For Immediate Release:
January 17, 2005

Already, the Forest Service estimates that old growth forest comprises less than 1.5% of the entire Black Hills. The agency further estimates that trees greater than 20" in diameter average only 1.3 per acre and snags greater than 15" in diameter averaging only 0.7 per acre-less than one tree per acre. While there is debate over the amount of old growth the Black Hills National Forest should support, there is general scientific consensus on the needs of several wildlife species in the Black Hills. In studies contracted by the Forest Service and in independent studies printed in peer-reviewed scientific journals, it is reported:

• The American marten, a rare forest mammal and sensitive species in the Black Hills, requires large areas of continuous, dense forest provided by old growth;
• The northern goshawk, the largest forest raptor in the Black Hills and sensitive species, requires large areas of dense, large diameter trees provided by old growth for nesting and for foraging. Experts estimate the goshawk needs 5% or more old growth in the Black Hills;
• The Black Hills fringed bat, a rare bat found only in the Black Hills region, needs abundant snags greater than 17" in diameter in dense forest settings provided by old growth for raising young;
• The black-backed and three-toed woodpeckers, two sensitive species in the Black Hills, require areas with abundant snags and dense canopy cover provided by old growth (burned old growth is especially preferred);
• The pygmy nuthatch, an extremely rare songbird in the Black Hills, is closely tied with areas of live trees and snags greater than 18" in diameter provided by old growth.

Although these are just a few of the wildlife species dependent on old growth forest in the Black Hills, all six of these species are designated as sensitive by the Forest Service. Sensitive species are designated because their long-term survival is in question. Surveys for pygmy nuthatch in the Black Hills, for example, have found only four birds in the last three years.

Under the Phase II Amendment, the Forest Service and timber industry are pushing to log and thin virtually the entire Black Hills National Forest, including some of the few areas that support old growth. While billed as forest restoration, the proposals do nothing in the way of restoring scarce old growth, rescuing wildlife populations and habitat, and promoting diversity.

"Right now, old growth habitat is being managed at deficit levels," said Nichols. "Both the Forest Service's proposal and the timber industry's alternative will push these deficits even lower and ultimately bankrupt the wildlife and health of the Black Hills National Forest."

Last December, several local and regional conservation groups submitted a Conservation Alternative for the Phase II Amendment to restore declining forest wildlife and habitat and requiring sustainable forestry. The Conservation Alternative emphasizes the protection and restoration of old growth forest in order to promote forest diversity and relies upon dozens of scientific studies, including many contracted by the Black Hills National Forest. Unlike the Forest Service's and timber industry's proposed alternatives, the Conservation Alternative will actually increase the amount of old growth in the Black Hills. Major components of the Alternative include:

• Managing toward 20% of the Black Hills National Forest as old growth: The Alternative calls for protecting all existing old growth and managing additional acreage to ensure that 20% of the forest will be old growth in the near future.
• Managing an additional 20% as old growth recruitment: Essentially an old growth "savings account," the Alternative calls for managing additional acreage to ensure that, as old growth forest is lost due to fires or other disturbances, it can be replaced by suitable habitat.

In total, the Conservation Alternative calls for emphasizing old growth protection and restoration on 480,000 acres of the Black Hills National Forest, less than half of the forest. Although logging and thinning is prohibited in actual old growth forest habitat, limited management is allowed to the extent that it moves the forest toward 20% old growth in the near future.

The Conservation Alternative also calls for protection of special areas, also to aid in protecting and restoring old growth. In total, the Conservation Alternative calls for the designation of 23 Research Natural Areas to ensure protection of rare and unique plant communities for monitoring and scientific research purposes and recommends that all Roadless Areas on the Black Hills, including Sand Creek and parts of the Norbeck Wildlife Preserve, be recommended for Wilderness protection.

In addition to protecting and restoring old growth forest habitat, the Conservation Alternative also provides additional opportunities for backcountry recreation, enhances scenery across the Black Hills National Forest by protecting and restoring large-diameter yellow bark pines, and increases protection of homes and communities by protecting and restoring large areas of fire resistant large diameter trees. The Alternative also calls for fuels reduction treatments to be focused within the wildland-urban interface in order to ensure the creation of defensible space between homes and communities.

"The Forest Service is steering the Black Hills National Forest into an iceberg," said Nichols. "The Conservation Alternative will turn things around and point the Forest toward a sustainable future."

Other components of the Conservation Alternative include:

• Establishes science-based population objectives for management indicator species, which include brown creeper, three-toed woodpecker, ruffed grouse, American dipper, beaver, common yellowthroat, black-backed woodpecker, pine marten, and mountain sucker;
• Retains snags in unburned areas. Provides snag retention measures for areas proposed for post-fire salvage logging;
• Increases retention of downed logs for wildlife;
• Ensures viable populations of plants and animals are maintained in accordance with National Forest management regulations;
• Provides for increased attention and protection for 70 rare and imperiled animal and plant species;
• Provides additional protection of corridors so wildlife like American marten can move freely throughout the forest;
• Provides landscape-level protection of northern goshawk habitat and increased protection for nesting habitat;
• Provides additional protection for sensitive amphibians, as well as additional protection for wetlands and stream habitats;
• Establishes a "closed unless designated open" travel management policy. Also limits road densities and prescribes measures to restore heavily roaded landscapes to protect wildlife;
• Prevents overgrazing and protects sensitive streamside habitats by making livestock grazing standards mandatory requirements.