Chainsaws in Wilderness: FAQ

Due to the recent proposal by the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association to allow limited chainsaw use in the Frank Church Wilderness and the discourse that has followed, ICL has developed an FAQ on the topic.

For a full deep dive into the wilderness and chainsaws issue, please refer to this recent blog post by ICL Public Lands & Wildlife Director John Robison.

Q: Are chainsaws illegal in Wilderness?

A: Chainsaws can be allowed in certain circumstances where the Forest Service has determined that it is the minimal tool needed for Wilderness management (in this case clearing unusually high numbers of trees that are blocking a large number of trails). 

Q: Does ICL support a broad authorization of chainsaw use in Wilderness?

A: No. Chainsaws should never become common practice in Wilderness Areas. We are opposed to any policy shift away from traditional wilderness stewardship practices or broad authorization of chainsaw use in the Frank Church or elsewhere within the National Wilderness Preservation System. 

Q: What is ICLs position on the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association’s recent proposal to allow limited chainsaw use in the Frank Church Wilderness?

A: ICL is open to a narrowly tailored, temporary approach allowing limited chainsaw use on a specific list of priority trails. 

Q: What is ICL going to do next?

A: The next step for ICL is to work with the Forest Service, Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association, and trail stewardship organizations to ensure this program is implemented in a manner that minimizes impacts to wilderness values. We see need for the Forest Service to coordinate trail prioritization with trail groups, monitor the implementation and effectiveness of work performed by outfitters, ensure the public is informed about which trails are being cleared with chainsaws and when that work is occurring, and return trails to traditional wilderness stewardship practices as quickly as possible. 

Q: What is necessary to deal with the trail maintenance backlog in the long term?

A: Ultimately, Congress needs to adequately fund the Forest Service so that it has the resources needed to both maintain trails and protect wilderness character, reducing the need for extraordinary measures such as chainsaw use for routine trail maintenance. The baseline funding required to support Idaho work crews who use the traditional tools of crosscut-saws, axes and mule trains address these needs is modest in the context of overall federal spending.