Appeal Halts New Mexico Logging Plan

The Center for Biological Diversity on Thursday won an appeal challenging the 11,000-acre “Bonito” logging project near Ruidoso. In an Oct. 19 letter to the Center, the Forest Service conceded that its approval of the logging violated the National Forest Management Act and the National Environmental Policy Act by: * Defying forest canopy cover requirements of the Lincoln Forest Plan; * Failing to maintain old-growth forest as required by the plan; * Overlooking impacts to forest soil with moderate and severe erosion hazard. The Forest Service had approved the logging even though its own analysis showed that it would remove more forest canopy than its own rules protecting northern goshawk and Mexican spotted owl allow. The agency also tried to remove more large trees than its own rules allow in old-growth-deficient forests. Bonito is the third major project approved by the Lincoln National Forest since November 2009. The Jim Lewis and South Guadalupe projects, combined, will thin and burn 55,563 acres to reduce wildfire hazard and restore historic forest conditions. Of the three projects, only Bonito drew an environmental appeal...more