(Posted online Jan. 30, 2007)

With hard hats on ("Citizen Forest Inspector" on one side and "The Clinch Coalition" on the other) members of The Clinch Coalition (TCC) have been inspecting logging jobs on the Clinch Ranger District/Jefferson National Forest.

As a result of these inspections, it appears that two loggers have pulled off two separate jobs.

In the first case (Rolling Ridge Timber Sale), inspected last fall, the logger is not going to return and the buyer has decided to finish the job himself, once the weather gets better.

In both cases road conditions with the failure to install proper drainage or water bars appeared to result in the close downs.

According to Diana Withen, President of the Coalition, "We will continue our inspections of these jobs to make sure BMPs (Best Management Practices) are being used and will let the logger and the Forest Service know of any problems that we find!"

The second job (Jaybird Timber Sale - photo slideshow below) was inspected just a couple of weeks ago and after reporting their finding to the District Ranger the logger agreed to also pull off the job until the weather improves. The district forester told TCC members that they visited the site the day after being contacted and in discussion with the logger came to the conclusion that it would be best that he leave the job for now.

TCC members made a second visit to the job later on the day that the District Ranger and three of his staff had been there. The logger told them that it was just too muddy and he could not get the road to drain. He said he was going to take most of what he had cut and not return for a while.

In other action TCC is working in cooperation with the Forest Service to obtain Trail Funds from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to make repairs to a major trail that runs over 18 miles on the High Knob section of the district. The Chief Benge Trail Restoration Project proposal asks for over $50,000 from DCR. Improvements to the trail will include bridge replacement, trail blazing, creek crossings, boardwalk/ step repair and additions, information stations, and sign replacement and additions.


The Clinch Coalition website

Photo Slideshow: