The Lakeview Project on the White River National Forest in Colorado proposes to employ “commercial thinning” in the 6,661-acre project area, much of which is characterized by wetlands, including irreplaceable fens. According to the Notice of Proposed Action (NOPA) issued by the Forest Service, the purpose of this “vegetation management” project is to “Improve forest resilience to disturbances by … enhancing species, age class and structural diversity within the spruce-fir cover type.”
A Forest Service press release states that Englemann spruce and subalpine fir will be cut “to increase age and size diversity.” It also identifies “insects and disease” as “disturbances” to be protected against. The insect-and-disease threat? “Western spruce budworm is present within the project area…. Defoliation caused by western spruce budworm is currently minor.” Western spruce budworm is a native species that exists, in part, for “enhancing species, age class and structural diversity within the spruce-fir cover type.” Yet, the Forest Service wants to build 2.5 miles of new roads through wetlands, then use heavy equipment and chainsaws to accomplish “age and size diversity” that is already happening through natural processes.
But that’s just Part One. “Additionally, trees would be thinned within 200 feet of either side of National Forest System Roads 1831 and 1834 to create a boundary to better manage wildfires.” Thanks to a computer model, “We’ve identified the roads along the ridge between Eagle and Summit counties as potential control features to better manage a wildfire in the area,” said Dillon District Ranger Adam Bianchi.
Of course, high winds (a fairly common occurrence in the Colorado high country) drive catastrophic wildfire and render fuel breaks ineffective. Even so, the spruce-fir forests of Colorado seldom burn, with “fire frequency often exceeding 150-250 years.” This forest was shaped by natural processes and has never needed humans to manage its vegetation.
Nonetheless, “It is anticipated that a changing climate would create future conditions that have an increase in the occurrences of drought conditions.” But anticipation has more to do with Carly Simon and Heinz ketchup than forest ecology. Anticipation is essentially emotionally biased guessing. It has very little to do with science, yet it justifies a mechanical intervention into a natural, beneficial ecosystem.
Colorado’s mountain wetlands, especially the fens, which have persisted for millennia, are miracles of resilience and sustainability in a drought-prone landscape. They provide fire refugia from which entire forests can regenerate after catastrophic wildfire. “Vegetation management” would damage these wetlands and lessen fire resilience, not improve it.
