Local News

FS Plans Workshop on Road System in Chewuch

By NCBI
Jul 24, 2011

Individuals interested in joining a discussion about Forest
Service roads in the Chewuch River drainage are encouraged to participate in a public workshop on Thursday, August 4th, 6:00 pm at the Winthrop Barn.

The workshop is an opportunity to get involved in planning the future of the Chewuch roads system by providing specific information about recreational and other uses of roads in the watershed.

This workshop is the fourth in a series of public events hosted by The Wilderness Society and the Methow Valley Ranger District. The events are part of an outreach effort to gather information from groups and individuals who use the Chewuch watershed for work and play. In addition to the public meetings and field trips, input is being collected via an online survey at www.tiny.cc/ynaq9.

The Wilderness Society will produce a report summarizing the
information gathered from this spring and summer's outreach efforts. The report will help the Forest Service as they begin work on a transportation plan for the Chewuch watershed.

Running through the heart of Winthrop, the Chewuch watershed is vital to the fabric of the Methow Valley community. With its headwaters located in the Pasayten Wilderness, the Chewuch River and surrounding forest lands
north of Winthrop provide important habitat to a number of species, including Chinook salmon, mule deer and Canada lynx. The Chewuch watershed is also a popular destination for recreational uses ranging from snowmobiling and Nordic skiing in the winter to camping, biking, and hiking in the summer. The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and other salmon recovery agencies have recognized the river drainage as a priority watershed for restoration due to its natural resource values and impacted condition of the watershed.
Due to past management and public use, aquatic and riparian habitat has been diminished and needs help to recover.

The August 4th event will bring together those who live, work and play in the Chewuch watershed. Anyone interested in the road system for the Chewuch watershed is encouraged to attend and get involved in its future.

For more information about the meeting, please contact: Andrea Imler, The Wilderness Society, aimler@twsnw.org, 206.799.6197 or Gene Shull, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, gshull@fs.fed.us, 509.996.4013.

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