By Brad Smith, Conservation Associate -
What do checkerboards and railroads have in common? Look at a map of the Clearwater National Forest and you will notice the checkerboard pattern of lands in the upper Lochsa River drainage.
The “Lochsa Checkerboard” belongs to Western Pacific Timber. These lands were granted to the Northern Pacific Railroad by President Lincoln for a railroad that was never built. Since 1864, each successive owner clearcut more forests and built more roads on steep, erosive slopes.
As you can imagine this pattern of ownership complicates Forest Service management. In 2003 the Idaho Conservation League commissioned a feasibility study to exchange these lands and consolidate Forest Service ownership in the upper Lochsa.
According to the study, getting the checkerboard into Forest Service management would provide an array of benefits including opportunities to restore fish and wildlife habitat.
The down side? The current proposal would swap out Forest Service lands surrounding the mountain towns of Elk River and Elk City Township.
In the case of Elk City, this would create concentric circles of private-federal-private-federal ownership, further complicating management. Instead the lands should be swapped for federal BLM parcels either inside the township or Forest Service parcels elsewhere.
Check out Lochsa Checkerboard images from space.
