Hiking Safely in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest

May 22 2020

If you’re anything like us, you can’t wait to get back out on the trail this summer. It was recently announced that after COVID-19 closures, most of the day-use trails and recreation areas in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest have reopened. As glad as that news makes us, the situation is far from back to normal. Here’s what you need to know before hiking in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest during the pandemic:

Check ahead of time to confirm that the area you plan to visit is open. You can find information on current trail openings and closures at the Gifford Pinchot National Forest’s website here. 

Site facilities may still be closed. Just because the trailhead is open, does not necessarily mean the site’s facilities are. Vault bathrooms may be open, but the Forest Service will not be maintaining them as usual because employees don’t currently have the PPE to do so safely. There is no guarantee that open facilities are COVID free. Take precautions for your own safety and the safety of others. Plan (and pack) accordingly.

Avoid crowded areas. If you get to a trailhead and the parking lot is full, don’t hike there. Period. The trail will be too crowded to safely practice social distancing. Plus, if you park on the side of the road, you could be towed, and who wants to end a day in the woods trying to hitch a ride to an impound lot? Not us. Probably not you either. Have a plan B (maybe even a plan C) before you head out.

DO NOT visit stores in rural communities. Can’t stress this one enough: unless you’re a local resident, don’t stop into stores in rural communities. Plan ahead and bring everything you’ll need with you. Don’t risk exposing people in rural communities to the virus because you didn’t bring enough water or snacks.

Campgrounds are still closed, but dispersed camping is allowed. Campgrounds currently remain closed and the GPNF is working to open them with safety as the number one priority.  If you choose to disperse camp, please take all of your trash home and dispose of human waste properly.

These are strange times, so be safe out there. If a hiker or other recreational user gets into trouble, response times will likely be longer since local emergency responders (many of whom are volunteers) are also under the Executive Order unless necessary or exempted. Emergency responders are also focusing on keeping their local communities safe. So remember, always pack the 10 essentials. Bring more food and water than you think you need. Bring basic first aid, supportive footwear, and rain-gear, no matter what the weather forecast says. Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.

We’ll see you (from a safe distance) on the trail!

What’s at stake in the Mount St. Helens national monument 40 years after the eruption?

by Bryn Harding | Communication Manager

May 18 2020

I was born a few years after the eruption of Mount St. Helens. The two five-gallon buckets of fine gray ash stored in our garage were curiosities I mostly ignored as I explored the seemingly ageless mountains, streams, and forests of the Pacific Northwest. They were certainly interesting–not only because of the stories associated with them, but also because their weight seemed alien, as if the contents of the buckets was at once too light and too heavy. In my mind, the Pacific Northwest had always been a place defined by peace and stillness. But as that ash attested to, the Pacific Northwest is in fact a place of incredible power and violence, of death and rebirth, destruction and transformation.

The Pacific Northwest is a land of volcanoes. Major eruptions and corresponding cycles of destruction and regrowth are a part of the fabric of this place. Yet, as common as these events may be geologically, in the span of any single human lifetime they are rare, which is why we are so lucky to have the chance to observe, record, and learn from the areas protected from human interference within the Mount St. Helens national monument, the most active volcano in the Cascades.

At places near the blast zone, like Spirit Lake and the area now referred to as the Pumice Plain, the destruction following the famous May 18th eruption seemed permanent. However, life has already begun to come back. “I’ve been lucky in my lifetime to watch Spirit Lake transform from a cold, clear body of water to a coffee-colored, lukewarm basin of pathogens and then back to a cold, clear lake teeming with new life.” wrote Christine Colasurdo, author of Return to Spirit Lake: Life and landscape at Mount St. Helens, “Spirit Lake is a unique place of mystery and beauty that deserves our awe and respect.”

The return of life to the Pumice Plain has been similarly enlightening. Within just a few years of the eradication of all plants and animals, some species started to return, and prairie lupine began to flower. Now the area, featuring trails much enjoyed by curious hikers from around the world, teems with birds and insects, as grasses, wildflowers and young willows sway in the breeze. “The Pumice Plain, once baked clean of life by the 1980 eruption,” wrote Colasurdo, “is now one of the prime treasures of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. It is where research done by scientists has helped rewrite biology textbooks, and where hikers can experience the awesome power of Mount St. Helens’ blast zone.”

