WildEarth Guardians

Monday, April 4, 2005
Civil action for declaratory and injunctive relief arising from the United States Forest Service's decision to proceed with the

Timber sale will result in logging rare mature ponderosa pine trees, impacting sensitive species' habitat and watershed of the Rio Vallecitos
Contact: WildEarth Guardians

Much of the timber cutting planned in connection with the Agua/Caballos timber sale will occur in rare climax ponderosa pine forest type, despite the fact that there is a deficiency of this forest type throughout the Carson National Forest. This forest type is characterized by areas of mature large ponderosa pine trees with interlocking canopies. The USFS has designated Abert’s squirrel as the Management Indicator Species (“MIS”) representing the group of wildlife species that depends on the climax ponderosa pine forest habitat for its continued survival.

The NEPA analyses for the timber sale also did not contain an adequate analysis of the sale’s impacts on watersheds including the watershed of the Rio Vallecitos, one of New Mexico’s high quality cold water fisheries.

Read the Complaint (PDF)