:00Looks great! I'd really love to get into that ...Looks great! I'd really love to get into that area when the leaves are turning in a few weeks.Dr. Wunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3814464431995035927.post-20664858008755600622010-09-08T07:03:04.910-04:002010-09-08T07:03:04.910-04:00I've drawn a moose tag this season & this ...I've drawn a moose tag this season & this area is in my designated WMU. Thanks for helping me zero in! Great pics, great description & good to see I'm not the only bushwhacker left! LNTAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3814464431995035927.post-17875310380845506352010-09-03T22:40:30.347-04:002010-09-03T22:40:30.347-04:00Thanks, John - it was a great trip!
Right now th...Thanks, John - it was a great trip! <br /><br />Right now there's not much one can do on the protection of the Kilkenny Roadless Rule area. Over the last 8 years there have been several conflicting decisions in various federal courts, but right now the Roadless Rule is in effect. There is another key decision due soon in the 10th Circuit Court.<br /><br />In the 2008 Environmental Assessment for the revised Mill Brook logging project, the Forest Service stated there would be no more logging projects in the Mill Brook area during the next 10 years. So in the short run things look promising. <br /><br />Of primary concern in the Kilkenny are about 4,000 roadless acres at lower elevations (including most of the area we whacked through up to about 2300 ft.). In the 1986 WMNF Forest Plan, after an appeal, these acres were placed in a "holding area" category, meaning nothing would happen. In 2001 most of these 4,000 acres were included for protection under the national Roadless Rule, which was adopted by the Forest Service nationwide.<br /><br />In the most recent (2005) WMNF Forest Plan, these 4,000 "holding area" acres were placed in a category that allowed commercial timber harvesting, and then the big cut was planned. The WMNF essentially ignored the Roadless Rule in developing the 2005 Forest Plan and the 2006 Mill Brook project, since the administration at that time was trying to repeal the rule.<br /><br />In the 2005 Forest Plan the WMNF made its own roadless area inventory, with boundaries expanded beyond the national Roadless Rule areas. Significant chunks of both Roadless Rule and WMNF-defined roadless land were allocated to timber harvesting.<br /><br />When the Roadless Rule was upheld in court in 2006, the Forest Service dropped the part of the Mill Brook project inside the Roadless Rule boundaries. Some of the WMNF-defined areas (outside the Roadless Rule boundaries) are being cut now in the revised Mill Brook project.<br /><br />There has been confusion over these two definitions of roadless land, and environmental groups unsuccessfully (foolishly?) appealed/sued about the cutting in the broader WMNF-defined roadless areas. <br /><br />The current administration has been supportive of the Roadless Rule. We'll see what happens with the next court decision.<br /><br />The whole issue is complicated and confusing, but the basic premise behind the 2001 Roadless Rule was that national action was required to protect these remaining wild and undisturbed National Forest lands, because they were being chopped up piecemeal in individual forest plans that were often developed with an understandable emphasis on local economic factors.<br /><br />It should be emphasized that the Roadless Rule does not designate these lands as Wilderness; it does prohibit logging and road-building, with exceptions allowed for fire and insect problems. It's similar to several categories used for remote backcountry in the WMNF Forest Plan.<br /><br />The special character of the Kilkenny has long been recognized by the Forest Service. It was studied for possible Wilderness designation in the 1986 Forest Plan, and was recommended as Wilderness in the most preservation-friendly of the four alternatives developed for consideration in the 2005 Forest Plan. Given that Wilderness currently has a bad name among many who would presumably be in favor of it (largely due to the Pemi bridge removal), and that there has long been local opposition to a Kilkenny Wilderness, such designation is very unlikely, and it's not something I would advocate at this point.<br /><br />But I would certainly like to see those 4,000 lower elevation Roadless Rule acres placed in the same WMNF Forest Plan backcountry recreation category (with no commercial timber harvest allowed) as the higher elevation Kilkenny lands are currently allocated to. Perhaps a "Friends of the Kilkenny" should be formed, similar to groups that have advocated for the Wild River and Sandwich Range.<br /><br />Let's hope things stay the way they are; I'll let you know if any opportunities for action come up. <br /><br />Thanks for reading!<br /><br />SteveSteve Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16403760631302934834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3814464431995035927.post-48518038293994684722010-09-03T09:37:08.001-04:002010-09-03T09:37:08.001-04:00Steve, your report is well-written as always. It ...Steve, your report is well-written as always. It provides a vivid depiction of this terrific trek, as well as some very interesting history of this truly remote area of the Whites.<br /><br />Regarding your commentary at the end of this report, is there anything that the ordinary private citizen can do to help assure that pristine areas of the Kilkenny are spared from logging and road-building under the 2001 National Forest "Roadless Rule"?<br /><br />John1HappyHikerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02242409292439585691noreply@blogger.com