THE SHAWNEE QUARTERLY 

 The Shawnee National Forest Schedule of Projects

Issue No. 39 August, 

2002

The purpose of this report is to alert you to upcoming projects. The report is updated and

published four times a year: February, May, August, and November. New projects will be 

listed with the ***NEW*** identifier prior to the title of the project. All project dates are

estimated unless otherwise stated. 

You can become part of the decision-making process, by commenting on all projects that

interest you. Projects are listed as originating in the Supervisor's Office, or at the 

Elizabethtown, Vienna, Jonesboro or Murphysboro District Offices. A contact name is

provided at the end of each project description. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on

the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual

orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with 

disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large 

print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To

file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten

Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964

(voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 

FOREST SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE Telephone: 800-699-6637 or 618-253-7114

50 Hwy 145 South, Harrisburg, IL 62946 Fax: 618-253-1060 TTY: 618-253-1070

Scoping, Analysis and Decisions

Forest Plan Revision – The Shawnee National Forest issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) on 

March 20, 2002 to revise the Forest’s 1992 Amended Land and Resource Management Plan 

(Forest Plan). A supplement to the NOI was issued on April 3, 2002 to announce additional 

public meetings. The NOI proposed changes to the Forest Plan and requested comments 

until June 3, 2002. The content of the comments is currently being analyzed. The 

comments will be used to verify significant issues to be carried forward in the planning 

process and to help develop alternatives to the proposed action. Development of 

alternatives to be analyzed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement will begin this fall 

with public meetings to be announced. If you would like to be involved in the planning 

process, contact us with your request, including your name and address and we will place 

you on the forest-planning mailing list. Contact Steve Hupe at the Supervisor’s Office. 

Page 1, August 2002 Issue of the Shawnee National Forest Quarterly 
Commercial Outfitter and Guide (foot travel) Decision Memo and Permits. 

The Forest will begin issuing permits to various commercial applicants to use federal lands 

for guided foot travel activities such as hunting, bird watching, and hiking. Forest Supervisor 

Forrest L. Starkey signed a decision memo for this project on June 4, 2002. 

The Natural Area Trails Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) The 

interdisciplinary team is presently preparing a response to the comments received on the 

DEIS. A final EIS and Record of Decision is expected later this fall. For more information, 

contact Dick Johnson at Vienna. 

Kudzu Eradication- The Forest is proposing to eradicate kudzu from six known sites.

Project area totals approximately 90 acres. A draft environmental impact statement will be 

released for public review and comment in 2002. Contact Tom Neal at Vienna. 

Openland Management – This project would involve the burning, mowing, disking and 

seeding, or reforestation of a number of large nonforested areas on the Forest as well as the 

maintenance and management of existing wildlife openings. 

Many of these areas are abandoned farm fields that have been recently obtained by the 

Forest Service. They range in size from 40 to 800 acres. The planned management of 

these areas is consistent with the goals and objectives for openland management as 

identified in the Forest Plan. 

Our long-term goal will be to convert these fescue-dominated pasturelands and old farmfields to native warm-season grasses for the purpose of improving habitat for both game and 

non-game species, such as bob-white quail and Henslow’s sparrow, whose populations have 

declined as much as 80% since 1966, or to reforest these areas to native tree-species. 

These areas are located throughout the Forest. 

We have recently undertaken a partnership project with the Cooperative Wildlife Research 

Laboratory at Southern Illinois University to utilize their geographic information system to 

map the distribution of openland habitat. The results of this project will be used to evaluate 

the environmental effects of maintaining these sites. 

Contact Mike Spanel in the Supervisor’s Office or Steve Widowski at Vienna. 

Special-Use Authorization Reissuance – Public scoping was conducted during 2001 for a 

project to reissue nineteen existing special-use authorizations. The analysis is expected to

be completed this year. Contact Diane Neal at the Vienna. 

Special-Use Authorization Issuance - A scoping letter proposing the issuance of seven

new special-use authorizations for access and construction, operation and maintenance of

utility lines and facilities on Forest lands was signed in 2001. The analysis is expected to be

completed this year. Contact Diane Neal at the Vienna. 

Page 2, August 2002 Issue of the Shawnee National Forest Quarterly 
VIENNA RANGER DISTRICT Telephone: 618-658-2111

Box 37, Vienna, IL 62995 Fax: 618-658-2071 TTY 618 658-2114

Scoping, Analysis, and Decisions

***New***Two Requests for Special-Use Permits – Southeastern Illinois Electric 

Cooperative has requested two special-use permits to place new electric lines on National 

Forest lands. Contact Diane Neal at Vienna. 

9-Day Trail Ride Environmental Assessment and Permit – The Associated Saddle Clubs 

of Southern Illinois will be issued a special-use permit for camping and the corralling of 

horses on federal land (Pope County) and the utilization of Forest trails during the event 

known as the Nine-Day Trail Ride in July/August 2002. The Forest completed an 

environmental assessment (EA) for the project in April 2002. Vienna District Ranger Nick 

Giannettino signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact on May 23,2002. 

Camp Ondessonk (foot travel) Decision Memo and Permit - Vienna District Ranger Nick 

Giannettino issued a permit in June 2002 to allow Camp Ondessonk use of Forest lands for 

outfitting and guiding services (foot travel activities only). 

Camp Ondessonk Equestrian Outfitting and Guiding Services Environmental 

Assessment and Permit - An environmental assessment was completed for this project in 

2002. Vienna District Ranger Nick Giannettino issued a permit in July to allow Camp

Ondessonk to use Forest Service lands for outfitting and guiding services (equestrian). 

