WESTERN U.P., Mich. (WLUC) – Opposition to a major forest clearing project in the Western U.P. has been taken to the next level.

The Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) has just joined with five partner organizations in a coalition to file an objection to the U.S. Forest Service’s Silver Branch Vegetation Management Project.

These partners are Environment Michigan, the Michigan Environmental Council, the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition. The project would clear-cut parts of a nearly 200-square-mile section of the Ottawa National Forest.

“It deserves special protection,” ELPC Senior Policy Advocate Kelly Thayer said. “It deserves a better study and better work by the Ottawa National Forest.”

In an emailed statement in March, the USDA Forest Service told us the project aims to increase the forest’s resilience to wildfire, insect outbreaks, and extreme weather to protect nearby communities and natural resources.

This effort includes forest thinning efforts spanning 58,000 acres. But Thayer says the project’s impacts need to be better understood before it moves forward.

“The law requires, and the environment requires, a much more thorough study of these impacts that would occur from this logging,” Thayer continued. “And a formal consideration of alternatives.”

We emailed the USDA for a statement regarding the coalition’s objection. While the USDA acknowledged our request, we are still awaiting a full response.

Meanwhile, Thayer says he expects the Forest Service will get in touch with the coalition within the next six weeks. He hopes that through negotiations, a better plan forward can be reached.

“And the Forest Service can decide then to improve the project, which would involve further study,” Thayer added. “Or they can issue a final decision that says they intend to go ahead as planned.”

However, Thayer says the coalition members would ‘seriously consider’ legal action if changes aren’t made.

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