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May 19, 2001 BLM hand crews on Wednesday began a hazardous-fuels reduction project on a mesa overlooking the Dolores River Canyon about four miles southeast of Dove Creek. Ponderosa pines less than 8 inches in diameter will be felled and stockpiled for use as firewood later in the fall. The firewood will either be open to public collection under permit or offered to a commercial vendor. Fuels will be reduced on about 4,000 acres of dense oak, piñon and juniper stands mixed with young ponderosa-pine stands. The project is one of two fuels-reduction projects the BLM has planned for this spring and summer in Montezuma and Dolores counties as part of the National Fire Plan, which is intended to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. In addition to hand thinning, a hydromower will be used to clear away shrubs and smaller trees, leaving a layer of mulched vegetation to retain moisture and help prevent erosion. About 50 percent of the oak brush, piñon and juniper will be thinned in random mosiac patterns to create fire breaks. Wildlife habitat will also be enhanced by this project. Creating openings in the dense tree canopy will allow more sunlight and water to reach the ground and increase grass production for deer and elk forage, as well as creating habitat diversity for other species. The same area will be treated with prescribed fire in the following years to control the regrowth of oak and reduce the accumulation of ground fuels. Prescribed fire will also serve to prepare the soil for ponderosa-pine seedlings, resulting in future stand diversity. The hand-thinning portion of the project is expected to take most of the summer to complete. The hydromower will be in operation for several weeks, starting next week. No road or trail closures are planned. For more information, contact the Dolores Public Lands Center at 882-7296. |
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