Houston Regional Group - News

June 2002 Forestry Notes

Brandt Mannchen

Forestry Notes

1) The Houston Sierra Club (HSC) sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service (FS) about a competitive equestrian trail ride proposed for April 2002. The HSC expressed concerns about the possible impacts to the Lone Star Hiking Trial (LSHT) near Tarkington Bayou, the minimization of stream crossings, notification of participants that the LSHT and Big Creek Scenic Area are off-limits to riding, and cancellation of the event if there are heavy rains. In the April 4, 2002 Decision Notice the FS stated, “All of these concerns will be implemented.” Comments to the FS can help ensure that protective environmental measure are implemented for activities in Sam Houston National Forest (SHNF).

2) In January 2002 the Houston Sierra Club (HSC) sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service (FS) concerning several black-land prairies that the HSC had visited in Sam Houston National Forest (SHNF). The HSC urged that the FS undertake prairie restoration of these areas so that trees and shrubs would not eventually overgrow the prairies. In April the FS published its quarterly schedule of projects. The prairie restoration project that the HSC suggested in its January letter is listed on this schedule, The FS then released a public scoping notice on April 22, 2002 for prairie restoration at several locations including one of the areas the HSC visited in January. The HSC provided comments on this proposal on April 26, 2002. The comments supported prairie restoration but not in streamside areas and requested a more clear description of the cutting of trees that will be done to restore the prairies. The comments also suggested that a prairie restoration management plan be developed with requirements for inventorying, monitoring, restoration, research, and management. Finally, the HSC offered its services to assist in cutting vegetation on one of the prairie areas. By restoring these small black-land prairie the diversity of plant and animal life will be protected in SHNF. Thank you Forest Service for listening.

3) As reported in previous Forestry Notes the U.S. Forest Service (FS) is selling 57 acres of Sam Houston National Forest (SHNF) to the Gulf Coast Trades Center (GCTC). The Houston Sierra Club (HSC) protested the sell-off since there has been no public comment period. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) in January 2002 received a copy of the HSC protest letter and told the FS that it was unaware of the proposal and consultation under the Federal Endangered Species Act was required because habitat of the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) would be affected. FWS has now sent a letter to the FS commenting on the sell-off. Only after the FWS contacted the FS did the GCTC pass a board resolution committing itself to continued cooperative management and allowing the FS access to manage for the RCW. Only after the FWS contacted the FS did the agency prepare a Biological Evaluation for the sell-off. The FWS also stated that the FS’s own internal guidance appears to prevent the FS from calling the sell-off a categorical exclusion and not conducting environmental analysis. Although HSC disagrees with the approval that the FWS has now given to the proposal we appreciate the pressure it brought to bear on the FS to require that it recognize and implement protective measures for the RCW. Monitoring and watch-dogging the FS is necessary to ensure that SHNF is protected.

4) The Lone Star Chapter and Houston Sierra Club (HSC) submitted comments on a proposal to slant drill for oil under the Jack Gore Baygall Unit of Big Thicket National Preserve (BTNP). The HSC stated that it was concerned about possible sediment and oil contamination by the well site and pipeline during floods. The location is in the floodplain of the Neches River. The contamination could impact vegetation, fish and other aquatic life, and floodplain micro-topography. The HSC also stated that the full 905 acres that will be drilled in the area should be assessed for environmental impacts and that other alternatives should be considered including the acquisition of mineral rights in BTNP.

June 2002

Last updated:  10/02/2005.   Content © 1999-2001 by the Sierra Club.