Spirit Lake and the Pumice Plain have provided us with insights into how habitats, ecosystems and watersheds form, insights that are changing how we think about managing and protecting the world around us. Right now, there are more than 30 studies currently underway in this natural laboratory; each taking advantage of the protected and undisturbed areas within the National Monument to gain insights not possible anywhere else.

Yet today, the Pumice Plain is facing a new threat. This time the danger comes in the form of a proposed road to be constructed through the heart of this unique, beautiful and irreplaceable area. There is a real need for the Forest Service to access infrastructure near Spirit Lake, but we don’t think this road is the right solution to that problem. The road risks the unique beauty and insights this site offers to hikers and the ability of researchers to complete their work and add to our knowledge. CFC will be sharing ways you can help us in our efforts to protect this place in the coming weeks.

For now, we encourage you to learn more about Spirit Lake and the Pumice Plain. Reading Christine Colasurdo’s helpful and informative book is a great place to start. Colasurdo’s book is available by emailing her through her website (www.christinecolasurdo.com.) It’s also available online through Annie Bloom’s Books and Broadway Books.

If you would like to learn more about some of the scientists working in this area, we encourage you to start with the articles here and here.

ACTION ALERT: Object to the proposed project at Spirit Lake

April 30, 2020

We need your help. On April 7, the US Forest Service released a draft decision and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed action at Spirit Lake. The Forest Service plans to move forward with the proposal to construct a road straight through the Pumice Plain. Those of you who commented on the original proposal now have an opportunity to object to the draft decision, no later than May 22, 2020.

[Note: The Forest Service will only accept objections from individuals who previously submitted public comments, and objections must relate to the specific issue[s] discussed in your original comments. Didn’t comment but still want to help protect the Pumice Plains? Help CFC get the word out by sharing the articles linked below on your social media accounts. CFC commented on the original proposal, will be submitting detailed objections to the draft decision, while we continue working to raise public awareness around this issue. If you’re in a position to do so, consider making a donation to CFC to support our conservation work.]

The US Forest Service has released its draft decisions and EA for activities to replace the Spirit Lake intake gate system and to drill into the debris field from the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. To accomplish this, The Forest Service plans to build a 3.5-mile, 16-foot wide road across the Pumice Plain within the Mount St. Helens National Monument, replacing the Truman Trail (https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/truman-trail-pumice-plain)

The Pumice Plain is like nowhere else on Earth. Since the destruction brought by the 1980 eruption, the area has been protected, researched, and allowed to return without interference. As a result, the Pumice Plain is now a wild and beautiful natural laboratory that is reshaping our understanding of ecosystem development.

The proposed road would severely impact the Pumice Plain by:

• disturbing wildlife including mountain goats, fish, deer, and elk.  

• negatively impact streams, watersheds, and wetlands, 

• disrupting recreation and hunting, 

• opening a potential door for invasive species,

• impacting, and possibly destroying  25 research plots, and cutting across most of the transects scientists and researchers have been using to record the recovery of the area.

The proposed project addresses legitimate concerns. There is a need to modify and repair the intake gate for the Spirit Lake Tunnel, and to provide access for tunnel maintenance to protect downstream communities. But the timeline expressed in the draft decision does not accurately reflect the situation. It would take an abnormal series of climatic events followed by months of inaction to result in a breach. In the unlikely event of infrastructure failure around Spirit Lake, there would still be “substantial response time to prevent catastrophic breaching and protection of the downstream communities.”*

We believe the agency is using the ruse of an emergency as the pretense for forcing action without a fair public participation process or adequate analysis in the form of an Environmental Impact Statement. Additionally, we believe that the need for the geotechnical drilling project is premature, and by combining these projects the agency is dismissing reasonable alternatives that could minimize impacts on the environment, wildlife, and research, while still protecting downstream communities.

CFC formed a coalition and voiced our concerns when the project was proposed. The recently released draft decision does not adequately address our concerns with this project. We are submitting a formal objection to the agency’s decision and will continue to do all that we can to advocate for a plan that both protects communities and this beautiful, important, and unique place. 

*Grant, et al., GEOLOGIC, GEOMORPHIC AND HYDROLOGIC CONTEXT OF THE SPIRIT LAKE OUTLET (2017).

Action:

Objections to the Spirit Lake Intake Gate Replacement and Geotechnical Drilling Project or to the forest plan amendment will only be accepted from those who have previously submitted timely comments regarding these planning efforts during any designated opportunity for public comment in accordance with the project objection requirements in section 218.5(a). Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted timely, specific written comments regarding the proposed project unless based on new information arising after the designated comment opportunities.

