The Bureau of Land Management Dillon Field Office is proposing vegetation management treatments on tens of thousands of acres and accepting comments until April 18, 2025. The BLM should actively manage public lands to best prevent wildfires to allow continued access and multiple use. The BLM has proposed three alternatives which are summarized below. The proposed action (Alternative B) will treat the most acres and will actively manage these public lands best. BRC encourages the BLM to move forward with the proposed action with some adjustments to treat lands with wilderness characteristics and areas of critical environmental concern.
Alternative A – No Action
Under this alternative, current vegetation management practices would continue without implementing new treatments.Existing conditions would persist, and no additional proactive measures would be taken to address vegetation health or ecosystem restoration.​
Alternative B – Proposed Action
This alternative aims to improve vegetation conditions through a variety of treatments across different habitat types:​
- Sagebrush Steppe and Grassland Habitats: Approximately 70,000 acres would undergo treatments such as prescribed fire, mechanical thinning, and targeted grazing to reduce invasive species and promote native vegetation.​
- Riparian and Wetland Areas: Around 5,000 acres would be treated using methods like willow planting, streambank stabilization, and removal of encroaching conifers to enhance water quality and habitat for aquatic species.​
- Aspen and Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany Communities: Approximately 10,000 acres would receive treatments including selective cutting and prescribed burns to rejuvenate these important habitats.​
Alternative C – Upland Restoration Treatments
This alternative focuses specifically on upland areas, proposing treatments on approximately 50,000 acres of sagebrush and grassland habitats. Methods would include mechanical thinning and prescribed fire to restore native plant communities and improve wildlife habitat. Treatments within ACECs and WSAs would be conducted only if they are consistent with the management goals and legal requirements of these protected areas.​
