The start of the 2018 wildfire season is a reminder of the importance of active forest management in Southern Oregon. That’s why we’re alerting you to an opportunity to provide public comment on a major forest project northeast of Medford on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. You can comment on this project by clicking here.
The High Cascades Ranger District has proposed the Stella Landscape Restoration Project that aims to reduce risks of wildfire, insects, and disease while enhancing fish and wildlife habitat and supporting Southern Oregon jobs. The Forest Service has released its initial plan for the project through its “scoping” document that can be found here.
The project would thin unnaturally overstocked tree stands on about 35 percent of the 65,000-acre project area. The thinning will help restore the forest’s resiliency to fire and other disturbances and promote the growth and health of large “legacy” trees and native plants. Many of the tree stands are far removed from their historic composition as well. This project will help move these tree stands toward a more natural composition, and will also enhance recreational opportunities on these public lands while providing timber to support the Rogue Valley’s economy.
We encourage you to submit a comment in support of the project, which you can do by clicking here. Otherwise, the Forest Service will only hear from those ideologically opposed to removing trees to restore forest health.
Our draft letter includes a few key points we think the Forest Service should hear as they consider moving this project forward. But we encourage you to customize the letter, especially if you have specific observations about the proposed project that you’d like to share. Written comments can also be mailed to David Palmer, District Ranger, High Cascades Ranger District, 47201 Highway 62, Prospect OR 97536.