Please reach out to us at info@cascadeforest.org with questions about submitting objections. 

Objections can be submitted electronically here:

https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public//CommentInput?Project=57259

Objections may also be mailed to:

 Regional Forester (Reviewing Officer)

Pacific Northwest Regional Office

Attn: 1507 Objections

P.O. Box 3623

Articles to share:

The Daily Chronicle Researchers, Conservationists Raise Alarm About Proposed Road Through Mount St. Helens Pumice Plain* January 24, 2019

The Daily News Mount St. Helens ecological research could help conserve, restore nature April 8, 2020

The Columbian ‘Floating habitat’ could be key for Spirit Lake fish April 5, 2020

*this article references the withdrawn 2019 Spirit Lake project proposal, which was similar to the current 2020 proposal.

 

Photos by Carri LeRoy

Spirit of '70: The Origins of Earth Day

By Michal Orczyk  |  Development Director

April 22, 2020

Today is Earth Day, and it’s a special one: today we’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of this historic moment in American history, which has now become a global phenomenon. Many people know about Earth Day, but those who weren’t around in 1970 might not know its origins. It is an amazing story that shows how grassroots activism, as well as courageous political leaders (sorely lacking in our day) can make sweeping changes in our world.

In American government and society, some initial discourse about human impacts on the environment began in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Writers like John Muir popularized a romantic vision of nature and wilderness, and how human values were sometimes in conflict with nature. National parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite were established in 1872 and 1890 respectively, and the idea of wilderness as a valuable part of the American landscape began to be appreciated (though indigenous people understood this long before). However, it wasn’t until the middle of the 20th century that scientists, naturalists and activists started to raise considerable alarm over the impacts of human industry on wildlife, landscapes, and our own health. Concepts like air and water pollution, biodiversity, and climate change began to take hold. One watershed moment was the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, which sold over 500,000 copies in 24 countries.

In the late 1960s Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson was inspired by the student environmental movement, and announced the idea for a teach-in on college campuses to the national media. He also persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican congressman, to serve as his co-chair. They chose April 22, a weekday falling between Spring Break and final exams, to maximize the greatest student participation. 

Dennis Hayes, a young activist and the organizer of this teach-in, realized the potential for this event to gain traction, and turned it into a national campaign that quickly drew massive media attention. Soon there were events planned in towns and universities across the United States. Nearly 20 million Americans took part! A high school senior in Portland convinced Oregon Governor, Tom McCall, to deliver a speech to an audience at his school, Fremont Junior High School (today Parkrose Middle School).

(Oregon Governor Tom McCall speaking at an Earth Day event in 1970. Source: Oregon Historical Society)

Earth Day 1970 achieved a rare political alignment, enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, urban dwellers and farmers, business and labor leaders. By the end of 1970, the first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of other first of their kind environmental laws, including the National Environmental Education Act,  the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Clean Air Act.  Two years later Congress passed the Clean Water Act.  A year after that, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act and soon after, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. These laws have protected millions of men, women and children from disease and death and have protected hundreds of species from extinction. (Source: https://www.earthday.org/history/)

CFC had big plans for Earth Day 2020, and due to COVID-19 we have to change some of those. However, we’d like to thank the organizers of Earth Day Oregon for bringing together hundreds of Oregon businesses and nonprofits to share a message – we must protect our home, our planet, from our own reckless behavior. Check out https://earthdayor.org/ to learn more about this wonderful state-wide campaign. Special thanks to our Earth Day Oregon 2020 business partners:

Chinook Book

Aesthete Tea

Jam on Hawthorne

Falling Sky Brewing

Oregon Data

Citizen Science in your Backyard

By Amanda Keasberry  |  Science and Stewardship Manager

April 17, 2020

 

 

April is Citizen Science Month and you can still be involved! Our Science and Stewardship Manager, Amanda, delivers a message about the importance of understanding the life-cycle events of plants (phenology) and how you can help climate science researchers collect data by observing plants in your backyard or neighborhood.

April is Citizen Science Month & You can still be involved!

By Amanda Keasberry  |  Science and Stewardship Manager

April 16, 2020

Many of our important stewardship and restoration projects rely on the generosity of volunteer citizen scientists who join us in the forests of Washington’s south Cascades. April is Citizen Science Month, and I recently began to wonder more about the origins of citizen science, and why it’s become so popular today. So here is a quick dive into the fascinating history of citizen science!

“In citizen science, the public participates voluntarily in the scientific process, addressing real-world problems in ways that may include formulating research questions, conducting scientific experiments, collecting and analyzing data, interpreting results, making new discoveries, developing technologies and applications, and solving complex problems” (citizenscience.gov). 

The first mention of ‘citizen scientist’ appeared in a 1979 New Scientist article by James Oberg. Oberg wrote about his skepticism that ufology, the study of unidentified flying objects, could be called science and argued that those who studied this “science” were “crackpots and cranks,” whom he later referred to as “citizen scientists.” The first mention of the term was drenched in sarcasm, but nonetheless, those were people of the general public making new discoveries (people just might not agree on what those discoveries actually were…). The term ‘citizen scientist’ was not seen again in writing until 1989 when it was officially used by the Audubon Society to describe a group of 225 volunteers who helped collect rain samples to assist with an acid-rain awareness campaign. 

But long before the term ‘citizen science’ was ever used, there were many amateur and non-professional scientists who volunteered their time to further scientific understanding and exploration. Some of these amateurs are now considered some of the most renowned scientists of all time, like René Descartes, Charles Darwin, and Issac Newton. All of them began as independent, amateur scientists who were initially headed down a different career path. But their intrigue for science led them to discoveries of fundamental scientific concepts and theories which continue to shape our understanding of our world to this day. By the 20th century, science was mostly taken over by professional scientists and researchers who obtained funding through universities and governmental agencies. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the bureaucracy of science research was being brought into question, and the revival of the amateur scientist was being advocated for.

By the 1990s, the use of ‘citizen science’ began to take off and there was an increase in the number of citizen projects, the variety of projects, and the size and scope of projects. Volunteers were being used across all fields and disciplines–making important contributions everywhere from astronomy to oceanography and everything in between. Today the number of citizen science participants have grown even more thanks to technological advancements. Advances like the internet and the creation of mobile smartphones have not only made information easier to obtain, but have created new ways for researchers to engage with large groups of people. For scientists who rely on data collected from the field, smartphones and their connectivity to the internet and their internal global positioning systems have greatly increased the ease of collecting data anywhere in the world. Volunteers are making huge contributions to our knowledge, whether gathering data from their own backyards or in the most remote places of the forest. 

CFC has greatly benefited from being able to use smartphones and tablets when out in the field to collect geospatially-referenced data that we can easily share with our partners and the community. Using smartphones or tablets also allows for a uniform way to collect data. We tend toward simplicity in survey design and clarity in the data collection process to ensure quality and consistent data is collected. The quality of data collected by citizen scientists often raises concern among researchers. Some researchers discredit citizen science work, while others believe volunteers can collect comparable data to that of professional scientists. CFC believes there is a huge benefit to public involvement in science and restoration projects and that, in addition, it helps build support from the community for important restoration and conservation work. Citizen science has been an integral part of many of our projects like huckleberry monitoring, beaver habitat site assessments, and the wildlife camera surveys. 

We could not gather as much data without the help of citizen scientists, and I know this is the case for other organizations, agencies, and researchers.

Most citizen science projects, including ours, are put on hold right now. But there are actually plenty of citizen science opportunities that you can participate in from the comfort of your home. I will be posting a tutorial for a fun project related to climate change that you can participate in right in your backyard or neighborhood. By participating in this project, you will provide researchers with a more robust dataset which will help them to answer some of the unknowns about climate change. Stay tuned for the video on Friday!

Our Quarantine Reading List (part 2 )

Part two of our quarantine reading list features submissions from Suzanne Whitney and Lucy Brookham. We hope these great reads inspire, intrigue and entertain you as we work together to flatten the curve. Stay safe everyone, we’re in this together.

– The CFC Team

 

SUZANNE WHITNEY  Science and Restoration Manager

 

Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World

by Mark Kurlansky 

This is a fascinating and accessible book that explores the intersections among ecology, human history, food, and conservation. The global impact of this one species is amazing! If it leaves you wanting more, follow up with Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food by Paul Greenberg.

