Lolo Forest OKs project on 6,400 acres near St. Regis

The Lolo National Forest issued a final decision notice last week for the remaining portion of the Redd Bull Project, located on the Superior Ranger District.

The project is south of St. Regis between Interstate 90 and the Montana/Idaho border within the Dry, Cold, Little Joe, Twomile, and Ward Creek drainages in Mineral County. 

Last September, the forest issued a decision for a portion of the project authorizing vegetation treatments on approximately 20,684 acres, road and recreation management activities and an amendment to the Forest Plan to correct a mapping error. 

For the remaining portion of the project, the Forest Service worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding its potential effects to bull trout, a species native to Montana that is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The forest worked to address their concerns about the general decline of bull trout populations in the middle Clark Fork core area that is within the Redd Bull Project. 

According to the forest, the final decision improves native fish habitat and further enhances baseline conditions in the north and south forks of Little Joe Creek. 

The decision authorizes the remaining portion of the Selected Action and includes vegetation treatments on approximately 6,421 acres, road management activities, recreation management actions and two amendments to the Forest Plan. 

“The forest is excited to issue the final decision on this project,” said Abby Lane, District Ranger on the Superior Ranger District of the Lolo National Forest. “This project has been underway for several years and we appreciate the work and support of the partners and communities that have been involved throughout the process.” 

The forest began implementing the first decision in June. Implementation of this decision will begin as early as 2025 and the vegetation treatments will be accomplished through intermediate timber harvests, regeneration harvests and aspen restoration treatments. 

Road management activities include the replacement of 11 culverts for larger structures to provide fish passage and additional flow capacity in the Ward, Little Joe and Dry creek watersheds. Additional activities include road maintenance, decommissioning unneeded roads, storying some roads that may not be needed for a long time and constructions new roads. 

The project includes construction of new non-motorized trails, improving existing trails, making improvements to Moore Lake and Little Joe campgrounds and improving trailheads. 

For more information on the Redd Bull Project and to review the Final Decision Notice, visit fs.usda.gov/projects/lolo/landmanagement/projects.