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Althouse/Sucker Sample Letter
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To: Abbie Jossie, Grants Pass Field Manager, Medford BLM, 2164 NE Spalding Avenue, Grants Pass, OR 97526
CC: Representative Peter Defazio, 405 East 8th Ave. #2030, Eugene, OR 97401
Re: Althouse Sucker Project
I am writing because I am very concerned about the Althouse Sucker Landscape Management Project proposed by the BLM. This project includes the logging of precious old-growth forests in southwest Oregon’s Illinois Valley. I strongly value the forests and watersheds in this area for the outstanding habitat, fisheries and recreation they provide.
Specifically, the BLM is proposing over 2,000 acres of forest management in these watersheds, approximately 600 acres of which includes the aggressive logging of mature and old-growth forest. This is very alarming to me; there is already a severe shortage of old forests in the Pacific Northwest due to decades of over-logging. Protecting forests, especially old-growth trees, is not only important for fish and wildlife, it is a critical component in the efforts to slow global warming.
The BLM is also planning to build new logging roads, some near creeks and waterways. Road construction, along with cutting large trees that hold steep slopes on hillsides, would cause sediment to enter the creeks, potentially making streams inhospitable for salmon. The important fisheries habitat in Althouse and Sucker Creeks produce more salmon than any other tributary in the Upper Illinois River Basin.
However, there are many management activities the BLM should carry out that would help restore forests and streams in the Althouse Sucker area, and would even provide a certain amount of timber products. The removal of unnecessary roads can help prevent chronic sources of sediment from entering streams. Replacing old road culverts that block fish passage can help ailing salmon runs. The thinning of small trees can reduce the risk of uncharacteristic fire while producing some wood volume.
The old-growth forests and wild free flowing streams in this area should be protected for future generations. We continue to urge the BLM to focus its active management in the Althouse Sucker project on thinning the existing plantations, addressing the impacts of past logging and fire exclusion and reducing the extreme road density.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS
CC: Representative Peter Defazio, 405 East 8th Ave. #2030, Eugene, OR 97401
Re: Althouse Sucker Project
I am writing because I am very concerned about the Althouse Sucker Landscape Management Project proposed by the BLM. This project includes the logging of precious old-growth forests in southwest Oregon’s Illinois Valley. I strongly value the forests and watersheds in this area for the outstanding habitat, fisheries and recreation they provide.
Specifically, the BLM is proposing over 2,000 acres of forest management in these watersheds, approximately 600 acres of which includes the aggressive logging of mature and old-growth forest. This is very alarming to me; there is already a severe shortage of old forests in the Pacific Northwest due to decades of over-logging. Protecting forests, especially old-growth trees, is not only important for fish and wildlife, it is a critical component in the efforts to slow global warming.
The BLM is also planning to build new logging roads, some near creeks and waterways. Road construction, along with cutting large trees that hold steep slopes on hillsides, would cause sediment to enter the creeks, potentially making streams inhospitable for salmon. The important fisheries habitat in Althouse and Sucker Creeks produce more salmon than any other tributary in the Upper Illinois River Basin.
However, there are many management activities the BLM should carry out that would help restore forests and streams in the Althouse Sucker area, and would even provide a certain amount of timber products. The removal of unnecessary roads can help prevent chronic sources of sediment from entering streams. Replacing old road culverts that block fish passage can help ailing salmon runs. The thinning of small trees can reduce the risk of uncharacteristic fire while producing some wood volume.
The old-growth forests and wild free flowing streams in this area should be protected for future generations. We continue to urge the BLM to focus its active management in the Althouse Sucker project on thinning the existing plantations, addressing the impacts of past logging and fire exclusion and reducing the extreme road density.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS