Forest Service officials have released a long-awaited management plan for Fossil Creek.
Officials say it’s been in the works for a dozen years and focuses on providing continued recreational opportunities while protecting the area. It includes forest road repair, site improvements, protection and enhacement of natural and cultural values, and visitor management using the current permit system.
The creek’s natural flow was restored in 2005 after it was diverted more than a century before for mining. The effort made Fossil Creek a destination for recreation and rich in wildlife and it was established as a Wild and Scenic River by Congress in 2009.
The Fossil Creek Comprehensive River Management Plan also includes a report on the impacts of last summer’s 40,000-acre Backbone Fire, which largely burned at a low and moderate severity. The wildfire, however, has forced much of Fossil Creek to remain closed into next year.
