What’s Up with the Medford BLM & Old-Growth Logging?
It’s as predictable as the sun rising every morning—the Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will propose several timber sales each and every year and contend that they are retaining (rather than logging) old-growth, and conservation organizations and the BLM’s neighbors will argue that the BLM is in fact logging old-growth. So, who is right and what’s behind the conflicting claims?
KS in the Press
KS Wild and partners are litigating against the BLM’s Rogue Gold timber sale behind the community of Gold Hill and Rogue River, OR. The forests being targeted for logging are resilient, healthy, older forests that are designated as reserves for conservation, recreation, and water protection.
KS Wild and partners are taking the BLM to court on Tuesday, April 2nd against the BLM’s Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) project.
Breaking News! The D.C. Court of Appeals just affirmed the legality of an expansion of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. This is a pivotal decision that means that Western Oregon BLM lands can be managed for social and environmental values, not just timber production.
In a legal victory, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today agreed to reconsider whether West Coast fishers in northern California and southern Oregon warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act. Read the full press release here.
A coalition of conservation organizations filed a legal complaint challenging the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) “Integrated Vegetation Management” (IVM) program that would aggressively log forest stands located within Late Successional Reserves, areas purportedly set aside for forest conservation.
Judge in the District Court for the District of Oregon ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service justification for Bureau of Land Management timber sales totaling nearly 18,000 acres including old growth forests violated the Endangered Species Act.
Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center joined the Center for Biological Diversity and the Environmental Protection Information Center in suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today for denying endangered species protection to West Coast fishers.
A coalition of Oregon environmental organizations have come together to notify Bureau of Land Management it intends to sue the agency to protect marbled murrelets and coastal martens from a plan by the agency to log thousands of acres of old-growth forest in areas designated as late-successional reserves.
President Joe Biden issued an executive order that directs federal agencies to conduct an inventory of mature and old-growth forests on America’s federal lands so that policies can be adopted to protect them. The administration framed the move as a key strategy to store carbon and address climate change.
Send an Action
Please join us in asking the BLM to stop creating timber plantations that will increase fire hazard and decrease the ability of forests to survive climate change.
Created in 1994, the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) continues to be the largest, truly science-based forest and ecosystem management plan in the country. Now, as the NWFP goes through its amendment process, The Forest Service wants to hear from you about how you want to see National Forest lands throughout the Pacific Northwest managed to conserve older forests, reduce wildfire risk, include tribal engagement, and create abundant wildlife habitat in a changing climate! Sign the petition below to help protect the future of Northwest forests!
Take action to let the Biden Administration know enacting federal permanent protections is the only way to keep our remaining mature and old-growth forests alive.
Latest News
Last week, I ventured into the field with George, our Conservation Director, to groundtruth a Medford District Bureau of Land Management (BLM) timber sale called Mill Rat within the Poor Windy project just north of Grants Pass, Oregon. What we found was heartbreaking. Click to read the full field report.
Wildflowers are abloom at Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical Area! See which flowers we saw and identified on our April hike last week.
The Biden Administration has announced a federal rule for how the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) mission addresses the climate and biodiversity crises, attempting to re-balance BLM’s multi-use mandate for managing public lands, which for decades has favored resource extraction over any other use.
The Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) continues to propose timber sales and contend they are retaining (rather than logging) old-growth, and conservation organizations and the BLM’s neighbors will argue that the BLM is in fact logging old-growth. So, who is right and what’s behind the conflicting claims?
Upcoming events
Join us outside!
Join us alongside KS Wild and Stream Smart for a trash clean-up and weed pull along the Rogue River in Josephine County. Volunteer swag, prizes, snacks, water, and lunch will be provided!
We will meet at the covered picnic pavilion at Lynn Newbry Park, Talent and walk around 0.6 miles upstream along the Bear Creek Greenway. While we walk and look for birds, we’ll discuss the recovery from the Almeda Fire and riparian habitat and restoration.
Our guided raft-supported hike is the most comfortable way to experience the Rogue River Trail. You hike with a daypack while the rafts shuttle all our gear. ARTA’s friendly guides provide delicious meals and water along the trail. Join us on this amazing adventure!