USFS Rescinds then Re-Issues Timber Management Project Along the Gunflint

In a letter issued on February 9, 2007, Dennis Neitzke, Gunflint Ranger, Forest Service (USFS) announced that the Devils Trout timber management project along the Gunflint Trail, he approved last summer, has been rescinded. According to Forest Service officials, the Project was withdrawn because of a minor technical problem.

The Project after it was withdrawn was then re-issued. Which means that now interested parties can once again comment on the proposed Devils Trout Project. The USFS will accept comments on the re-issued Project up to about March 23. For more information or to get a copy of the proposed Project's Environmental Assessment call 387-1750 or stop in at the Gunflint Ranger District in Grand Marais.

Under the Devils Trout Project some 2708 acres of forest timber, much of which would be along the Gunflint Trail, from the Gunflint Pines to just northwest of the Trout Lake Road would be effected. Over half of the timber in the area is scheduled to be clear-cut, some timber would be thinned and a small portion crushed or burnt.

The Gunflint Scenic Byway's Forestry Committee felt that while the proposed project gave at least some recognized toward preserving the scenic quality of the Gunflint Trail, the Project did not go far enough in protecting the Trail. The committee was also concerned that the Project’s reforestation plans were inadequate. The Committee concerns were submitted to Neitzke as comments. In issuing the Project's initial decision to proceed, last summer, Neitzke summarily dismissed all the Byway Committee's concerns.

At the last Gunflint Scenic Byway meeting the Byway's Forestry Committee was directed to again present their concerns to the USFS on the Devils Trout Project. The forestry Committee is hopefully Neitzke this time will give a little more thought to the Committee’s concerns.

Guidelines for commenting on the proposed Timber Management Project are as follows:
• Written comments mailed to: Dennis Neitzke – District Ranger, Subject: Devil Trout
EA, Gunflint Ranger District-Superior National Forest, 2020 West Hwy 61, Grand
Marais, MN 55604.
• Oral comments must be provided during normal business hours via telephone at (218)
387-1750 or in person. The project leader is Amy Wilfahrt at (218) 387-3211.
• Faxed comments must be sent to: Dennis Neitzke - District Ranger, Subject: Devil Trout
EA, at (218) 387-3246.
• Email comments must be sent to comments-eastern-superior-gunflint@fs.fed.us.
Acceptable formats for electronic comments are: text (.txt), MSWord 6.0 or higher
(.doc), portable document format (.pdf), or rich text format (.rtf). All email submissions
must contain "Devil Trout EA" as the first words on the subject line.
Business hours for hand-delivered comments are Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm local time.