PEDRO – For the next 30 days, the Wayne National Forest is asking for public feedback on a project that promotes young brushy forest habitat emphasizing the regeneration of oaks and hickories on the Ironton Ranger District.

The project, called The Sunny Oaks Project, is located east of State Route 93, west of State Route 141, north of Aid and south of Oak Hill. The project area is located in parts of Jackson, Gallia, and Lawrence Counties.

“Based on public input, as well as continued work by my team of staff, we developed an alternative 2 for the public to consider in order to meet the project goals,” said Ironton  District Ranger Tim Slone.

Alternative 2 includes placing a higher emphasis on the oak-hickory objective of the project, determining whether or not there was the potential to increase flooding in small, localized watersheds and addressing recreation and scenery impacts identified by the public.

The presentations can be accessed from the project website located at http://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/wayne/landmanagement/projects.

If approved, the project would authorize the harvest of about 2,740 acres of forest through a mix of clearcut and shelterwood harvests.

Public comments on the environmental assessment can be made to Rachel Reed at Wayne National Forest, Ironton Ranger District, 6518 State Route 93, Pedro, Ohio 45659, specifically stating that they are in reference to the notice and comment period for The Sunny Oaks Project. Comments should directly relate the proposed action to a resource impact. Include your name, current physical mailing address, phone number and signature or other verification of identity with your comments.

To discuss this project call (740) 534-6500 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday or emailed to: comments-eastern-wayne-ironton@fs.fed.us