Bear Grub Timber Sale: Trashing Your Backyard Forests
Bear Grub Timber Sale Scheduled for October 29th
If you previously submitted comments to the Medford BLM during the commenting period in July, you are allowed to submit an Administrative Protest by October 15th. You can read the BLM decision document cover letter by clicking here, or review the entire decision record by clicking here.
Why is the BLM Proposing the Bear Grub timber sale?
Management of BLM public forests in Western Oregon used to be governed by the Northwest Forest Plan. That Forest Plan attempted to strike a balance by allowing logging while also protecting wildlife through the “survey and manage” program and avoiding harm to watersheds with the “aquatic conservation strategy.” The timber industry and their allies in the BLM resented the conservation sideboards contained in the Northwest Forest Plan, so in 2016 the BLM released a new management plan to increase clearcutting (regeneration harvesting and group selection logging) by withdrawing from the Forest Plan and designating some public forests as a “harvest land base” in which timber production would be the only forest value recognized by the BLM.
Much of the Bear Grub timber sale is located in the so-called “harvest land base” where the BLM has directed itself to log regardless of the impacts to neighbors, wildlife or watersheds.
Increasing Fire Hazard
Many Bear Grub logging units are located close to homes and ranches along Anderson Creek Road, Little Applegate Road, Sterling Creek Road, China Creek Road and Griffin Lane. A primary logging prescription in this timber sale is called “group selection” in which mature forest stands are removed and replaced with dense young timber plantations that increase fire hazard for several decades. When the BLM decided to withdraw from the Northwest Forest Plan it was primarily to accelerate the conversion of resilient native forests into second-growth timber plantations on public lands. While the Bear Grub timber sale also includes some “hazardous fuels treatments” that may reduce fire hazard, the BLM is nevertheless intent upon increasing fire hazard through the establishment of dense young second-growth timber plantations throughout logging units on the landscape.
Timber Industry Pressure
The primary advocate for “regeneration” and “group selection” logging in timber sales like Bear Grub is a Portland-based timber industry trade group called the American Forest Resources Council (AFRC). AFRC utilizes corporate lawyers to oppose BLM and Forest Service thinning projects (like the nearby Upper Applegate project) while advocating for the “regeneration” logging on public lands. AFRC also files lawsuits across the country in a conservative Washington DC District Court in order to pressure the BLM to increase clearcutting while eliminating popular conservation measures such as the protections for the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument.
Public Cut Out of the Process
Throughout fire country in southwest Oregon and northwest California conscientious public lands managers are attempting to work with communities and stakeholders to develop restoration and forest resiliency projects. Many of these collaboratives have been successful and brought communities together to plan for the future of their forests. This is not the case for the Medford District BLM timber program. Due to the BLM’s decision to emphasize logging above all other forest values in the “harvest land base” and due to the legal pressure by the timber industry, there really is no meaningful way for the public to influence BLM planning in projects like Bear Grub. Put simply, the BLM does not care what you think. Their position is that since they designated your forests as the “harvest land base” that concerns about fire hazard, wildlife, recreation and watershed values are irrelevant. The BLM intends to log Bear Grub no matter what you think and no matter what the consequences will be.
What Can Be Done?
Our elected leaders, the BLM, and the timber industry need to hear that you oppose group selection and regeneration logging that will increase fire hazard while harming wildlife and watersheds. Together we can successfully challenge the timber industry’s plans to turn mature forests into timber plantations.
Section of proposed treatment area along East Applegate Ridge Trail. Photo credit: Matt Witt
Bear Grub Commenting Period Ends July 13th
It’s time to let the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) know that you oppose group selection and regeneration logging that will increase fire hazard while harming wildlife and watersheds. On the BLM’s ePlanning site, you can review the environmental assessment as well as view recordings of the virtual public meetings held the last week of June. When submitting a comment, substantive comments are the most effective, and you can review the BLM’s guidelines here. I also encourage you to review the Bear Grub EA comments submitted by KS Wild.