Medford Plans

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) ensures that the BLM (and other Federal agencies) consider the impact of an action on the quality of the human environment before decisions are made and the action is taken. NEPA-relative documents are required to concentrate on significant issues.


Planning in Progress

Existing Plans

Environmental Assessment

Ashland Resource Area

Grazing Lease Renewals for Antelope Road, Brownsboro, Canal and Yankee Reservoir Allotments: The purpose of the EA is to renew grazing leases for a 10 year period on the following allotments.

Star Gulch Aquatic Habitat Restoration Project: The Ashland Resource Area of the Medford District Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to improve fish and aquatic habitat by adding large wood to Star Gulch and Lightning Gulch. The Large wood sources are hazard trees along Star Gulch road and live trees from an uncut unit from a past timber sale. This project would improve juvenile and adult salmonid habitat conditions on 4.2 miles of Star Gulch and 0.3 miles of Lightning Gulch (a tributary to Star Gulch). The project will be completed in the summer of 2008. The project planning has been finalized and will be completed in the summer of 2008.

Forest Creek Bridge Project:

    This is a Title II Project wherein the Applegate River Watershed Council (ARWC) has worked with the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) and the owner of the Forest Creek Feedlot on an approach for building a bridge crossing to keep the landowner’s cows out of Forest Creek.

  • Decision Record/Finding of No Significant Impact (PDF)

Galls Foot Forest Management Project:

China Keeler Project: Forest management project; replaces EA for 5/2004.

Maka Oyate Sundance Native American Religious Ceremony: The Ashland Resource Area of the Medford District BLM proposes to issue a three-year, renewable authorization to use BLM lands for the Maka Oyate Sundance Native American religious ceremony. The proposed authorized area encompasses approximately 580 acres north of Pilot Rock in T. 40 S., R. 2 E., Section 25 and T. 40 S. R. 3 E., Section 30, W.M. on BLM lands within the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument (CSNM). The ceremony occurs during the summer over a two to three week period and is attended by 300-500 people. The appeal period runs from July 2nd through August 1st.

Star Gulch Aquatic Habitat Restoration Project: The Ashland Resource Area of the Medford District Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to improve fish and aquatic habitat by adding large wood to Star Gulch and Lightning Gulch. The Large wood sources are hazard trees along Star Gulch road and live trees from an uncut unit from a past timber sale. This project would improve juvenile and adult salmonid habitat conditions on 4.2 miles of Star Gulch and 0.3 miles of Lightning Gulch (a tributary to Star Gulch). The project will be completed in the summer of 2008. The project planning has been finalized and will be completed in the summer of 2008.

Butte Falls Resource Area

Alco Springs Project: Fence construction around spring in Flat Creek Grazing Allotment.


Camp Cur Timber Sale and Landscape Restoration Project: Forest management for portions of Lost Creek and Central Big Butte Creek Watersheds. Flounce Around Timber Sale EA: Timber harvest, density management, selective cut and regeneration harvest. Flounce Around Project: This environmental assessment analyzes the effects of harvesting commercial timber, reducing forest fuel concentrations, and maintaining roads.

Indian Creek Culvert Replacement Project: Replace twin undersized culverts that are blocking salmon migration and causing flooding and erosion on BLM Road # 34-123.

Jackass Creek Fence Exclosure & Beaver Dam Creek Exclosure Cages EA: Restrict livestock access by constructing two fence exclosures along Jackass Creek, five cages along Beaver Dam Creek, and to cages along tributary to Beaver Dam Creek. Lower Table Rock Accessible Interpretive Trail: Proposal to construct an accessible, interpretive trail loop in the Lower Table Rock of the Table Rocks Area of Critical Environmental Concern. Musty Sardines Forest Management and Fuel Reduction Project: Selected forest stands on Matrix lands would be treated using commercial thinning, selection harvesting and regeneration harvest. Density management would be considered Riparian Reserves. Slick Sand Environmental Assessment: Timber harvest and restoration activities in a subwatershed of the West Fork of Evans Creek Watershed, including commercial thinning, regeneration harvesting, site preparation activities, seeding and fertilizing for cutback stability. Ten Year Grazing Authorization Renewal OR-115-05-01: This EA is available at the Medford District Office and at the public library in Medford. Written comments should be sent to the Butte Falls Field Manager at the Medford Office. Twin Ranch Forest Management Project: Proposes timber harvest, pine plantation thinning, road work, fuels reduction, and meadow restoration projects approximately 5 miles north and east of the town of Butte Falls in the Big Butte Creek 5th field watershed. West Fork Trail Creek Aquatic Habitat Restoration: The BLM proposes to install fish habitat improvement structures in West Fork Trail Creek. The objective is to improve fish habitat conditions on 1.2 miles of West Fork Trail Creek. The project is located in the Trail Creek Watershed.

