The USDA Forest Service is proposing a project it says will improve forest health at Houston South in the Hoosier National Forest.
The project involves logging and prescribed burns in the northwest corner of Jackson County and the northeast corner of Lawrence County in the Brownstown Ranger District of the Hoosier National Forest. It seeks to improve the oak-hickory tree population, wildlife habitats, and reduce tree density in order to improve forest health.
In a press release the USDA said “these actions are critical to the long-term well-being of the watershed as a whole and the wildlife that depend on the habitat within it.” It also said it’s “confident that the actions proposed…will not cause harm to our water sources, wildlife, or any other resource.”
There’s a public objection period that begins today. Those who previously submitted comments have 45 days to submit an objection to the USDA. The USDA expects the final decision on the project to be made in June.
