Our doubts remain about the Cedar-Thom project

On March 19, the U.S. Forest Service held a public meeting to explain and ask for input on how to manage a proposed management area call Cedar-Thom. 

At that time we (the audience) were told there was nothing planned. They wanted input from the beginning.

This would have been the first of this type of management because usually the Forest Service asks for input after the fact.

It turns out, this was no different.

The Mineral Independent of April 2 carried an article in the public notice section of a proposal for Cedar-Thom.

A zoological area is now set aside, which covers about a four-mile stretch of Cedar Creek. Cedar Creek is the main drainage for the Cedar-Thom proposed management area.

The approximately 204 acres set aside are former patented mining claims recently transferred to the U.S. Forest Service for management. The former owners of these patented mining claims wanted them to be available for all public use. Now this area is to be managed for certain animal specimens, groups and communities which are unique to this area.

What makes this stretch of Cedar Creek so unique for these things? At this time do we know what they are? Which riparian species, other that the bull trout and the western cutthroat trout, are you considering?

If history has a place in the development of Cedar-Thom, then surely you have to consider all the mining development that took place since the 1800s and all accesses relative to RS 2477 byways and roads.

All this leads back to what was the purpose of the meeting on March 19. Input was apparently not needed as the zoological set was there all the time, but just forgot to be mentioned. Did you really want input on how to manage Cedar-Thom?

Or were you just meeting the issue of public input? Serious doubt remains in my mind what you were after at the March 19 meeting.

Another public meeting is scheduled for April 16 at the Forest Service office in Superior. Perhaps the public could get a copy of the proposed agenda ahead of the April 16 meeting to see what else is planned for Cedar-Thom management area before you take suggestions from the public.

Roger Hearst

Superior