Subject: Forest Health Pilot

To: Quincy Library Group

Dear Quincy Library Group Members:

We see the Forest Health Pilot Program as an important opportunity, and like you, are committed to its success. To facilitate communications essential to success, we are asking that the signatories of the Quincy Library Group provide a written response outlining the group's comments as articulated at the January 25th, Quincy Library Group meeting. In addition to your thoughts on fuels hazard reduction, please clarify your expectations as they relate to watershed restoration, monitoring, and land management planning.

Various discussions with Library Group members in December and early January indicated to us that the Library Group was in general agreement with the thrust of the projects, e.g., maximizing acres treated with a certain amount of emphasis on community protection (as conceptualized in the Technical Fuels Report). At the January 25th meeting, you indicated to us that you were interested in acres that would yield higher volumes of sawlogs. Specifically, we understood you to ask for 15,000 acres with anywhere from 45-75 million board feet, 80% of which is to be in sawlogs.

Because any new projects will need to be "cold-started", in terms of planning for Fiscal Year 96, we hope to bring closure to the project selection process as soon as possible. Representatives from the three Forests are meeting on Friday, February 9, to review District suggestions for Forest Health Pilot project changes that incorporate, to the extent possible, your January 25th expectations as we understood them. We will share those changes with you and the community shortly thereafter.

We are very appreciative of your interest and involvement in the management of our public lands and look for your immediate response.