I am a general member and elected board member of the San Juan Back Country Horsemen. I’m a supporter and user of the two wilderness Areas where temporary use of chain saws is approved.
As a member of the SJBCH, I’m personally responsible for assisting the various government and private agencies in their maintenance and management of public resources.
I am writing in support of the Forest Service Region 2 staff’s decision to grant the lawful, temporary, supervised and strictly limited use of chain saws in the Weminuche & South San Juan wilderness areas of Colorado.
The Forest Service decision complies fully with the Wilderness Act of 1964 and the National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act of 2016.
The Forest Service has not had the resources or tools necessary to remove the dead, down and dying trees caused by the beetle kill. The vested-interest user groups and citizens of this state and country have not provided the Forest Service with any adequate, reasonable alternative to address the law-mandated maintenance of these unique and irreplaceable resources.
The decision to grant temporary use of chain saws in the wilderness continues to be lawfully authorized. I encourage everyone, and all organizations, to participate in the effort needed to maintain access to the wilderness.
Michael Pluth
Pagosa Springs
