January 30, 2013 — Conservation groups today filed an administrative challenge to the proposed clearcutting of more than 100 acres of mature forests and spotted owl critical habitat on public lands near Canyonville. The White Castle Timber sale is part of the Roseburg Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Secretarial Pilot project, promoted by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar as a way of restoring the forest and increasing timber harvest on federal forest lands.
Press Release: Conservation Groups Challenge Crater Lake-Area Logging
January 2, 2013 — Conservationists today filed a Notice of Intent to challenge an old-growth logging sale on the doorstep of iconic Crater Lake National Park. The Umpqua National Forest is offering the sale as part of a massive proposal to log forests bordering the park, including some of the state’s most popular recreation areas around Lemolo and Diamond Lakes. Conservationists are expressing concern the Forest Service is violating laws designed to protect rare and vulnerable wildlife which also call the area home.
Press Release: Oregon Suspends Clearcutting in the Elliott State Forest
November 14, 2012 — After a lawsuit by conservation groups, the State of Oregon has suspended logging of 914 acres of old-growth forest on the Elliott State Forest that is habitat for the threatened marbled murrelet. Previously, ten timber sales were suspended in response to the lawsuit filed in July by Cascadia Wildlands, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Audubon Society of Portland. The suit asserts that the state is harming the rare seabird by logging its nesting habitat in violation of the Endangered Species Act.
BLM Resource Management Plan
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in western Oregon manages 2.5 million acres of public forests in western Oregon (history of BLM’s ownership and O&C lands is found here). In 2012 the BLM announced they wanted to revise the Resource Management Plans (RMPs) that govern these lands. The RMPs determine how many forests will be … Continue reading BLM Resource Management Plan
O&C Legislation and Negotiations
The 1937 O&C act devised a payment strategy, since modified, so that 50% of gross timber receipts of BLM O&C lands are given to the counties in lieu of property taxes. For a history of BLM O&C lands, go here. By the 1990's, the counties had become rich off of the lucrative clearcutting of old … Continue reading O&C Legislation and Negotiations
BLM Pilot Projects
Under Construction
Western Oregon BLM Lands
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 2.5 million acres of public forests in western Oregon. Unlike the Forest Service, the BLM managed lands are in a checkerboard ownership pattern, every other square mile switches between privately owned and publicly owned forests. These low-elevation forests are generally in the Coast Range and Klamath Mountains, as … Continue reading Western Oregon BLM Lands
Save the Wild Rogue River
Cascadia Wildlands is working with allies across the region as part of the Wild Rogue Alliance to safeguard wildlands and tributaries in the lower Rogue River in southwest Oregon. We are currently working with Rep. Peter DeFazio and Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley to create additional Wild and Scenic River miles and Wilderness in the … Continue reading Save the Wild Rogue River
Protect Public Forests
One of Cascadia Wildlands' primary goals: protect all remaining ancient forests in the region. Forever. Less than 20% of our region's native forests (forests that haven't been logged) remain standing. Most forests have been clearcut and replaced with industrial tree farms. This conversion has created a regional wildlife extinction crisis. Spotted owls continue to plummet … Continue reading Protect Public Forests