Horsemen help Chippy Creek
Courtesy photo Plains Back Country Horseman David Read searches for noxious weeds around the trails near Chippy Creek. Read was part of a group of 20 riders and hikers that left to identify noxious weed populations in the Chippy Creek area using GPS systems.
Jason Shueh
Valley Press
The Plains Back Country Horsemen wrapped up a week of riding and scouting for noxious weeds in the Chippy Creek area last Sunday as they rode and hiked 66 miles of trails.
The trip was meant to help the Forest Service identify small populations of noxious weeds around Chippy Creek just 24 miles north of Thompson Falls. Last year on July 31 a fire consumed just under 100,000 acres of land in area. The PBCH were instructed by John Errecart, the Forest Service District Silviculturist who’s also a member of the PBCH, on how to identify the weeds.
Errecart supplied the riders with radios, GPS units and maps so they could perform the strenuous task of covering about 14 miles per day while also recording the longitude and latitude coordinates of the weeds. “They identified the species of weeds and reported the density by the numbers they found,” Errecart said.
He explained that one advantage of the PBCH is their ability to maneuver quickly in the outdoors and the many specialized skills they bring to the table. “It was real rewarding to see so much get done so quickly,” Errecart said. “The efficiency and the effectiveness of the group was amazing and everything came off smooth.”
With the new information Errecart said that the Forest Service would follow up next year in their conservation efforts of the area using the GPS coordinates recorded by the PBCH.
Cindy Ray, president of the PBCH, was grateful for the support and time dedicated by the 15 riders and 5 hikers who attended the event. “We have good members and we had a lot of fun,” Ray said.
She said that the destruction caused by the fire was an overwhelming sight.
“It was just hard to believe that that much land could be destroyed,” Ray said. “I just thought, wow there were no animals, no bugs, it was just sad that it was all burnt and it will take years for it to come back.”
She remembered riding her horse on the ridge line of a trail and watching a panorama of ash and debris come into view.
“It's mostly all burnt except for scattered patches of buffalo grass,” she said.
Ray added that though the devastation caused to area was great she was happy that PBCH could contribute in some small way.
“Basically were just trying to keep the land open to everybody for use,” she said.
Lisa Reed, one of the riders, was also grateful for all the help and effort exhibited by the group.
“I'm perpetually impressed with this group who is willing and able to help out,” she said. She also mentioned that there were many difficulties for the riders to overcome, such as the steep trails that were not passable on horseback.
“It really takes more than just riding,” Read commented. Her son and husband woke up at 4:50 a.m. so they could be at a trail head at 7:30. Their hike lasted until 5 p.m. that afternoon.
“They said it was quite a challenge,” Read said.
She also enjoyed the camaraderie of the event, roasting marshmallows and playing cards inside the Bend Ranger Station.
“We're just a group of people that want to make a difference,” she added.