Forestry

A citizen panel wants Black Hills National Forest officials to write a new master plan.

The Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board unanimously approved the recommendation Wednesday. Drafting a new forest plan would require several years of research and public engagement.

Board member Greg Josten, who serves as South Dakota's state forester, hopes the Forest Service’s national office will ease the financial burden.

In The Moment ... April 9, 2020 Show 792 Hour 2

The Black Hills National Forest is at a crossroads. SDPB's Seth Tupper joins us with an update on the developing conversation around timber cuts and forest sustainability. 

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New Forest Service research says the Black Hills National Forest could be depleted of trees suitable for logging in the next 30 years. 

In The Moment ... April 2, 2020 Show 787 Hour 2 Is the health of the Black Hills National Forest at a crossroads? Is the amount of timber being forested today sustainable in the wake of the pine beetle epidemic? What data do we have that helps us predict the future of the forest? Tomorrow the Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region hosts a formal stakeholder meeting and discussion to review data projections. SDPB's Seth Tupper will cover the meeting.

Emerald Ash Borers have been discovered within 100 miles of South Dakota—and a state forestry expert says it’s a matter of time before the beetles make their way into the state.  But, the expert says this is not the time to start preparing for the borers.

NOTE:  A complete interview with SDSU's Dr. John Ball follows the text.