Last Chance old-growth timber sale outside of Wolf Creek, OR

Local BLM timber planners like to contend that they don't log old-growth anymore. Unfortunately that claim is simply false. While some old-growth trees are designated for retention in some BLM logging units, it is common practice for the BLM to fell old-growth trees to facilitate logging road construction, landing establishment and yarding corridors.  Additionally, while the BLM retains some old-growth trees in some logging units, the agency nevertheless often removes the forest canopy and structure that defines an old-growth forest. These logging prescriptions involve the "downgrading" or "removal" of so much old-growth forest canopy that the logging units no longer support the habitat needs of spotted owls and other wildlife species that depend on ancient forest habitat. 

Last Chance timber sale fast facts:

  • 1,297 acres of riparian reserve logging- including trees in the "secondary shade zone"

  • 2,590 acres of cable yarding

  • 5,080 acres of ground based yarding

  • 570 acre of helicopter yarding

  • Page 59 of the revised EA: "The 787 acres of variable retention harvest would convert the mature structure to early successional stand establishment, delaying promotion of large fire-resilient trees”

  • The proposal to modify nearly half of western pond turtle overwintering habitat in the project area is likely a death sentence for the local population and may contribute to the already established need to list the species under the Endangered Species Act of the western pond turtle.

  • BLM states the proposed 4-acre "gap" clearcuts throughout the logging units will not improve fire behavior and will increase wind speeds

  • 252 acre of logging in Late Successional Reserves

  • Building a logging road through coho critical habitat in Bull Run Creek

  • Includes waivers to allow for logging road construction through botanical buffer sites

  • 29 miles of new logging road construction

  • 3,420 acres of NSO Nesting, Roosting and Foraging habitat removal

Images of the forest to be sold in the Last Chance timber sale project.

“Right of Way” trees are trees that will be removed—despite recommendation from BLM biologists—to build a logging road.

Grave Creek within a Take A Chance unit.

Groundtruthing the Last Chance project.

Marker for Paul’s Payoff timber sale within the Last Chance timber project.

Old-growth forests within the Take A Chance sale.

Last Chance timber sale project.

Measuring trees within the Paul’s Payoff timber sale of the Last Chance project.

Original scoping map from 2020.

Take A Chance is a timber sale within the larger Last Chance project. Click the map to enlarge.