Pinyon pine and juniper trees were recently removed from the Overland Pass Habitat Improvement Project area on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest's Mountain City-Ruby Mountains-Jarbidge Ranger District. This initiative is in line with the USDA Forest Service's National Wildland Crisis Strategy, which aims to minimize the risk of hazardous fuels. As part of this effort, the public is permitted to gather dead and downed wood in the Big Wash-West area south of Cherry Spring Canyon and the Overland Pass area, all located in the southern portion of the Ruby Mountains.
A firewood permit can be purchased either by email (see instructions at https://bit.ly/MCRMJRDFirewoodInfo) or at one of the District’s offices in either Elko, (660 S. 12th Street, Suite 108/ 775-738-5171) or Wells. It is important to note that firewood permits are exclusively issued for dead and fallen wood, and cutting of other trees within the project area is strictly prohibited. Firewood permits cost $10 per cord with a two-cord minimum and a 10-cord maximum for the year.
“Removing pinyon and juniper is only the first step in treating this area,” said District Fuels Specialist Aryn Hayden. “Public firewood gathering is the second step and helps eliminate ground fuel buildup. Depending on the amount of woody material that is removed, the third step may include hand piling of slash followed by pile burning or additional mechanical treatments.”
Additionally, Hayden emphasizes the importance of safety during firewood collection and encourages individuals to pay special attention to the terms and conditions of their permit. It is also important to avoid driving off roads and onto wet, unstable ground or fragile meadow environments to load firewood. Causing damage to roads and other Forest resources can be a violation of federal regulations, which could carry a fine up to $5,000 and/or six months in jail.
The goal of the Overland Pass Habitat Improvement Project is to improve wildlife habitat by removing pinyon and juniper that were encroaching into the sagebrush ecosystem. The removal of these trees will reduce the risk of higher intensity wildfires, result in greater fire control during suppression activities, and improve habitat for native species. For more information about this project, please contact Fuels Specialist Aryn Hayden at aryn.hayden@usda.gov or 775-296-1107.
For additional information on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, please visit www.fs.usda.gov/htnf or participate in the conversation at https://twitter.com/HumboldtToiyabe and https://www.facebook.com/HumboldtToiyabeNF/.