Glendale Resource Area

Seneca Right-of-Way Road Construction Project: Proposed right-of-way road construction and road use for hauling timber across BLM land in response to Seneca Jones Timber Company’s request to access their private property pursuant to 43 CFR 2812. The Project Area is located approximately 7 miles east of the town of Azalea, Oregon in Douglas County and in a late successional reserve.

Swanson Group, Inc. Right-of-Way Road Construction Project: Proposed right-of-way road construction and road use for hauling timber across BLM land in response to Swanson Group, Inc.'s request to access their private property pursuant to 43 CFR 2812. The Project Area is located approximately 1 mile from the town of Azalea, Oregon in Douglas County and in a late successional reserve. The public comment period ends July 20, 2007.

August Knob Salvage Project: Proposes to salvage fire killed trees and fell hazardous trees within the area burned from the Blossom Fire of 2005. The Planning Area (PA) is located approximately 20 miles west of the community of Glendale, Oregon. Other forest activities include construction of a cable harvest landing, re-opening and reconstructing a temporary spur road and decommissioning it after use, lopping and scattering logging vegetative debris back on site and road maintenance that would clean up roadside logging debris after harvest.

Five Rogues Project: Proposes several management actions that include harvesting commercial timber, road work and hazardous fuels reduction within the Five Rogues Project Planning Area.

Middle Cow LSR Landscape Planning Project: Proposes to harvest commercial density management, implement noncommercial density management, fuels reduction treatments, transportation management (temporary road construction, maintenance, decommissioning, and road gating).
Slim Jim Project: Proposes to harvest commercial timber and implement noncommercial density management, fuels reduction treatments, temporary road construction, road renovation, road decommissioning, and blocking/gating roads. The Project Area is located approximately 6 miles east of the town of Azalea, Oregon, in Douglas and Jackson Counties and approximately 30 miles northeast of Grants Pass, Oregon.

Westside Project: The Glendale Field Manager proposes to harvest commercial timber, implement noncommercial density management, fuels reduction treatments, temporary road construction, road renovation, and road decommissioning in Matrix and Riparian Reserve land use allocations. The Project Area is located northeast of the community of Glendale, south of Canyon Creek Pass, and immediately northeast and southeast of Interstate 5.

Willy Slide Timber Sale: Planned timber sale in the Wilson and Slide Creek drainages, near the Wild Rogue wilderness area. This is a replacement environmental assessment for the Willy Slide Project Environmental Assessment (EA# OR118-04-015). The PA is approximately 18 miles northwest of the town of Glendale.

Grants Pass Resource Area

Anderson West Forest Management Project: This is an integrated forest management project being planned in the western portion of the Deer Creek watershed in Josephine County. Resource conditions on BLM land will be evaluated for potential forest health and resource restoration treatment needs and opportunities.

Birdseye Jones Forest Management Project:: This is an integrated forest management project being planned in the Birdseye and Jones Creek watersheds in Josephine County. Resource conditions on BLM land will be evaluated for potential forest health and resource restoration treatment needs and opportunities. The project may include low-elevation providing easily accessible recreational opportunities, riparian restoration, a special forest products program, young stand forest development treatments, forest thinning, fire hazard reduction, wildlife habitat restoration and enhancement, and road renovation or decommissioning.

Cathedral Hills Fuel Hazard Reduction and Recreation Management Project: The Cathedral Hills Fuel Hazard Reduction and Recreation Management project will reduce hazardous fuels through thinning, hand pile burning and underburning. Recreation projects include trail construction, reconstruction and decommissioning, trailhead parking area expansion, and installation of informational kiosks and vault restrooms.

Free & Easy 2 Forest Management Project: This is an integrated forest management project being planned in the Cave Junction and Kerby area in Josephine County. Resource conditions on BLM land have been evaluated for potential forest health and resource restoration treatment needs and opportunities. The project proposal includes commercial and precommercial forest stand thinning, fire hazard reduction, prescribed fire restoration of serpentine and meadow habitats, and road decommissioning, renovation and maintenance.

