Williams, Ariz., Feb. 8, 2017—For Immediate Release. Timber and silviculture staff on the Williams
Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest have begun laying out two new timber sale projects located
south of Interstate 40 between Forest Road 141 near Bootlegger Crossing and Forest Road 62 in the
Garland Prairie area.

The areas to be harvested are part of the 3347-acre Beacon Hill and Mineral Springs timber sale projects
which have been designated as part of the ongoing Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI) effort. Active
forest restoration work will begin once the contract has been awarded, which is expected sometime in
2018. In the meantime, residents and visitors to the area can expect to see trees and internal boundaries
marked with orange paint, which will eventually serve as visual guidance to the contractor regarding
Forest Service expectations for treatment.

A portion of the tree marking operations will take place on national forest land that borders private
property. Land owners in these areas may notice an increased number of Forest Service personnel and
vehicles in the area over the next few months while tree marking operations are completed.
The objectives for treating these areas are to reduce fuel loading and the potential for future high-intensity
wildfires and to improve wildlife habitat and overall forest health.

The goal of the 4FRI is to accelerate the pace and scale of restoration within 2.4 million acres of
ponderosa pine forest in northern Arizona and to increase resilience and proper functioning. Restoring
this fire-adapted ecosystem is accomplished with a suite of restoration activities from watershed
maintenance and habitat improvements to thinning and prescribed burning.

Other timber sales projects around the Bill Williams Mountain area have been temporarily shut-down due
to saturated soils but are expected to recommence as conditions dry out.

For more specific information about these and other current restoration projects ongoing on the district
contact Josh Giles at 928-635-5616

Additional information on the Kaibab National Forest can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/Kaibab, and
regarding 4FRI at www.fs.usda.gov/4fri. You can also follow us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/KaibabNF/ and Twitter twitter.com/kaibabnf as we may provide updates/photos
through those sources in the future.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.