* This event has been RESCHEDULED! *for Saturday April 23 Join Cascadia Wildlands and community members in the Thurston Hills near Springfield on Sat. April 23 at 9:30am for a community hike and celebration. The Thurston Hills Natural Area — a system of hiking and mountain biking trails maintained by Willamalane Park and Recreation — is … Continue reading Hike Thurston Hills — Sat. April 23
Recreation and Wildlands Enthusiasts Celebrate as Local Clearcut Proposal Defeated in Court for a Second Time
June 4, 2021 — For the second time in three years, a logging proposal slated to clearcut over 100 acres of forest from the Thurston Hills designated recreation area on the edge of Springfield has been deemed illegal by a federal judge. The Court’s Findings and Recommendations come after years of campaigning by affected landowners and wildlands and recreation enthusiasts working alongside attorneys litigating on behalf of Cascadia Wildlands and Oregon Wild. Landowners living adjacent to Thurston Hills and citizens of Springfield and Eugene have opposed the project since its inception, due to the increased risk of wildfire and the diminished recreational value that clear-cut logging would bring to the area.
Press Release: Legal Action Taken to Halt Thurston Hills Logging in Springfield, OR
August 17, 2020 — In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rejected administrative protests and decided to move forward with the Thurston Hills timber sale despite widespread opposition to the project. Last year on September 19th 2019, Oregon’s federal District Court rejected the Thurston Hills timber sale due to BLM’s failure to disclose increased wildfire danger for nearby communities and residents, and the BLM’s failure to designate and protect trails in this newly designated recreation area. In response to the court order, BLM made no changes to the project and quickly reissued another decision, a response typical of the Trump administration which ignores the rule of law and attempts to circumvent environmental rules and public process.
Press Release: BLM Attempting to Clearcut Thurston Hills Again Despite Fire Risk to Springfield
May 18, 2020 — In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) made a final decision to move forward with the Thurston Hills timber sale today despite widespread opposition to the project. With 79th Street in Springfield on one side and newly constructed trails on the other, this BLM parcel is the closest federal public land to the Springfield-Eugene urban area and an invaluable recreation area for local residents. The timber sale would result in extensive “regeneration harvest” (all but clear-cutting) of 109 acres of middle-aged forest immediately adjacent to Willamalane’s recently opened 655-acre Thurston Hills Natural Area.
Thurston Hills Timber Sale
Thurston Hills aka “Pedal Power” Timber Sale is next to Springfield, OR Neighborhood: The Thurston Hills or “Pedal Power” timber sale was proposed near a Springfield, Oregon neighborhood. We successfully blocked this terrible plan. Twice. The Thurston Hills timber sale would have resulted in extensive “regeneration harvest” (all but clearcutting) of 109-acres of middle-aged forest … Continue reading Thurston Hills Timber Sale
WildChats with Cascadia!
During the COVID-19 pandemic and this time of social distancing, Cascadia Wildlands is still committed to connecting with our community. While we can’t meet in person, connect with us online for WildChats with Cascadia staff, volunteers and allies! Join the Cascadia team for campaign deep dives, skill-building workshops and panels featuring experts and stakeholders in … Continue reading WildChats with Cascadia!
BLM is Back at it! Help Halt Thurston Hills Timber Sale
* CLOSED * The comment period for this action is now closed.
Legal Victory: Thurston Hills Timber Sale Defeated in Court
September 19, 2019 — On Wednesday, Judge Michael McShane ruled in a lawsuit filed by Cascadia Wildlands and Oregon Wild, determining that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) violated federal laws when it approved clearcutting 100 acres of public land next to the city of Springfield. The court said that BLM’s environmental review failed to consider the fact that logging would increase fire hazard for nearby residents and failed to harmonize logging and recreation by buffering trails as required by BLM’s own rules.
Press Release: Community Members Mobilize for Public Lands Town Hall!
April 15, 2019 — On Thursday, April 18thfrom 6-8pm, bikers, conservation groups, students, and Springfield area locals will join in a discussion at Springfield City Hall about timber sales and local forest management.The Town Hall will feature panelistsfrom Cascadia Wildlands, Oregon Wildand Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology(FUSEE) discussing recreation, conservation and fire safety in Bureau of Land Management forests. The panel discussion will be followed by a moderated public forum in which community members will share and discuss concerns around local land management. The biker’s organization Climate Revolutions by Bikeis organizing a mass bike ride departing from the University of Oregon EMU at 5pm to participate in the Town Hall event.
Town Hall Discussion: Local Timber Sales, Public Lands, & Wildfire Safety – April 18, 2019
Join Cascadia Wildlands, Oregon Wild and FUSEE for a town hall discussion about the impacts of land management practices on our local public lands. Panelists involved in timber sale monitoring, wildfire science, and public lands defense will discuss issues regarding recreation, conservation, and fire safety in public forests managed by the Bureau of Land Management. … Continue reading Town Hall Discussion: Local Timber Sales, Public Lands, & Wildfire Safety – April 18, 2019