Recently, the U.S. Forest Service (FS) had a 30-day public comment period for the proposed Montgomery County Wildlife Habitat Improvement Project (MCWHIP) for Sam Houston National Forest (SHNF). This project would occur on 2,786 acres in Compartments 31-33 (an area of forest about 1,000 acres or more managed as a unit) in western SHNF near the shoreline of upper Lake Conroe.

 The stated project purpose is the creation of better habitat for the federally endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) and reduction of potential southern pine beetle attacks. The project would: 

1. Thin (log to reduce density), regenerate (up to 439 acres clear-cut logged, site prepared, and planted), and prescribe burn 1,437 acres of greater than 90-year old pine-dominated forest.

2. Thin, mechanically masticate (grind into pieces), and prescribe burn 1,088 acres of 30 to 80-year old pine-dominated forest.

3. Thin, mechanically masticate, and prescribe burn 261 acres of less than 30-year old pine plantations.

4. Mechanically masticate and prescribe burn 65 acres of pine-dominated forest.

The Sierra Club visited Compartments 31-33 and walked several areas that are proposed to be logged, masticated, and burned. Sierra Club comments are: 

1. The FS should put out a new public notice for this project due to confusing and ambiguous information.

2. The FS should prepare an environmental assessment to analyze all potential impacts and not a categorical exclusion which does no such analysis.

3. The FS should tell the public how much of each forest (density) will be logged.

4. The FS should vary density of pine trees on the landscape to more closely replicate historic forests.

5. The FS should not log the oldest pine trees (up to 123 years) but should protect these forests because old trees make ideal RCW habitat.

6. Regeneration of young pine tree age classes can be done by underplanting existing RCW areas; planting in salvage logged, other logged, or open upland areas; and planting less densely so pine trees have more room to grow.

7. Protect the Lone Star Hiking Trail with a 50-foot (on both sides) no-log buffer.

8. Do not log Stand 1 in Compartment 3. This is a rare upland hardwood forest, Post oak – Black oak, and should be protected from logging and mechanical mastication.

9. Conduct a road inventory in Compartments 31-33, provide the cost of fixing roads, and reveal the costs to the public.

10. Streams should have a minimum 50-foot no-cut buffer.

11. Protect the maximum number of upland hardwood trees possible to provide wildlife food and shelter and biological diversity.

Contact Brandt Mannchen (brandtshnfbt@juno.com and 832-907-3615) for more information.

Brandt Mannchen

July 29, 2018