Ask the average Joe on the street to outline the process to get lumber from public lands and you might hear that it is cut from trees. From a slightly more informed citizen, you might hear that the Forest Service opens up a timber sale, and a contractor cuts it. Yet another citizen might tell you there is likely to be action in court over environmental challenges before the timber is cut. But from the group on a recent public field trip to the Red Rocks Project Area between Butte and Boulder, you would definitely hear there is a lot more to it than that.
The process starts before the tree is even growing and depends on many factors overseen by the stewards of public lands, including forest employees, area ranchers with grazing permits, landowners, recreationists and more. Among those taking the June 30 field trip were U.S. Forest Service administrators and specialists in hydrology, fisheries, vegetation, silviculture (trees), wildlife, and fire and fuels. Also on the trip were about twenty members of the public.
