State approves Willow timber sale

Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Irwin announced today (tues.) that the timber sale seven miles east of Willow IS in the best interest of the state and the sale will proceed as planned this spring. Harvest is likely to take place this summer, he says. Irwin was responding to appeals of the earlier decision on the one thousand acre timber sale seven miles east of Willow.

The Division of Forestry proposed the Copper Timber Sale in its January 2005 Five-Year Schedule of Timber Sales. Following public hearings on that schedule, the division received 32 letters from agencies and the public on the Preliminary Forestry Land Use Plan.

Two individuals supported the sale, three agency letters supported the sale with stipulations, and six organizations and 21 individuals opposed the sale. After receiving five eligible appeals on the Final Best Interest Finding, then-Acting Commissioner Marty Rutherford decided to allow review of the decision. After carefully considering all the requests, and responding in writing to each issue in the letters, Irwin has decided to stand by the Division of Forestry’s original decision.