Why are we doing this project?

The Cedar Creek area is located in the Smokey Bear Ranger District—Lincoln National Forest, within the larger Perk-Grindstone analysis area. This Project is highlighted as a priority treatment by the Smokey Bear Ranger District. Implementation of the project is designed to address stand density index, reducing stand density and increasing individual tree health and vigor enabling residual trees to withstand future insect attacks. Currently mistletoe occurs, as well as pockets of western pine beetle. While the Cedar Creek area is National Forest land, the project area is contiguous with heavily populated private land within the Greater Ruidoso Area Wild Land Urban Interface in Lincoln County, New Mexico. The risk for potential catastrophic wildfire on and around this forested land base is rated “high” in (New Mexico) to catastrophic wildfire under the NM State Forestry Division’s “20 Communities Initiative.” Minimum soil displacement is critical as Cedar Creek is a primary tributary to the Rio Ruidoso, designated by the State of New Mexico as a high quality cold water fishery. The area within the stands is also a high recreation use area. Ground-based equipment that minimizes ground disturbance, specifically machinery that can “walk on” slash greatly minimizes soil displacement and potential for sedimentation.