Plans for Jellico Mtn. logging project remain unchanged, but maybe not for long

I have been trying, for several weeks now, to work on an update story pertaining to the proposed logging project in the Jellico Mountains of Whitley and McCreary Counties. It has been on my to-do list since late-May, but I have just found it incredibly difficult to actually sit down and work on.

In my defense, there have been a lot of pretty major events going on recently, such as the Whitley County Colonels baseball team’s state championship run, but I do want to make sure and offer our readers at least some sort of an update before any more time passes.

Another thing that makes this particular topic somewhat difficult to write about is the overall complexity of the issue. Since beginning to really dig into this story several weeks back, I have found that the layers to this whole thing are nearly endless. If I’m being truthful, it hurts my head a little bit every time I try to think about it in-depth.

With all that being said, allow me to do a quick overview for anyone who may not be familiar with what I am talking about…

Last year, we learned that United States Forest Service was planning to conduct a logging project in an approximately 10,000-acre area of the Daniel Boone National Forest’s Jellico Mountain region. This would include land that is located in both Whitley and McCreary Counties. In November, a large town hall meeting was held inside the Whitley County Cooperative Extension Office where about 100 people showed up to ask questions and get more info on this proposed job.

To read more about the meeting, go to our website, www.thenewsjournal.net, and run a search for “Jellico Mountains.” One of the top search results should be an article from last November where Mark White provided coverage from the town hall. While there, you can also check out my column from back in April where I offered some of my thoughts on the whole ordeal after I had the chance to listen to a few guests at a local Rotary Club meeting talk about their concerns related to this logging job.

Basically, it’s not the fact that the logging job is being proposed that has people so upset. It’s more about the overall scope of the job, which will span about four decades and include a considerable amount of clearcutting.

Having never really spent much time in the area in question, I took advantage of an opportunity to go on a hike in the Jellico Mountains a little over a month ago. The group who hosted the hike was Kentucky Heartwood, the same conservation advocacy organization that is currently partnering with several folks in the local area to try and get the Forest Service to amend their proposal.

While on the hike, I spoke at length to Staff Ecologist Jim Scheff. Seriously, it was a like a two-and-a-half-hour crash course in forest management techniques and considerations. It is WAY too much information for me to try to cover here, but trust me when I say that, as previously stated, there are a lot of moving parts when it comes to this issue.

I am concerned about the long-term negative effects that could result from short-sighted thinking when it comes to this particular project, which is why I have tried to do my part to keep folks talking about it. At this point, I would like to direct everyone to a few different online resources…

First, I encourage you to go to www.fs.usda.gov/project/dbnf/?project=63037. This is the web address that will give you access to the Forest Service’s documentation related to the project. Everything appears to be the same as it was when the documents were initially posted in late-2022, but any changes should be posted here when/if they occur.

Next, head over to www.jmlogging.com. On this site you will also find several resources, including charts and maps, to help you understand what is being proposed with this job. There are some pros and cons listed, a feedback section, and links to several other informative pages, including the public Jellico Mountains Logging Facebook group that exists to encourage ongoing discussion about this important subject.

Finally, consider checking out Kentucky Heartwood at www.kyheartwood.org. You can learn about the many causes that they are currently involved with, including the proposed logging in the Jellico Mountains, and right now you can learn about how to submit a public comment to the U.S. Forest Service regarding the protection of our remaining mature, old-growth forests. It looks like you only have until July 20 to do this, though, so don’t delay.

One other website that I will share with you is www.jm-ra.com. If you visit here, you will learn about some ongoing efforts to utilize the Jellico Mountains as a massive outdoor recreation area. This is a very interesting concept, and something that I would personally like to see come to fruition.

Before I wrap this up, PLEASE KNOW THIS… When I communicated with a Forest Service representative not long ago, I was told that analysis by specialists is currently ongoing in the Jellico Mountains, and that at some point between now and the end of the year a draft Environmental Assessment will be released to the public. When this happens, I am told that the people will have a chance to review everything and submit their comments.

We will continue to keep an eye on the situation, and will do our part to update everyone again once new documentation is released. In the meantime, I will urge you one more time to please visit the websites previously listed and get yourself educated on what is going on.