Spring Outing June 17-19 2011

On June 17-19 Allegheny Defense Project will meet near the confluence of Salmon Creek and The Branch (a tributary of Salmon Creek) for our Spring Outing. Follow this link to a map of the camp location and/or see illustrations below. The easiest path to the site is from Route 666 crossing the bridge over Salmon Creek at Kelletville near Cougar Bobs. We will make camp Friday evening (June 17), starting at 5pm. The camp will be beside the Branch where the North Country Scenic Trail crosses FR 127 (AKA the Branch Ridge Road) and meets The Branch. Saturday morning we will discuss issues and strategy in a Forest Watch update. Saturday afternoon we will hike and backpack as far as we like on the North Country Trail and spend Saturday night on the trail. Please bring all of your own gear and food (including device to filter water). Our base camp Friday night (June 17) will be a primitive camp with no facilities. Saturday night (June 18) will be backpacking hiking and camping.

If you do not have gear but would like to join us for the base camp or backpack camp we may be able to outfit you with some items. Please contact us below if you need gear or have questions.

Please also feel free to join us for socializing and Forest Watch update Friday evening or Saturday morning even if you do not intend to camp.

Contact: Office: 814-454-7523 Cell: 814-520-4639 (We will be unable to communicate by phone after noon Thursday June 16).

Spring Outing (right click for larger image)

Spring Outing Location

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Tell the U.S. Forest Service to Protect The Bear Creek Watershed!

By Forest Watch Staff

Take Action on Pine Bear!

The Pine Bear Project, located on 10,055 acres in the southeastern part of the Allegheny National Forest (ANF), proposes approximately 3,000 acres of even-aged logging—1,324 acres of which is clearcuts and 1,781 acres staged clearcuts (see location). Additionally, the project calls for 2,294 acres of other “treatments,” 1,483 acres of herbiciding, 105 acres of burning every 3 to 5 years, over 500 acres of fencing, 12 acres of stone pit expansion, and 2.5 miles of new road.

Within the Pine Bear project boundary are high quality aquatic habitats, which will be adversely affected by the actions proposed in the Pine Bear project (e.g., by clearcutting, and herbiciding). Bear Creek is classified as a High Quality, Cold Water Fishery, which must be afforded special protection. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Fish And Boat Commission recognizes Bear Creek as well as the streams and creeks listed below as Naturally Reproducing Trout Streams.

Stream	Tributary to
Bear Creek	Clarion River
Pigeon Run	Bear Creek
Maple Run	Bear Creek
Pine Run	Bear Creek
Twin Lick Run	Bear Creek
Red Lick Run	Bear Creek

These important aquatic habitats must be protected. The proposed action in the Pine Bear project will damage these streams and creeks with increased runoff and siltation, stream warming from canopy openings, and pollution from herbicide applications. The USFS must conduct an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to determine the impact of the project on these important aquatic habitats and on the species that inhabit them.

The northwest area of the Pine Bear Project includes the Sackett oil field seen in the sattelite image below. This area has been heavily fragmented and impacted by oil and gas drilling.

Also note previous clear-cut activities in image above. Some of these resulted from the East Side and Mortality I projects. Now the U.S. Forest Service intends to layer additional impacts on an area already hit hard by industrialization and extraction.

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Take Action on Pine Bear!

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