Ranger District looking ahead with plans for maintenance, trails, wildfire resilience projects

Lincoln District Ranger Rob Gump addressed the dry conditions on the Lincoln Ranger District during Lincoln Government Day July 2 (see story Stage 1 Fire Restriction story), but also covered several other topics of concern to the Lincoln area, including conversations with the Lincoln Prosperity Proposal, noting that he was excited about opportunities for community funding.

"I like to have that community connection where we're working with partners to figure out how to take care of our funding needs for these kinds of developments," he said.

There are other projects in the works as well, thanks to increased funding for deferred maintenance, including from the Great American Outdoor Act.

"That is a huge benefit to us here locally, as well as to other communities. We here locally have received funding. Our funding priorities ... are very, very specific" said Gump. "This particular year we're going to be in the backcountry, Copper Lakes Trail, which hasn't been opened after that 2003 fire back in there, so that'll be a ton of work to try to get that trail back open."

The following year, funding will be focused more on campgrounds, he said, with improvements to the water system at the Aspen Grove Campground and vault toilets.

The District is also planning to apply for additional funding in the next couple of fiscal years that would allow for repaving of part of Copper Creek Road, if successful.

"It's the top tier in our forest as far as priority. We're going to see if we can pave additional sections to protect bull trout where that road gets close to that stream," said Gump.

Implementation of the travel management plan is continuing this year as well, he said.

The Hogum Wildfire Resilience Project, first unveiled in December of 2019, is also still in the works, pending the return of US Fish & Wildlife Service consultation on grizzly bear. Gump anticipates having a singed decision memo around the first part of August.

The Lincoln District office opened Tuesday, July 6, but Gump said they still have to work through the US Department Agriculture COVID-19 restrictions, which limits the number of people who can be in the building.

"We are letting groups in, one group at a time," he said, but added the size of groups will vary depending the number of people already in the office.