The Black Hills Resilient Forests Partnership will be Holding a Media Day

The Black Hills Resilient Forests Partnership (Partnership) has a vested interest in the long-term health and proper management of all ownerships of forested land in the Black Hills. With representatives from conservation districts, county, state, and federal land management agencies, along with partners from the forest products industry, the Partnership works together to further sound forest management activities in the Black Hills region. At this time, non-federal members believe we must speak out against the public misinformation campaign being waged by individuals and their associated groups.

As part of that campaign, pictures of a clearcut area of forest in the Black Hills National Forest (BHNF) have been shown, along with falsely claiming that this is the result of pressures to produce timber sales from elected officials and the forest products industry. Further, these individuals and groups are assuring the public that much more of the like is to be expected with any increases to the timber sale program or efforts to increase the area managed within the BHNF. 

The images being shown are real, but that is where the truth ends with the statements being made about these areas. The projects where the photos are being taken were part of an effort by the BHNF to completely remove pine trees that had been planted using seed from outside the BHNF. Trees that grew from that seed stock grew with poor form, low seed production and, as a result, produced poor habitat while increasing fire hazards and susceptibility to disease. Every area where this removal of non-native pine is taking place there is a plan for replanting using local seed sources which will produce long-term benefits for the forest. 

Planning this type of action is exceedingly rare on the BHNF and the BHNF has gone to extraordinary measures to ensure the public knows and understands what is happening, why, and how unusual the situation is. This has been clearly stated across multiple years, beginning with the project description provided by the BHNF which solicited comments from the public. In the project description, the BHNF stated, “The Simon Restoration Project proposes the removal of poor-formed ponderosa pine stock from within the historic 1939 McVey burn area and planting with seedlings from native Black Hills ponderosa pine.”  The BHNF later provided press releases so the public would know what is going on. The project was completed under a service contract due to the high amount of non-commercial work. To inform any person who may have missed the project announcement or press releases, the BHNF went to the remarkable effort of creating four informational signs and placing them at prominent intersections entering the project areas. What makes the misinformation all the bolder is that some of the photos and media interviews have been taken/conducted near those signs.  Our media day will showcase one of those signs near recent photo/interview locations.

Media Day Details

• Who: Representatives from counties, natural resource districts, professional foresters, forest products industry representatives, and other members of the Partnership.
• Where: Intersection of Deerfield Rd and Slate Prairie Rd, west of Hill City.  Google Maps Pin: https://maps.app.goo.gl/M46v1jxQW6pmh19b7
• When: 10:00 am, Monday April 7^th, 2025

Source: The Black Hills Resilient Forests Partnership