Public comments sought for fort project on Bearlodge Ranger District

The Black Hills National Forest is proposing treatments on National Forest land eight miles northwest of Sundance and eight miles southeast of Hulett through commercial timber harvest, small-tree thinning, mastication, tree planting, watershed improvements and prescribed fire.

The Fort project area includes Blacktail Creek, Lytle Creek, Taylor Divide, Hershey Creek and Beaver Creek. The Cook Lake recreation area is within the project boundary but is excluded from activities and analysis.

The proposal includes up to 7,500 acres of commercial timber harvest. Harvest would be based on current stand conditions. Thinning reduces stand density to improve growth, reduce fire hazard, and enhance forest health.

Thinning of small pine trees (less than seven inches in diameter) is also proposed. Cut material that is not sold would be chipped, burned, or otherwise modified to reduce fire hazard. Thinning would reduce competition among trees and decrease crown fire potential by removing ladder fuels and increasing space between crowns.

Watershed improvements are proposed to restore degraded watersheds and increase wildlife habitat. These include removal of pine encroachment, construction of beaver dam analogs, and stream crossing improvements.

Prescribed broadcast burning is proposed throughout the project to diversify the understory species composition and reduce fuel loading. A detailed burn plan would be prepared prior to burning.

The Forest Service values public participation. Communications from the public regarding this project, including commenters’ names and contact information, will become part of the public record. Comments should be submitted within 30 days after publication of the legal notice. The notice was published on December 14, 2024. The preferred method to submit comments is online and can be found on the project website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=67343. Comments can also be submitted through the U.S. Mail: Fort Project, Bearlodge Ranger District, P.O. Box 680, Sundance, WY 82729.

For questions on the proposed project, please contact Patrick Champa, Bearlodge District Ranger, or Ryan Tallmadge, Bearlodge Ranger District assistant resource planner, at (307) 283-1361, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., mountain daylight time.