The U.S. Forest Service has scheduled upcoming objection resolution meetings for the the Blue Mountains Forest Plans revisions. This is an important phase in the new forest plans that will govern future management of the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests.
We wrote about the revised plan in the Baker City Herald:
“The Forest Service is making a lot of promises in its new plan — namely more timber, accelerated restoration and wildfire mitigation. Yet the plan does not seem to offer a clear path on how they will get there. When it comes to the details, there are also serious questions about forest access, habitat enhancement, and grazing that need to be answered.”
Beginning next Tuesday, November 27, the Forest Service will be hosting “discussion sessions” on several specific topics within the new forest plans. The Forest Service will be accepting feedback from those who filed “formal objections” to the plans, and those who have been accepted as “Interested Persons.” All meetings will be open to the public, though you may not able to participate in the discussion unless you are an Objector or Interested Person. See below for more details.
A complete schedule, including the topics to be addressed, can be found by clicking here. If you qualify as either an Objector or Interested Person and have not received an invitation to participate, we encourage you to register (click here) to participate by Wednesday, November 21 at 5:00pm.
Steps to participate
a) Pre-register for the session/topic you wish to discuss (pre-register for two topics) –https://sugeni.us/3MEe
b) Or you can call (541) 241-6870
c) You may also participate in additional hearings, if there is less than 20 people participating.
d) Pre-registration must be completed between Nov. 19th & Nov 21st.
e) Link to Invitation to Participate in Hearings – https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd603181.pdf
f) Link to Agenda for Hearings – https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd603182.pdf
Meeting Sites, Dates, Times
a) John Day (8am to 6pm, Tuesday, November 27) – Fairgrounds, 411 NW Bridge St, John Day
b) Pendleton (9am to 5pm, Wednesday, November 28) – Convention Center, 1601 Westgate, Pendleton
c) Wallowa (11am – 4pm Thursday, November 29) – Wallowa Senior Center, 204 E 2nd St, Wallowa
d) Baker (10am – 5pm, Friday, November 30) – Baker High School, 2500 E St, Baker City
e) La Grande (8am to 6pm, Saturday, December 1) – Eastern Oregon University, David E. Gilbert Event Center, One University Boulevard, La Grande
Topics
a) Access (All Meetings)
b) Timber/Veg Management (All Meetings)
c) Fire/Fuels Management (All Meetings but Wallowa)
d) Fish & Wildlife (All Meetings but La Grande)
e) Bighorn Sheep (Baker & La Grande)
f) Elk Security (La Grande)
g) Range Management/Livestock Grazing (All Meetings)
h) Wilderness/roadless designation (All Meetings)
i) Public Participation (lack of) (All Meetings but Wallowa)
j) Social & Economic analysis (lack of). (All Meetings but Wallowa & Baker)