Granite Horse Forest Management Project: Released for public review and comment on March 2, 2000. This is an integrated forest management project proposal which includes precommercial and commercial thinning, young tree pruning, fire hazard reduction work, wildlife habitat improvement, riparian reserve restoration, and road construction and decommissioning. It is located in the Jumpoff Joe watershed north of Grants Pass.

Iron Creek Amendment Application and Road Construction EA: The proposed project is to grant Spalding and Son, Inc. a permit to construct approximately 624' of road across BLM in T37S, R6W, Section 26 (see attached maps).

Josephine County Road Use Permit for West Ash Gulch (revised): In March 2005, we completed an environmental assessment (EA) for the Josephine County Road Use Permit for West Ash Gulch. In response to public comments, we are issuing a revised EA for the project that includes more detailed analysis regarding the potential effects of road construction, log haul on existing roads, and timber harvest on a variety of resources.

North Murphy Forest Management Project

Pickett Snake EA Addendum 2 for the Pickett Charge Area: We have updated our proposal and completed additional analysis for the Pickett Charge portion of the Pickett Snake Landscape Management Project.

Pickett Snake Landscape Management Project EA: The Pickett Snake Landscape Management Project EA supplement was prepared in response to a court ruling. In June 2004, the District Court of Oregon enjoined the timber sale until the BLM completed supplemental National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis and documentation that further addressed three issues: the range of alternatives, visual resource impacts, and soil and water cumulative impacts. Because this document supplements an EA previously available for public review and comment, we will only accept comments regarding the three issues addressed by this supplement.

Pickett Snake Forest Management Project: This is an integrated forest management project being planned in the Pickett Creek watershed in Josephine County. Resource conditions on BLM land are being evaluated for potential forest health and resource restoration treatment needs and opportunities. The project may include work such as forest stand thinning, fire hazard reduction, riparian restoration, road renovation or decommissioning, and erosion reduction needs.

Peavine Project: The Peavine Project proposes precommercial and commercial thinning of approximately 450 acres of 35 - 50 year old plantations of primarily off-site pine, fuel hazard reduction treatments, road renovation and decommissioning.

Pickett Snake Landscape Management Project EA: The Pickett Snake Landscape Management Project EA supplement was prepared in response to a court ruling. In June 2004, the District Court of Oregon enjoined the timber sale until the BLM completed supplemental National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis and documentation that further addressed three issues: the range of alternatives, visual resource impacts, and soil and water cumulative impacts. Because this document supplements an EA previously available for public review and comment, we will only accept comments regarding the three issues addressed by this supplement.

Rand Equipment Storage Area: The Rand Equipment Storage Area proposal is to fence a 1/3 acre previously disturbed area at the south end of the Rand complex for equipment storage using a 7' tall fence. Trees would be planted to provide a visual screen when viewed from the river.

Rand Recreation Site Vault Toilet: The Rand Recreation Site Vault Toilet proposal is to replace the current toilet facility at the Rand Recreation Site with a concrete vault toilet farther up the hill and away from the river.

Rogue River Hazardous Fuel Reduction Project: The purpose of this project is to reduce the fire hazard in areas located within the boundary of the Hellgate Recreation Section of the Rogue Wild and Scenic River. Many years of effective fire exclusion has resulted in conditions of high fuel loads and fire hazard. The project would reduce vegetative fuel loads to protect property values within the corridor and to protect the special river values, should a severe wildfire occur. Fuel hazard reduction treatments would be done in a manner consistent with the management goals of the Wild and Scenic River. This is a Healthy Forests Initiative project and a national pilot NEPA project.

Scattered Apples Forest Management Project:

South Deer Landscape Management Project: This is an integrated forest management project being planned in the Deer Creek watershed in Josephine County. Resource conditions on BLM land will be evaluated for potential forest health and resource restoration treatment needs and opportunities. The project may include riparian restoration work, forest stand thinning and timber harvesting, prescribed burning, understory thinning to reduce fire hazard, young forest stand thinning and brushing, and various types of road work.

TLK Investment, LLC Road Reconstruction and Right-of-Way Application EA: TLK Investment, LLC, has applied for a right-of-way across BLM lands to access their property and business, the OK Corral. They are also requesting to build two turnouts and improve sight distance at one location along the road.

