August 24, 2005: Maureen Hyzer, Supervisor of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, has reversed the Round Mountain logging project on the New River Valley Ranger District.

The project is located on Round Mountain, on the eastern flank of the mountain that surrounds Burkes Garden in Bland County. It is located in the Wolf Creek watershed, one of the Jefferson National Forest's priority watersheds - due to rare and listed species in the watershed. The project would involve reopening and conducting road work on approximately 2.5 miles of roads, some dating to the 1930s, 99 acres of commercial logging, 447 acres of non-comercial "oak enhancement" cutting, & 764 acres of prescribed burning.

Forest Supervisor Hyzer determined that the issue of roads and road use was not adequately addressed.

Candace W. Allen, Appeal Reviewing Officer, wrote, "After reviewing the project record and considering each issue raised by the appellant, I recommend that District Ranger Cynthia Schiffer's May 26, 2005, decision for the Round Mountain Vegetation Management Project on the New River Valley Ranger District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests be reversed based on the finding that the analysis of impacts of using non-system roads was not adequate."

Virginia Forest Watch asserted that a project-scale roads analysis was needed to analyze road impacts and identify needed and unneeded roads in the project area.

The appeal was submitted by VAFW Public Lands Coordinator Sherman Bamford.

More details: GW&JNF Supervior Decision Document