Comments on Buckthorn Project Sought

Marienville, Pa. – The Marienville Ranger District of the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) is proposing to collect information on how glossy buckthorn responds to mechanical treatment, i.e. cutting, in relation to the forest environment and timing of the treatment. A total of five acres of treatment will occur. After the initial cutting, the treatments may be repeated during the third and fifth years depending on their effectiveness. The project area is located within Warrants 1570, 1571, 1574, and 1575 of Spring Creek Township in Elk County and Warrant 4865 of Ridgway Township in Elk County, Pennsylvania.

This proposal intends to cut glossy buckthorn once during the growing season and again in the dormant season on approximately 1.0 acre in each of the following settings: fully-stocked hardwood stand, commercial thinning, final harvest, savannah, and a wetland. Basic data would be collected on the response by native vegetation within each treatment area.

Maps and complete project descriptions are available from the Marienville Ranger District, or at http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/allegheny/projects/vegetative_management/.

Site specific comments may be sent to: Buckthorn Project, ATTN: Robert T. Fallon, Marienville District Ranger, 131 Smokey Lane, Marienville, PA 16239, or by facsimile to (814) 927-2285. Comments may be delivered personally to the Marienville District Office or by telephone at (814) 927-5700. Business hours are 8:00 am – 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Email comments may be submitted to comments-eastern-allegheny-marienville@fs.fed.us. For email comments, please include the project name in the subject line, and your name and mailing address in the message. Comments should be received or postmarked no later than June 14, 2010.

Comments received, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record and be available for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered. This decision will be subject to notice, comment, and appeal pursuant to 36 Code of Federal Regulations 215.