September 8, 1999
For Immediate Release
U.S. Forest Service Finds No Additional Bats, Allows Some Logging to Resume in Graham and Macon Counties
ASHEVILLE, NC…The U.S. Forest Service released today five timber sales and parts of seven other timber sales in Graham and Macon Counties, North Carolina. The Forest Service halted logging on Aug. 3 due to the discovery of the Indiana bat, an endangered species. “We surveyed each of these timber sale units and found no Indiana bats,” said National Forests in North Carolina Supervisor John Ramey. “We also reviewed the detailed designs for each sale and concluded that these timber projects would not adversely affect potential Indiana bat habitat in the future.”
In a Sept. 7 letter to the Forest Service, Brian Cole, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service State Supervisor, agreed with Ramey’s conclusion that those sales where no bats were found could proceed. Cole stated, “All of the information indicates that the Indiana bat does not occur or is only present at undetectably low levels in the project areas. Further, should Indiana bats be present at an undetectably low level or begin using the area in the
future, an abundance of suitable habitat will be available after the subject projects are completed. Therefore, we concur with the USFS’ determination that the projects, as described, are not likely to adversely affect the Indiana bat.”
On all surveyed timber sales, the Forest Service used a combination of mist netting and sophisticated audio-recording devices and found no evidence of Indiana bats. The agency also looked at the types of timber harvests underway and the condition of the surrounding forest. Forest Service specialists compared existing forest habitat conditions with the latest Indiana bat habitat recommendations by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other bat experts.
After looking at such variables as drinking water, potential roosting trees, and forest canopy conditions, the Forest Service determined, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concurred, that there would be an abundance of post-project potential Indiana bat summer habitat.
On Aug. 3, Forest Supervisor Ramey temporarily halted all active timber sales and a number of other tree cutting projects in a four county area after the Forest Service discovered 28 endangered Indiana bats on the Nantahala National Forest in Graham County. Counties affected by the interruption included Graham, Swain, Cherokee and Macon.
“We completed bat surveys on a little less than half of the current timber sale units in Graham, Swain, Cherokee and Macon counties,” said Larry Hayden, ecosystems and planning staff officer for the National Forests in North Carolina. “All unsurveyed sales remain suspended until we can complete additional environmental analysis. We have also not released other recreation, wildlife, and special use projects that involve tree cutting in the four county area until we evaluate each one and can conclude that these projects will not adversely affect the endangered Indiana bat or its habitat,” Hayden said.
“ We are fully committed to implementing the Endangered Species Act and protecting forest habitat for the Indiana bat,” added Ramey. “At the same time we realize the shut down has caused serious economic impacts to the loggers and their communities. It remains our number one priority to complete reviews on the remaining delayed projects and make whatever changes are necessary to protect the Indiana bat, so people can go back to work,” said Ramey.
“We are now evaluating other suspended projects in the four county area where no direct surveys for bats were done,” said Hayden. “We are working to determine what if any changes are needed to assure that these projects cause no harm to the bat or its long term habitat needs,” Hayden said.
For more information contact:
Larry Hayden, Planning and Ecosystems Staff Officer, USFS 828-257-4864
Terry Seyden, Public Affairs Officer, USFS 828-257-4202
Bob Currie, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, USFWS 828-258-3939 x224
Allen Ratzlaff, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, USFWS 828-258-3939 x 229
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