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UPDATE: SIGNAL CORPS KNOB PROJECT DROPPED on
April 27th!: It is a rare occasion when the Forest
Service chooses "No Action." From the time that this
project was first announced, Wild Virginia, Virginia Forest Watch
and local citizens had serious concerns about how the 230 acre
timber sale would affect the unique values of the area,
including: remote wildlife habitat, extremely steep slopes, old
growth forest, and trails. Thanks to diligent work by
conservationists and thanks to environmental laws now in place,
such as the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), the
Forest Service looked at the Signal Corps Knob logging project
deliberately before proceeding. Ultimately the Forest Service
decided not to proceed with this project in a highly
inappropriate area. NEPA is a landmark environmental law that
works! Let's defend it.
SIGNAL CORPS KNOB LOGGING
PROPOSAL.
A 170-230 acre logging project is being proposed in the Signal
Corps Knob area south of Rt. 250 (south of Rt. 250 from Ramsey's
Draft Wilderness). A large amount of roadbuilding ( 1.4 mi) is
being proposed as part of the project. Members of Virginia Forest
Watch, Wild Virginia, and a local citizen hiked in the area in
December 2005.
Conservationists have serious concerns about many aspects of the
project including: logging and roadbuilding in a remote habitat
for wildlife area (management area 14), logging proposed on steep
slopes in several of the cutting units, logging in stands 118,
145, and 148 years old according to Forest Service timber stand
data, logging on rich north-facing slopes, and potential
roadbuilding/road work on or near the pathway of non-motorized
trails such as the Georgia Camp Trail. The project area is
located near a Civil War era historical site associated with
Stonewall Jackson's campaign to stop an invasion of the
Shenandoah Valley by General John C Fremont's army in early 1862.
December 2005 visit to the Signal Corps Knob proposed cutting units
Write the Forest Service today and urge them not to log
this important area.
Comments must be postmarked or electronically transmitted (email)
on January 10. Send comments to Deerfield Ranger District, 148
Parkersburg Turnpike, Staunton, Va. 24401
email:
comments-southern-georgewashington-jefferson-deerfield@fs.fed.us
or fax: (540) 885-7726
Excerpts from the Forest Service notice on the Signal
Corp Knob project:
File Code: 2410
December 6, 2005
To: Interested and Affected Individuals
The Deerfield Ranger District, George Washington and Jefferson
National Forests, is beginning the planning process for the
proposed Signal Corps Knob Timber Sale Project in Augusta County,
Virginia. The project is located approximately four miles west of
the community of West Augusta on Shenandoah Mountain. The project
is accessed from FDR 396 and FDR 343 off of SR 250.
The Action Proposed
The Deerfield District proposes to harvest approximately 230
acres in Management Area 14C. The actions that are proposed for
compartments 640, 641 and 649 are intended to achieve the goals
and objectives of the Final Revised Land Resource and Resource
management Plan, George Washington National Forest. The proposed
actions are designed to influence vegetative composition and
wildlife habitat conditions by implementing a carefully designed
and managed commercial timber sale...
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To receive a map and notice for this project, contact Mark Healey
at the Deerfield Ranger District
(540-885-8028)
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