Help BLM with newest forest health project
MEDFORD, Ore. – The Bureau of Land Management Ashland Field Office is asking the public to help with planning a proposed forest health and timber harvest project in the Applegate and Lake Creek areas. The Douglas fir Mortality Complex Environmental Assessment is designed to make nearby communities safer by reducing fire risk near where people live by using salvage harvests to remove dead and dying trees. It also aims to increase forest resistance to fire by thinning nearby areas, making the trees more resilient to fire, drought, and insects.
“The Ashland Field Office is addressing the widespread Douglas-fir mortality within our area,” said Lauren Brown, BLM Ashland Field Office Manager. “Many of these stands need thinning to better replicate historic forests and result in healthier forests. If there is a fire, treated forests slow fire spread, create safer conditions for firefighters, and decrease the chances of high severity fire.”
The BLM will open a 37-day public scoping period on Dec. 8 for interested people to provide assistance to the planning effort.
To stay up to date on the project and to leave a comment, the public should visit the BLM NEPA Register at Douglas Fir Mortality Complex EA.
The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.