LOGGERS FOLLOWING GOOD PRACTICES - Report Issued After Freedom Of Information Request

(02/26/2004)

West Virginia loggers are following legal logging practices, at least according to a report issued by the Division of Forestry in Parkersburg. The information was received after a Freedom of Information request. Travis Wilfong, the regional forester stationed in Gilmer County, did not return phone calls to clarify the agencies information. The Division of Forestry issued two tickets with attached fines in a ten county area, following 700 investigations. Seventy logging operations in Calhoun were reported to the West Virginia Division of Forestry in Parkersburg in 2003. Reported logging operations covered 25,000 acres. The largest operation covered 300 acres and the smallest was two acres. Several loggers did not report their operations. A few were caught by the division. None were issued tickets with a fine. Twenty-five Calhoun operations were issued Compliance Orders to make corrections. At least six operations declined to make the corrections and were issued Suspension Orders: Jim Vandale Logging - Big Root Run - No Notification, No Reclamation, Operating While Suspended Danny Harpers Logging - Left Fork of Nicut - No Notification Danny Harpers Logging/Tri Area - No Notification Tri-Area Timbering Inc - Mudlick Run - Operating While Suspended Jones Logging - Yellow Creek - No Timber License, No Certified Logger Bevel Wood Processing - Big Root Run - Muddy Water The regional Division of Forestry in Parkersburg issued two tickets with attached fines out of about 700 investigations in a ten county area.

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