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HAMILTON- The Bitterroot National Forest wants to know what you think about a proposed timber salvage project at Lost Trail Powder Mountain Ski Area. If approved, crews would harvest 250 acres of trees attacked or killed by the mountain pine beetle next summer.

"This is a serious situation and we need to take action now," said Sula District Ranger Ruth Wooding. "Lost Trail Powder Mountain Ski Area is one of the most popular areas on the Forest visited by more than 45,000 people annually. The ski area also provides a big economic boost to our community as it employees more than 130 permanent and temporary employees. We need to do everything possible to protect the public and this high-value recreation area."

Forest officials say the latest aerial survey of the Forest showed a six-fold increase in the acres of lodgepole pine killed by the pine beetle between 2009 and 2011. Throughout the Forest, pine beetles are killing trees at a rate of 14 to 1; which means for each tree successfully attacked this year, fourteen trees will likely be attacked next year.

The project would focus on dead, dying and live trees near chair lifts 1 and 2. Approximately 175 acres would be harvested using a ground based system and the remaining 75 acres by using a cable or "skyline" system.

The project would require the construction of approximately half a mile of track line machine trail and a quarter-mile of road. Both the trail and road would be temporary and rehabilitated at the conclusion of the operation. Forest officials say the trees present hazards to the public and ski area operations.

The project will also help keep dead trees from falling onto cables and into ski runs and will protect ski area aesthetics by reducing the red and gray trees and emphasizing the green, live trees in the area.

Public comments will be accepted via mail, fax, orally or electronically through January 3, 2012 to Ruth M. Wooding - District Ranger, Sula Ranger District, 7338 Highway 93 South, Sula, MT 59871, (406) 821-2329 or FAX (406) 821-1211. Electronic comments must be submitted in rich text format (.rtf),Word (.doc) or Word Perfect format to comments-northern-bitterroot-sula@fs.fed.us. When submitting comments, please provide: (1) your name, address, and organization represented, if any; (2) reference the Lost Trail Ski Area Salvage Project; (3) information regarding the proposed action along with supporting reasons that you believe should be considered; and (4) your signature.

The 1,300 acre Lost Trail Powder Mountain Ski Area operates under a special Forest Service permit and has been owned and operated by the Grasser family since 1967.

Contact Mark Holyoak