6/03/2026

GOGEBIC COUNTY / U.P. - Opposition to a major forest clearing project in the Western U.P. including in the Eastern part of Gogebic County has been taken to the next level.  The Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) has just joined with five partner organizations in a coalition to file an objection to the U.S. Forest Service’s Silver Branch Vegetation Management Project.  These partners are Environment Michigan, the Michigan Environmental Council, the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition. The project would clear-cut parts of a nearly 200-square-mile section of the Ottawa National Forest.  The USDA Forest Service says the project aims to increase the forest’s resilience to wildfire, insect outbreaks, and extreme weather to protect nearby communities and natural resources.  The plan includes forest thinning efforts spanning 58,000 acres. No lawsuits have been filed yet, however coalition members say they are ‘seriously considering legal action if changes to the plan are not made.