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Lawsuit Filed to Stop More Than 1,000 Acres of Old-Growth Logging Outside Grants Pass by Medford BLM
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For Release: October 20, 2004
Contact: George Sexton: KS Wild 541-488-5789
Portland, OR -- The Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Oregon Natural Resources Council, and the Siskiyou Regional Education Project filed a federal court challenge to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Medford District’s approval of the Granite Horse timber sale in southwest Oregon – an old-growth timber sale that by the agency’s own admission destroys habitat for threatened northern spotted owls and other old growth dependent species. The BLM’s decision, which is contrary to the requirements of its land management plans, dismisses the destruction of over 1,000 acres of old growth forest.
“Once again, our old-growth forests are under attack,” said Doug Heiken, Western Oregon Field Representative of Oregon Natural Resources Council. “These ancient forests are important for spotted owls and other wildlife, not to mention water quality and recreation.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife listed the northern spotted owl as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in 1990, primarily based on the widespread destruction of its old-growth forest home. However, since listing, the BLM has continued its program of destroying old growth forests in the Grants Pass watershed. According to the BLM, following logging of the Granite Horse timber sale, less than 10% of BLM lands in the watershed will remain old growth. Almost no old growth remains on county and private land.
Portions of the planning area, in the Jumpoff Joe watershed, are deferred from commercial logging due to the cumulative watershed effects of past logging. However, this has not stopped the BLM from authorizing logging immediately adjacent to the deferred area. The BLM admits that logging the Granite Horse timber sale, as well as other planned sales in the area, may result in the loss of spotted owls and sensitive plant species from the watershed, but fails to consider the effects of logging on water quality.
“Imperiled species, like the spotted owl, cannot survive the Medford BLM’s addiction to old growth logging,” said George Sexton of the Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center. “Timber Sales like Granite Horse show that the BLM is unwilling or unable to stop itself from literally killing endangered species.”
Contact: George Sexton: KS Wild 541-488-5789
Portland, OR -- The Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Oregon Natural Resources Council, and the Siskiyou Regional Education Project filed a federal court challenge to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Medford District’s approval of the Granite Horse timber sale in southwest Oregon – an old-growth timber sale that by the agency’s own admission destroys habitat for threatened northern spotted owls and other old growth dependent species. The BLM’s decision, which is contrary to the requirements of its land management plans, dismisses the destruction of over 1,000 acres of old growth forest.
“Once again, our old-growth forests are under attack,” said Doug Heiken, Western Oregon Field Representative of Oregon Natural Resources Council. “These ancient forests are important for spotted owls and other wildlife, not to mention water quality and recreation.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife listed the northern spotted owl as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in 1990, primarily based on the widespread destruction of its old-growth forest home. However, since listing, the BLM has continued its program of destroying old growth forests in the Grants Pass watershed. According to the BLM, following logging of the Granite Horse timber sale, less than 10% of BLM lands in the watershed will remain old growth. Almost no old growth remains on county and private land.
Portions of the planning area, in the Jumpoff Joe watershed, are deferred from commercial logging due to the cumulative watershed effects of past logging. However, this has not stopped the BLM from authorizing logging immediately adjacent to the deferred area. The BLM admits that logging the Granite Horse timber sale, as well as other planned sales in the area, may result in the loss of spotted owls and sensitive plant species from the watershed, but fails to consider the effects of logging on water quality.
“Imperiled species, like the spotted owl, cannot survive the Medford BLM’s addiction to old growth logging,” said George Sexton of the Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center. “Timber Sales like Granite Horse show that the BLM is unwilling or unable to stop itself from literally killing endangered species.”