Waters Creek In-stream Restoration Project:

West Fork of the Illinois River Landscape Management Project: An environmental assessment (EA) addendum for the West Fork of the Illinois River Landscape Management Project on the Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is available for public review and comment. This EA addendum includes an updated proposal and additional analysis of effects. The revised proposal would harvest approximately 72 fewer acres on matrix lands and two additional acres in riparian reserves. Four additional acres in riparian reserves would be treated for fuel hazard reduction. Additional analysis addresses the nominated Waldo-Takelma Area of Critical Environmental Concern.

White Fir Fuel Hazard Reduction Project: The proposed project would reduce hazardous fuels on BLM lands bordering rural residential private property by thinning or prescribed burning vegetation on 120 acres using manual and mechanical methods. The project area is near White Fir Drive and Azalea Road in T35S, R6W, Section 33, approximately 5 miles northwest of Grants Pass.

Decision Records

Ashland Resource Area

•  No information at this time

Butte Falls Resource Area

• No information at this time.

Glendale Resource Area

• No information at this time

Grants Pass Resource Area

• No information at this time.

Watershed Analysis

Ashland Resource Area

Butte Falls Resource Area

Central Big Butte Creek - 8/14/95 (PDF)

East Evans Creek - 3/96 (PDF)

Elk Creek - 7/19/96 (PDF)

Ginger Springs Recharge Area - 8/4/98 (PDF)

Lost Creek - 3/98 (PDF)   maps (PDF)

Lower Big Butte - 9/99 (PDF)

Middle Evans Creek - 4/30/95 (PDF)

Middle Fork and South Fork of the Upper Rogue River - 11/98 (PDF)

Trail Creek - 6/99 (PDF)    maps (PDF)

Upper Big Butte - 12/1/95 (PDF)

West Fork of Evans Creek - 4/95 (PDF)

Glendale Resource Area

Grave Creek - 9/99 (PDF)  maps (PDF)

Middle Cow Creek - 10/99 (PDF)   maps (PDF)

Upper Cow Creek (PDF)

West Fork of Cow Creek - 6/97 (PDF)

Wild Rogue North - 12/99 (PDF)

Grants Pass Resource Area

Althouse Creek - 2/05 (PDF)

Cheney/Slate - 7/96 (PDF)

Deer Creek - 11/97 (PDF)     maps (PDF)

Jumpoff Joe - 6/98 (PDF)       maps (PDF)

Kerby (PDF)

Murphy - 2/00 (PDF)         maps (PDF)

North Fork Silver Creek (PDF)

Rogue-Grants Pass - 8/98 (PDF)    maps (PDF)

Rogue-Recreation Section - 1/99 (PDF)     maps (PDF)

West Fork Illinois River (PDF)

Wild Rogue - South - 3/00 (PDF)

Williams - 3/96 (PDF)

Environment Impact Statements

Butte Falls Resource Area

Division of Operations

Seed Orchards Integrated Pest Management Final Environmental Impact Statement - Notice: Availability of the Record of Decision for the Integrated Pest Management Program at the Provolt and Sprague Seed Orchards

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Medford District, has completed the Record of Decision (ROD) for a proposed integrated pest management (IPM) program for the Provolt Seed Orchard near Grants Pass, in Jackson and Josephine Counties, Oregon; and the Sprague Seed Orchard near Merlin, in Josephine County, Oregon. The orchards produce conifer seeds and other vegetative materials that are used primarily for reforestation and a variety of land management activities. The proposed IPM program would be used to manage insect, weed, animal, and disease problems at those BLM orchards. This ROD reviews the proposed action and alternatives, which include biological, chemical, cultural, prescribed fire, and other methods of pest control.

Glendale Resource Area

Grants Pass Resource Area

Biscuit Fire: In 2002 the 500,000 acre Biscuit Fire burned approximately 9,000 acres of BLM land. The BLM is a cooperating agency with the Forest Service's Biscuit Recovery Project Environmental Impact Statement effort. This EIS addresses many post-fire management activities proposed for both Forest Service and BLM administered lands. Since the fire the BLM has also been pursuing a variety of project work in the fire area including reforestation, roadside hazard tree reduction, erosion control, removal of trees felled during fire line construction, and road closures. As additional resource protection and restoration needs are identified in the future, they will be addressed in separate NEPA analysis documents. Such projects might include noxious weed control, planting maintenance work, wildlife habitat improvement, road culvert and drainage improvement.

Document Library

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