 
 

Northwest Trees: Identifying and Understanding the Region’s Native Trees

By Ramona Hammerly and Stephen Arno

While sheltering in place, I’ve been digging into a couple of books to beef up my knowledge of Pacific Northwest species. In particular, I’m enjoying Northwest Trees: Identifying and Understanding the Region’s Native Trees by Stephen Arno. This book includes beautiful illustrations and spends several pages providing deeper information on each species. It’s a great compliment to a comprehensive field guide.

 

All That the Rain Promises and More…

by David Arora

Want to think about mushrooms instead? All that the Rains Promise and More… is a fun place to start.
 
 
 

Prodigal Summer

by Barbara Kingsolver

A sweet novel that weaves conservation issues (pesticide use, importance of predators, conservation genetics) into a story that connects several members of a small community in southern Appalachia. If you don’t do fiction, Kingsolver also writes lovely essays that combine human experience and her passion for natural history; High Tide in Tucson is a nice collection.

 
 

Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth

by E.O. Wilson

If you enjoyed Shiloh’s recommendation of A Sand County Almanac, you could try The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth by E.O Wilson. This book is a plea from a southern gentleman and one of the greatest minds in ecology in which he makes a case for why conservation should be a priority for religious leaders (and everyone).

 

Desert Solitare

By Edward Abbey

If you prefer a more radical take, I also love Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey. Leopold, Wilson and Abbey are very different authors with different motivations, but they all make the case for conservation and preservation in personal ways based on their own life experiences.

 
 
 

LUCY BROOKHAM  Policy Manager

 

The Book of Fire

by William H. Cottrell

A short and highly illustrated book for all ages – introducing non-scientists to the anatomy of wildfire. Beginning at the molecular level, the book illustrates and describes the process of flame-progression, from how a twig catches fire to how an entire forest burns.
 

Sea and Smoke: Flavors from the Untamed Pacific Northwest

by Blaine Wetzel and Joe Ray

An ambitious cookbook celebrating the cuisine of hyperlocalism inspired by the rugged coastal location of Lummi Island.

 
 

The Man Who Planted Trees

by Richard Powers

A poetic and inspiring story of one man’s quest to clone the world’s champion trees in an effort to save the planet’s essential ecosystems. A light and easy read that incorporates forest ecology and storytelling.

Our Quarantine Reading List (part 1)

Looking for something new to read? CFC staff have compiled a list of some of our favorite books to help us all feel connected to the outdoors while we stay inside to fight the spread of the virus. Enjoy, and keep an eye out for part two of our list, coming soon. 

 

MOLLY WHITNEY  Executive Director

 

Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner 

A book that discusses water policy and management in the West, and how this management has largely led to the diminishment and detriment of our water. The book is a mix of research, reporting, and personal experience.

 
 

A Walk in the Woods

By Bill Bryson

 Bryson’s book is sure to capture you and take you on the trail with him as he hikes the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. He narrates in a manner that lets you experience the journey with humor, wonder and knowledge. 

 

The Lorax

by Dr. Suess

Not all the great environmental reads are complex… Dr. Seuss captures some of the best messages and the plights of the environment through the eyes of the Lorax, a character who “speaks for the trees”. Perfect for children and adults alike, this read will remind you why CFC too “speaks for the trees” and how we all can make a difference toward protecting the places we love. 

 

BRYN HARDING  Communications Manager

 

Indians of the Pacific Northwest: From the Coming of the White Man to the Present Day

by Vine Deloria Jr.

The best history out there dealing with the tribes indigenous to the NW. This book helped me better understand the stories of the people and places where I live.

 
 

Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave like Humans

by John M. Marzluff and Tony Angell. 

This book is a fascinating read that will make you appreciate and marvel at the wildlife closest to home in a whole new way.

 
 

The Overstory: A Novel

by Richard Powers

This book is an incredible multigenerational tale of activism and resistance told in a totally unique way. It’s hard to describe exactly, but it’s wonderful. Ann Patchett called it “The best novel ever written about trees, and really just one of the best novels, period.”

 
 

MICHAL ORCZYK Development Manager

Inside Passage: A Journey Beyond Borders

by Richard Manning

Manning blends biography, history and science into stories about our connection to the natural world. It is very honest and bold, and you will learn some hard truths!

 
 

Ever Wild: A Lifetime on Mount Adams

by Darryl Lloyd

A really fascinating book about the history, exploration, and geology of a mountain most people don’t know much about. Darryl lived and worked most of his life at the foot of Mount Adams and he’s a long-time friend of CFC. 

