Unlike the reaction of conservation groups in opposing timber sales on Forest Service land in several Utah areas, no opposition to two large Sanpete Ranger District sales has surfaced.
"They're salvage sales," Ranger Tom Shore said. "Who isn't against waste?"Hanson Lumber Co., Fairview, has the contract for 2 million board feet to be taken out of the Twelve Mile Flat area east of Mayfield. The sale is for Englemann spruce that are dead or dying from a heavy beetle infestation.
A contract for 3 million board feet has been awarded to Satterwhite Lumber, a Texas firm, for Englemann spruce trees in the Timber Canyon are of Twelve Mile that are also beetle victims.
Both firms were the low bidders.
The beetles got their start 10 years ago when heavy flooding in the Twelve Mile Canyon watershed knocked down hundreds of trees, making them more susceptible to an invasion of beetles, Shore said. In the ensuing drought years, bark growth, the trees' protective armor, was limited.
As a consequence, the bug infestation intensified and spread, Shore explained.
The trees being removed are not old growth stock, according to Shore. There has been at least one other cutting at the sites. Access roads already exist, so the sales will have little detrimental effect on the terrain.
And another generation of spruce trees a few inches tall will be planted in the cut-over areas in about two years.
"We're doing our best to cooperate with nature's healing process," Shore said.