Take Action. Public Comment on the Pond Mountain Timber Sale in the Cherokee National Forest Through February 18.
The Pond Mountain area of the Cherokee National Forest in northeastern Tennessee is a beautiful trove of scenic beauty and recreation opportunities. From the protected old growth of the Pond Mountain Wilderness at the upper elevations down to the beautiful waterfalls and groves below at Laurel Fork at Frog Level.
Unfortunately, the Forest Service is proposing a timber sale in the Pond Mountain area that includes over 350 acres of heavy “regeneration” logging and the potential for heavy use of herbicides. People have through February 18 to comment.
Please send comments on this project. Tell the agency:
Send comments via email to Ranger Keith Kelly on the subject of the Pond Mountain Project to: SM.FS.r8cherwatcom@usda.gov
By Mail:
Keith Kelley
4400 Unicoi Drive
Unicoi, TN 37692
(423) 735-7306 (fax)
(423) 735-1500 (telephone)
The Agency’s description of the project: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=63431
Unfortunately, the Forest Service is proposing a timber sale in the Pond Mountain area that includes over 350 acres of heavy “regeneration” logging and the potential for heavy use of herbicides. People have through February 18 to comment.
Please send comments on this project. Tell the agency:
- There should not be commercial logging along the Lower Rough Ridge (Units 12 and 13). As part of the area that includes Firescald Falls and Frog Level, this has high scenic and recreation values. There are also some steep slopes in some of the areas to be logged that make this a high-risk area for erosion and loss of soil and water quality. These stands are largely recovering oak-hickory forests that should be allowed to develop and diversify through natural processes.
- Regardless of whether logging takes place or not, the agency should promote high biodiversity values: retaining potential snags and denning trees, retaining and promoting trees that have had less focus from the agency in the past: walnut, hickories, cherry, basswood, and more.
- Some areas, like Unit 4, have a significant recovering hemlock component. Hemlock has been under tremendous decline in the last 20 years from the invasive hemlock wooly adelgid. These areas should be excluded from commercial logging.
- This proposal will allow repeat treatments of herbicides (Imazapyr and Glyphosate) both in the general forest, and along the Laurel Fork corridor. The agency should seek alternatives to herbiciding up to 2500 acres of this analysis area.
- The analysis of this project should consider the importance of recreation to this area. This is a well-known area for hiking, fishing, backpacking, photography, and more.
Send comments via email to Ranger Keith Kelly on the subject of the Pond Mountain Project to: SM.FS.r8cherwatcom@usda.gov
By Mail:
Keith Kelley
4400 Unicoi Drive
Unicoi, TN 37692
(423) 735-7306 (fax)
(423) 735-1500 (telephone)
The Agency’s description of the project: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=63431