 
 

SHILOH HALSEY Director of Programs

 

Sand County Almanac

by Aldo Leopold

A poetic and monumental conservation book published in the 1940s that eloquently describes the daily and cyclical habits of woodland forest species as well as the policies and approaches to saving threatened species throughout the country. Should be required reading for conservation folks!

 
 

Where Bigfoot Walks: Crossing the Dark Divide

by Robert Michael Pyle

A book about a journey through the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. What else do I have to say?

 
 
 

The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America

by Timothy Egan

A book about Teddy Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot (the person), and their efforts to protect land in the West. It also talks about the great fire that started a cascade of environmental and logging actions in the early part of the 20th century. 

 
 
 

AMANDA KEASBERRY Science and Stewardship Manager

 

The Invention of Nature 

by Andrea Wulf

Read this book to learn about one of the most adventurous and fascinating naturalists from the 18th century – Alexander von Humboldt. Humbolt was way before his time, and truly understood the interconnectedness of the world around him. 

 
 

Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast

by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon

This is easily my favorite field guide for plants in the PNW. But it is more than just a plant ID book. The “Notes” section for each plant usually features interesting facts like how the plant was discovered, why it has a certain nickname, or how the plant was used among different cultures. 

 
 

The Poetic Inventory of Rocky Mountain National Park

edited by Charles Malone

I was on a road trip from Oregon to Alabama and we didn’t have time to stop and hike in the Rocky Mountain National Park, but we did stop at a local bookstore. I found this anthology of fiction, non-fiction and poems about RMNP. Each writer’s passion for the park really shined through. Being able to read this collection was second best to actually being there.

We’re working to protect the world-famous pumice plain

The Pumice Plain created by the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens is a place like nowhere else on earth. Unlike the majority of the blast zone, the superheated pyroclastic flows that swept over this area forty years ago sterilized all life, effectively leaving behind an ecologically blank slate. The Pumice Plain created a unique opportunity for scientists and researchers to study nature’s return to a barren landscape in an area that has been protected from human intervention for the past 40 years. There are currently over thirty active research studies helping us understand the process of ecological recolonization to a degree that would be impossible without this site. Now, this proposed project puts all of this in jeopardy.

The US Forest Service has put forward plans to build a road through the heart of this irreplaceable landscape. The proposed road is a threat to the area’s streams, rivers, and lakes. If built, this road will pass over five permanent streams and 10 seasonal streams which together represent five separate watersheds, wholly created after the 1980 eruption. Pristine newborn watersheds like these do not exist anywhere else on earth. The proposed road would lead to soil erosion and deliver harmful sediment into streams and, subsequently, into Spirit Lake. Worse still, each stream-crossing would likely wash out every season, requiring excavation and rebuilding. All this sediment will force aquatic insects and fish to move downstream, negatively impact water quality, and damage stream and lakebed habitats.

If completed, the road would be passed over by 1,980 passenger vehicles, 84 tractor-trailers, 464 single-unit trucks and 6-10 drill rigs every year. The proposed road would need disruptive and damaging annual maintenance, and open the door for the introduction of invasive species onto this pristine landscape. It would also permanently close the Windy Ridge, the Plains of Abraham, and the Truman Trail–disrupting people’s ability to enjoy this world-renown spot through recreational hiking, biking, and hunting.

The need for a new Forest Service road to Spirit Lake is real. The agency needs easier access to important infrastructure around Spirit Lake to prevent overflow and protect downstream communities. However, we believe that there are adequate alternatives that would alleviate many of the negative impacts of the proposed plan while still providing the necessary access. Given the ecological harm the proposed road would cause, CFC is asking the US Forest Service to explore alternatives before committing to a plan that necessitates disruptions to a beautiful, one-of-a-kind landscape.

This isn’t the first time the US Forest Service has proposed building a road here. In fact, it’s the third. This time, the agency announced the plan on December 17, 2019, immediately preceding the winter holidays. Agency staff were out of the office for a majority of the public comment period. The US Forest Service elected to forgo the typical National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process by declining to entertain public comment after the final Environmental Assessment (EA) has been published.

We are currently waiting on the final EA and will provide updates as they become available. We have submitted comments (which you can read here) and will continue to advocate for alternatives that leave the Pumice Plains intact and protect the communities near Spirit Lake. You can make a donation in any amount to help support our work here.Continue reading