Applegater., July 01, 2015, Page 9, Image 9

Applegater Summer 2015
BLM impressed by
Community Alternative effort
by JOHN gERRITSMA
A project in the Applegate that is
currently in the planning phase is Nedsbar.
This project is designed to harvest timber,
improve the transportation system (roads)
for forest management, reduce fuels that
support unwanted fire effects, and thin
forest stands to promote growth, health
and vigor. The project design features
include protections for the northern
spotted owl, other wildlife habitats,
sensitive plants, clean water, and soil
productivity. The project is on Oregon
and California (O&C) lands in the Little
Applegate watershed and is to contribute
to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Medford District’s annual timber harvest
for fiscal year 2015.
Having worked with residents
in 2011-12 on the Bald Lick timber sale
(also referred to by residents as the White
Hat project), the BLM met with leaders
of the Applegate Neighborhood Network
to request working together again in a
meaningful way prior to notifying the
general public of the project. While
BLM was developing alternatives for the
project, a community effort was under
way to provide a Community/Citizens’
Alternative. That effort resulted in a
highly detailed alternative that is being
analyzed by BLM resource specialists
along with BLM-developed alternatives
in the project’s environmental assessment.
The Community Alternative provides for
no harvest activity in Senator Wyden’s
proposed primitive backcountry areas,
provides for a 20-inch diameter limit
in timber harvest units, and does not
construct roads.
Some of you may have heard that
the alternative proposed by BLM at the
public meeting in Jacksonville in June
2014 is no longer being considered. It was
an important starting point to identify all
of the potential units in which a timber
harvest might occur. After substantial
field work since then, the BLM created
two other alternatives that better meet
the intent of the recovery plan and habitat
management for the northern spotted owl.
One of the BLM alternatives constructs
new roads while the other does not. Both
alternatives include yarding logs with a
helicopter.
Those who have worked to
develop the alternative should be
proud of their effort! I am not aware
of any such previous proposal to a timber
sale that has been produced by members of
the community in such a detailed manner.
Of particular interest to the BLM are the
social points of view of this project that
include the spiritual, visual, philosophical,
and local economic approaches to forest
management. These factors will also
influence the final project design and
are best identified by area residents. In
addition, BLM and community interests
are now working to agree on the metrics
that will be used to evaluate all the
alternatives in the most unbiased manner
possible.
We also intend to have a session
for residents so both the BLM and
the community alternative designers
can jointly help explain the ecological,
economical and social underpinnings of
each alternative and the analysis and results
in the environmental assessment.
In addition, a community team
has indicated that they would like to
monitor the tree marking as it occurs. BLM
will commit to having a review of the mark
prior to the sale being sold. BLM will also
work with the community team to monitor
implementation of the project.
All of these actions will better
inform final decisions for the project and
implementation of treatments that are
consistent with the project’s environmental
assessment and design.
While the process of
collaborating on the Nedsbar project
is not yet finished and its efficacy not yet
determined, this is certainly an example
of the kind of an “idiosyncratic” approach
envisioned for the Applegate Adaptive
Management Area (AMA), of which the
project area is a part. The Northwest
9
Forest Plan used the term “idiosyncratic”
to describe a homegrown and unique
out-of-the-box way of approaching a task.
The Applegate AMA has a rich history of
these kinds of attempts to try new ways at
managing BLM public lands. We hope to
be successful—again!
John Gerritsma
541-618-2438
(Acting) Associate District Manager
Medford District
Bureau of Land Management
jgerrits@blm.gov
— Report illegal burning —
If you witness what you think is illegal burning—of prohibited materials or on a
no-burn day, report it to the following:
• Jackson County Environmental Air Quality at 541-774-8206
or Josephine County Environmental Health Services at 541-474-5325.
• If the fire is burning, also call your local fire department.
Penalties: $600 fine per incident and further legal action if required.
Prohibited materials include wet garbage, plastic, wire insulation, automobile
parts, asphalt, petroleum products or treated materials, rubber, asbestos, animal
remains, animal or vegetable matter resulting from the handling, preparation,
cooking or service of food, any material that emits dense smoke or noxious
odors. This applies to open/barrel burning and solid fuel burning devices such as
wood stoves. (From Jackson County Health & Human Services website at www.
jacksoncountyor.org.)
For more information, contact Tom White with Jackson County Environmental
Air Quality at 541-774-8206 or Josephine County at 541-474-5325.