BHNF Steering Committee Outlines 2020 Program of Work

The Bighorn National Forest Steering Committee had their annual meeting virtually Wednesday morning and went over their 2020 Revised Plan of Work, and heard reports from the three district rangers on the forest.

Forest Supervisor Andrew Johnson opened by giving an overview of the forest’s program of work for the year.

Johnson said the they set priorities in the spring and summer for the coming year and make decisions in the fall based on their budgets and adjust as they need to.

In April of this year the forest did adjust their program of work for the year necessitated by the conditions we are all currently in with the pandemic.

Local priorities for this year include working on the Goose Creek, Sheridan Municipal and Buffalo Municipal Watershed Projects.

Prescribed burns are currently on hold and will likely continue to be until the fall, according to discussions, and wildfire management will be different this summer due to complications from COVID-19.

The Forest Service also may consider earlier fire restrictions this year as well.

Discussions will be held with local governments on the issue.

We will have more from the meeting in future stories.