Sign inStarta project

Categorical exclusion · example

Six Creeks Fireshed

Non-commercial vegetation cutting and prescribed fire across 56,388 acres of the Ironton Ranger District to promote oak regeneration, improve oak health, expand wildlife habitat including bat roosting and foraging, and reduce fuel loading near at-risk communities.2

Facts from USDA Forest Service public records, each linked by number to its source; checked November 13, 2026. Section notes by ePlan.

At a glance

Where
Ironton Ranger District, Wayne National Forest, in parts of Lawrence, Scioto and Gallia counties, Ohio; the general area of Oak Hill, Patriot, Waterloo, Pedro, Pine Grove and South Webster.3
Size
56,388 acres project area, of which 39,115 acres are federally managed lands2
Lead agency
USDA Forest Service, Wayne National Forest, Ironton Ranger District3
Review
Categorical exclusion, documented in a decision memo1
Legal citation
36 CFR 220.6(e)(6), timber stand and/or wildlife habitat improvement activities without herbicides or more than 1 mile of low standard road construction; project page code USDA-13d-NRCS3
Status
Finding/decision complete; decision signed July 14, 20251

Timeline

  1. NEPA Start Date1
  2. Requested comment deadline3
  3. Finding/Decision Date1

Documents USDA Forest Service published

What the documents say

7-14-2025 Six Creeks Fireshed DM FINAL SIGNED

Description of Decision
Decides on hand-cut crop tree release and mid-story control, open-land habitat mowing and cutting, and prescribed fire across 56,388 acres, with no road construction or reconstruction.2
Forest Plan Guideline Departures
Allows openings mowing between October 1 and March 31, and burning whole openings when partial burns are unsafe or impractical, departing from guidelines GFW-WLF-8 and GFW-WLF-10.2
Purpose of Decision
Lists four objectives: oak regeneration, oak health, wildlife habitat including Federally-listed bats, and reduced fuel loading near at-risk communities in the Wildland Urban Interface.2
Design Criteria and Mitigations
Applies Forest Plan standards protecting running buffalo clover, rock shelters and outcrops, filterstrips of 50 to 100 feet along water bodies, and invasive species controls.2

Wet Signed ScopingLetter WayneNF.docx

Purpose and Need for Action
Continues earlier prescribed fire projects and expands into new areas of the Ironton Ranger District, with four objectives centered on oak ecosystems, wildlife habitat and fuel loading.3
Proposed Action
Proposes repeated prescribed fire with fire lines built by hand tools, chainsaws, tractors and dozers, often reusing existing trails, roads or streams as fire breaks.3
Public Comments
States the project may be categorically excluded under 36 CFR 220.6(e)(6), so no appeal or objection process applies, and asks for comments by June 11, 2024.3

Six Creeks Project Comment Considerations

Public Scoping Comments and Considerations
Responds to public comments on fuel reduction, watershed streams, invasive species, special areas, ORV damage, burn seasons and monitoring through photo plots and stand exams.4

Start one like it.

A project like Six Creeks Fireshed? Describe yours and ePlan drafts the CE documentation. Which Forest Service CE fits your project?

More examples

Forest Service CE finder · All Forest Service projects

Sources

  1. Six Creeks Fireshed Project: Forest Service project pagefs.usda.gov
  2. 7-14-2025 Six Creeks Fireshed DM FINAL SIGNEDusfs-public.app.box.com
  3. Wet Signed ScopingLetter WayneNF.docxusfs-public.app.box.com
  4. Six Creeks Project Comment Considerationsusfs-public.app.box.com