On Thursday evening, March 15, White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) hosted an open house at WMNF's headquarters in Campton, N.H., to present details of the Wanosha Integrated Resource Project (Wanosha IRP). This project will encompass wildlife habitat improvement, trail work (for mountain bikes specifically), campground improvements (including hazard tree removal and canopy opening), and some silviculture timber-stand improvement in an area of approximately 52,000 acres within WMNF from Tripoli Road east to Waterville Valley and south to Campton and the Mad River area.
The Wanosha IRP is part of the WMNF Land and Resource Management Plan that was adopted in 2005 to provide management direction for the national forest. The Project as proposed will include "commercial and non-commercial treatments within abiout 5,000 gross acres of forest stands in the Project boundary; about 3,400 acres within those stands are proposal for silvicultural treatment," according to the Project's Scoping Proposal. "A range of silvicultural treatments from shelterwood to group harvests to clearcutting would project wood products of commercial value; create small and large openings in the forest to allow regeneration of trees and other vegetation; provide additional growing space to enhance crown and bole development; and encourage the establishment of shade-intolerant species in the understory. A variety of authorties would be used to accomplish our project objectives including, but not limited to, stewardship auhorities, traditional timber sales, and appropriated funds."
Vegetation and wildlife habitat management goals of the Wanosha IRP include:
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Reducing hazard fuel loads.
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Providing sustanable forest products to benefit local economies and communities.
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Meeting wildlife habitat diversity objectives, including:
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Gradually converting stands situated on non-comppatible Ecological Lands Types (ELT) to forest types consistent with land capability. ELTs are determined based on underlying soil types and other ecological factors
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In the long-term, increasing spruce-fir habitat.
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Increasing age-class diversity and provide regeneration of stands.
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Maintaining or increasing aspen-birch habitat.
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Maintaining current levels of oak, pine, and hemlock within stands.
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Maintaining historic orchards as permanent wildlife openings.
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The project is still in the comment stage; a final plan won't be developed until next year, and the project won't begin until September 2019. However, comments are due by March 26, 2018. To submit written comments by letter, address to:
Brooke Brown, District Ranger
Pemigewasset Ranger District
71 White Mountain Drive
Campton, NH 03223
Submit by fax to: (603) 536-3685, ATTN: Wanosha Integrated Resource Project, c/o Brooke Brown
Submit by email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
More information (links):