Comment on forest issue
Please submit comments to the U.S. Forest Service if you enjoy outdoor recreation in our national forests. If a planned joint timber sale on three national forests in northeast Oregon is allowed, it might set a precedent for similar-sized sales on other national forests across the nation.
The Wallowa-Whitman, Umatilla and Ochoco national forest are accepting comments until April 2 on an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) analyzing the Blue Mountains Forest Resiliency project. If finalized, the EIS the will approve commercial logging of 574.2 square miles, and building approximately 335 miles of sediment-producing road. Not only will the trees be gone, the streams will be muddy.
The forest plans for each forest will also be amended to allow logging of old-growth trees greater than 21 inches in diameter.
Comments should be emailed to r6restorationprojects@fs.fed.us. Additional information is posted at the forest’s website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=48582. You can also call forest Supervisor Stacey Forson at (541) 416-6625.
Dick Artley
Grangeville, Idaho