Urgent Reminder: Please Ask the State to Reduce the Major Adverse Impacts of its Planned Pumpkin Ridge Road Before the End of Monday, August 17th!!
We have reported on the proposal by the Indiana Departments of Transportation and Natural Resources and Brown County to spend $7 million building a .9- mile county highway to the wild Mountain Tea State Forest in northeastern Brown County. The road will replace a gravel lane and destroy the natural beauty of the approach to this state forest. It will also increase the likelihood of major logging operations and other developments that will degrade the pristine condition of Mountain Tea which is ideal for hiking, backpacking, and primitive camping. See IFA’s August 4 FOREST FLASH for more details.
The state is accepting comments on its proposed road through August 17. Please write a short email or letter to:
Nick Batta
CMT
8490 Purdue Road
Indianapolis, IN 46268
Urge INDOT to reduce the size of this road project to cause the least impact on the woods surrounding this road as possible. This can be done by:
Urge IDNR to build a trailhead on Salt Creek Road on the western boundary of Mountain Tea State Forest and a raised foot path and foot bridge over the North Fork of Salt Creek to provide access to the state forest from the west. These steps will meet the stated objective of this project to provide increased access to Mountain Tea State Forest without destroying its natural beauty. Urge IDNR also to manage Mountain Tea as a Wild Area for primitive recreation instead of logging.
Please copy and paste your email or letter to Governor Braun at the following: https://in.accessgov.com/gov/Forms/Page/gov/share-an-opinion/1 and email a copy to Tim Clark, President of the Brown County Commissioners, at clarkt@browncounty-in.gov. Thanks for your action!
Respectfully,
Jeff Stant
Executive Director
Indiana Forest Alliance
In addition to hikers, let’s save Mountain Tea State Forest for the worm eating warblers and bobcats who live there. Mtn Tea photo below by Jeff Stant. Worm-eating warbler photo by Scott Evans. Bobcat photo by John Mueller. PLEASE WRITE YOUR LETTER OR EMAIL BY AUGUST 17TH!
