May 16, 2019 in OHTA News

USFS statement on proposed plan amendment

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The April 18 2019 OHTA Bulletin suggested the USFS was proposing a change to the Forest Plan that would permit clear-cutting of the OHT corridor and included a “call for action” to OHTA members.

The USFS has since assured us that this is not, and never was, the intention. Amy E. Burt, the Forest Planning and NEPA Coordinator for Ozark-St. Francis National Forest has this reply:

“The Ozark-St. Francis National Forests would like to thank all the OHTA members that have provided input on our proposed Forest Plan Amendment to update bat conservation practices. We want to clarify that the existing priorities in the Forest Plan for the designated Ozark Highlands Trail Corridor (identified as 198 feet on either side of the Trail) will remain unchanged in the proposed Forest Plan amendment, and the corridor will remain an identified management area as a part of the Forest Plan. The OHT corridor will also remain designated as unsuitable for timber production, as the Forest Plan specifies.”

“The proposed Plan Amendment could affect changes to areas specifically identified for habitat management activities for bat species on the Forests, which could in some areas overlap the OHT corridor. In these cases, a multidisciplinary approach would be taken to evaluate any on the ground activities. Overall, canopy closure is beneficial to both OHT corridor objectives and bat habitat management objectives. Thank you again for your input on this project, and your interest in projects on the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests.”

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