Resource coalition has projects in the works

The Mineral County Resource Coalition held their monthly meeting in early March to discuss various projects happening in the area. The coalition consists of department personnel from the U.S. Forest Service, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, the Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks, and the MSU Mineral County Extension office.

Some highlights from the meeting included a report from Erin Phelps, a ranger with the Nine Mile District. She said that they were asking the Region One office to roll over funding for roads from last fire season. They could then use that funding for West Fork Fish Creek Road, Fish Creek, and other road projects in the area. 

Road work includes blading and dust control as well as work on some of the burned area emergency response items from last year’s wildfires in the West Fork Fish area.

The district also met with Missoula Single-Track Riders who have helped in the past on the Stark motorized trail that goes into Superior. Last year, they got about half-way done clearing and doing some trail work. The group plans on going back in this spring to clear it out and they want to adopt plans to continue to annually maintain the area.

Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Representative Matt Arno brought up additional projects that are currently funded by a federal project called Forest in Focus. Projects from this fund are focused on reducing wildfire fuels around small communities and in municipal watershed or other important watershed areas.

Two current projects are Firecracker Annie and West Trout Sales which received approximately $83,000. Arno met with county commissioners in March to see what other projects need attention. That meeting resulted in the need to get public and other agency input to help identify additional projects that are important to get done.

Criteria for the projects include if it reduces fire hazard in local communities, if it involves some other safety issues, and if it is economically a positive project that can be done quickly.

The Resource Advisory Council is also seeking input on any trails, roads or bridges that could use some improvement or need to be maintained. Funds for the council come from the Secure Rural Schools and Healthy Communities Act.

A couple of projects the council is currently looking at include the trailhead up Trout Creek Road near the Hoodoo Lake trailhead to the Trail Lake trailhead, as well as the trailhead from Moore Lake to the North Fork of the Little Joe Creek.

U.S. Forest Service Superior District Ranger Carole Johnson said that several of the Resource Advisory Council committee member terms are up and that they are seeking applicants. Interested parties should contact the US Forest Service office.

There will also be prescribed burns starting in several areas including the South Fork Fish Creek Road, and in the Nine Mile Valley.