The Karuk Tribe and two conservation groups are suing Six Rivers National Forest in federal court over what they say is a failure to protect spiritual areas as part of a wildfire fuel reduction project around Orleans.

The tribe, the Klamath Forest Alliance and the Environmental Protection Information Center claim that despite three years of discussions and dispute mediation over the fuels plan, Six Rivers breached a wide range of guidelines regarding sacred sites and wildlife when the project actually went into effect. That includes using heavy equipment on an important spiritual trail, removing big, fire-resistant hardwoods, putting log decks along the spiritual trail and other actions outside the scope of the plan, the complaint contends.

The plaintiffs are suing over a portion of the plan, alleging violations of the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Forest Management Act and the Healthy Forests Restoration Act.

Six Rivers Supervisor Tyrone Kelley's office said the supervisor had not seen the complaint and could not immediately comment.

The Orleans Community Fuels Reduction program was launched in 2006 with the intent of helping to protect the little town of Orleans from wildfires on the adjacent forest land. The planned 2,698-acre project was meant to remove fire-prone forest material, reduce the density of some forest stands to promote wildlife diversity and enhance the Panamniik World Renewal Ceremonial District, which is eligible for national historic designation.

”The Ceremonial District is an integral part of the social fabric that links the indigenous people of the Klamath River into a cohesive social system, which is still intact today,” the complaint reads.

The final version of the plan, however, didn't match the guidelines developed as part of the collaborative community process, according to the tribe. Instead of focusing on removing small trees and brush near residences, the tribe claims, part of the plan had morphed into a large commercial logging project. The tribe, along with the Mid-Klamath Watershed Council and the Orleans/Somes Bar Fire Safe Council, formally objected, and the Forest Service agreed to modifications.

But when logging began, the tribe claimed the details regarding protection of sacred sites were being ignored by Forest Service contractors. Activists even blocked a logging road in December, and Kelley went to Orleans to address the issues, and called a temporary stop to the operation while the issues are worked out. Now, the tribe said that logging equipment is being moved back into the area, and it's concerned that work may begin again on the 914 acres of the plan that is being contested.

”We participated in good faith in the Forest Service's collaborative process and we were assured that our sacred areas would be protected and our cultural values respected,” said Karuk Natural Resources Director Leaf Hillman. “It's now obvious that those were hollow promises.”

 

John Driscoll can be reached at 441-0504 or jdriscoll@times-standard.com.