Vienna Office Building Comments have been received in response to a scoping letter 

proposing a new office building at the Vienna Ranger Station. An environmental assessment 

will be prepared later this summer and circulated for public comment. The new office would 

be constructed in Vienna on the same tract of land as the existing building. Contact Dick 

Johnson at Vienna. 

Implementation 

River-to-River Trail – Planned maintenance on the River-to-River Trail will include applying

spot gravel to a 3-mile segment in the Lusk Creek Wilderness Area. Pack animals will be 

used to haul the gravel. A contractor recently completed handwork on a two-mile segment in 

the East Fork portion of Lusk Creek. Contact Ken Peterein at Murphysboro. 

East Fork of Lusk Creek Wilderness: Bethesda Church Trail Reconstruction – The 

reconstruction of the Bethesda Church Trail, #430, will include erosion-control work with 

hand tools and applying spot gravel to problem spots. Pack-animals will be used to haul the

gravel; however, equipment may be utilized on trail segments located outside of wilderness 

areas. The project is located in Pope County. Contact Ken Peterein at Murphysboro. 

Page 3, August 2002 Issue of the Shawnee National Forest Quarterly 
Oak Point Bathhouse finished at Lake Glendale Recreation Area. The new bathhouse, 

located at Oak Point Campground, is completed and open to the public. The Campground 

features amenities such as electric hookups and a trailer dump-station, plus is totally 

handicapped-accessible. 

ELIZABETHTOWN RANGER DISTRICT Telephone: 618-287-2201 

R.R. 2, Box 4, Elizabethtown, IL 62931 Fax or TTY: 618-287-8872 

Scoping, Analysis and Decisions

Proposed Relocation of River-to-River Trail – This project proposes to relocate, designate 

and construct the River-to-River Trail on a new alignment from Elizabethtown north to the

junction with the existing River-to-River Trail near Russell Cemetery (fourteen miles). Due to

budget constraints, this project is currently on hold. Contact Ken Peterein at Murphysboro. 

Ecological Restoration at Keeling Hill North and South Ecological Areas and Russell

Cemetery Ecological Area, the Eagle Mountain Complex including Cave Hill,

Stoneface, and Dennison Hollow Research Natural Areas (RNA’s), and RNA and

Natural areas at Whoopie Cat Mountain - We are reviewing the management prescriptions 

for these natural areas and RNA’s. Restoration activities may include controlled burning and 

selective tree and shrub removal. Contact Beth Shimp at the Supervisor’s Office. 

Reconstruction proposals for River-to-River Trail – This project proposes to reconstruct

multiple segments of the existing River-to-River Trail including Cadiz (from Rock Creek to 

McPherson Cemetery, eight miles, T11S, R7&8E) and One Horse Gap (from Hart Creek to

Concord Cemetery, five miles, T11S, R7E). Work was also being planned on other districts, 

including Cedar Lake (from Makanda to Alto Pass, six miles, T10S, R1&2W); and Petticoat

Junction (from Eddyville to Bay Creek, seven miles, T12S, R5&6E). The environmental

analysis for the Cadiz/Rock Creek section is underway. Contact Ken Peterein at

Murphysboro. 

Page 4, August 2002 Issue of the Shawnee National Forest Quarterly 
Implementation

River-to-River Trail Reconstruction – Trail-reconstruction work will continue by hand on

the River-to-River Trail in Hardin County along the west and east side of Garden of the Gods

Wilderness, about 1 km (.06 mi). Contact Ken Peterein at Murphysboro. 

One Horse Gap Trail Reconstruction – The planned work on trails #106, 106A, 156, 137, 

139 around the One Horse Gap Lake area in Pope County is near completion. Contact Ken 

Peterein at Murphysboro. 

JONESBORO RANGER DISTRICT Telephone: 618-833-8576

521 N. Main St., Jonesboro, IL 62952 Fax or TTY: 618-833-3693

Scoping, Analysis and Decisions

Honey School Bridge Replacement-The environmental analysis to replace Honey School 

Bridge (T15S, R2W, Section 18) crossing Wolf Creek in Alexander County, IL on Forest

Service Road #656 is in progress. Contact Anita Arends at the Supervisor’s Office. 

MURPHYSBORO RANGER DISTRICT Telephone: 618-687-1731 

2221 Walnut, Box 787, Murphysboro, IL 62966 Fax or TTY: 618-687-1726

Scoping, Analysis and Decisions

Rattlesnake Ferry 1 and 2, and Kinkaid Lake Low Water Crossings (LWC) 

Replacements – The environmental analysis on the projects to replace Rattlesnake Ferry 

LWC 1 and Rattlesnake Ferry LWC 2 (T10S, R3W, Section 27) and Kinkaid Lake LWC (T7S, 

R4W, Section 34) are ongoing. Contact Anita Arends at the Supervisor’s Office. 

Implementation

Trail Reconstruction – The Bald Knob/Clear Springs trail-reconstruction work in Union 

County is being accomplished as a result of a participating agreement with the St. Louis 

Partners Americorps. The Panther Den trail work has been completed. Contact Ken

Peterein at Murphysboro. 

Page 5, August 2002 Issue of the Shawnee National Forest Quarterly 
Page 6, August 2002 Issue of the Shawnee National Forest Quarterly 

Forest Supervisor

Shawnee National Forest

50 Hwy 145 South

Harrisburg, IL 62946

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