The Bighorn Society submitted comments in August 2021 on the Bighorn National Forest Invasive and Other Select Plant Management.

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Our OBJECTION was filed August 22, 2022.  

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The Bighorn Audubon Society and Audubon Rockies filed a formal objection on August 2, 2022 to the Draft Record of Decision for Invasive and Other Select Plant Management for the Bighorn National Forest, and the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Bighorn Audubon does not object to properly treating non-native invasive weeds, however we strongly oppose the Bighorn National Forest proposed plan to allow chemical treatment of native plants including up to 46.9% of mountain big sage habitat (76,500 acres) in the Bighorn National Forest over the life of this planned project.

Bighorn National Forest’s management plan to further jeopardize the already dramatic declines of sagebrush habitat and sagebrush obligates appears to be based on questionable justifications as noted in our formal objection. We also object to the treatment of larkspur, a native plant that Broad-tailed Hummingbirds and other breeding and migrating pollinators rely upon.

Bighorn Audubon recognizes that the challenges facing the Bighorn National Forest staff are very difficult and we express our admiration for their hard work and dedication to our Forest. However, we are deeply concerned and object to management’s decision which we believe will negatively impact the Forest, humans, and the birds and other wildlife that depend upon it.

Below you will find our formal objection along with an Observation Report from several retired land managers that have a powerful message on the Forest’s rangeland management practices and need for change.

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