• Timber project planned in the La Barge area for 2027

The Kemmerer and Greys River Districts of the Bridger-Teton continue to coordinate small timber projects with the Wyoming State Forestry Office.

Adam Calkins, District Ranger for Kemmerer reviewed the program known as the Good Neighbor Authority in a conversation with SVI Media.

“We had a really interesting field trip with a lot of different partners and interested entities from around the country,” Calkins explained as local, state and federal officials toured potential harvest sites in the Bridger-Teton earlier this summer.

“We took them on a two-day field trip where we visited several of our local mills that we have here in the area. One down in Evanston, one over to La Barge, and we took them up on the forest, and we showed them the area that we’re going to be working in, and we shared with them all of our plans, and what we hope to do. And by doing that, we were actually able to get a few of those partners on board
with helping us out on this project.”

He added, “Some of them were a little hesitant, but by getting them out on the landscape, that really helped share with them our vision, and what we’re hoping to accomplish, and  just focusing on that underlying baseline, the  things we can all agree on.”

Calkins noted the benefits of the timber management programs. “We want to increase wildfire resilience on these landscapes and one of the best ways that we view and feel that we can do that is by doing a timber harvest.”

He continued, “Study after study continues to show this, and I’ve seen it myself, the benefits of creating openings, spreading out a canopy and a timber harvest can have on creating resilient, healthy landscapes.”

Again, referencing the earlier tour, the District Ranger said, “That field trip was great, and it was an opportunity to share that vision with about 10 different partner groups.”

A small harvest is planned in 2027 as part of the cooperative program with the state.
“We still anticipate having our first timber sale out of the La Barge area next summer. We’re  just continuing to work forward at a slow process, but it’s something we’re excited that we continue and progress.”

Calkins concluded, “We have lots of little projects that are in the hopper that we are just trying to work on and we’re always looking for partners and other individuals that want to volunteer to help us out.”

The District Ranger expressed appreciation to Lincoln County and the Wyoming State Forestry Division for their cooperation on the projects associated with the Bridger-Teton National Forest.