Forest Plan Revisions

The Forest Service has recently begun the process of revising Forest Plans for the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests in the Blue Mountains, encompassing approximately five million acres in eastern Oregon and southeastern Washington.

What are Forest Plans? Forest Plans are the basis for virtually all management actions on National Forests, dictating everything from timber volume outputs to protections (or lack thereof) for wildlife and stream habitats. These plans will guide forest management for decades, and have lasting implications for the climate, biodiversity, and clean water for generations to come.

Direction under the Trump administration: Unfortunately, the Trump administration recently announced their goal to increase logging on National Forests. Concurrently, the administration has slashed staffing at the Forest Service and regulatory agencies. This sends a clear signal that environmental protections are likely to be severely weakened or entirely rolled back as a part of the Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revisions. In addition, logging in recent years has increasingly targeted mature and old forests, large trees, streamside riparian corridors, steep slopes, and other ecologically important areas.

Widespread public pressure during the Forest Plan Revision process is essential for creating opportunities for positive outcomes that protect forest ecosystems, the climate, and communities. The Forest Service and elected representatives need to hear from you that the public wants stronger protections for wildlife, clean water, and forest ecosystems in the updated Forest Plans. Please sign up to be on BMBP’s Action Alert list to stay engaged with upcoming comment periods and information. 

We are urging people to contact the Forest Service, and continue to submit comments even though the recent public comment period is now closed. We want to keep up the pressure, and make sure the agency hears loudly and clearly that the public supports strong protections for forests and opposes weakening or rolling back existing protections. You can see our action alert with instructions on how to comment and more information here.

Check out this webinar for more details on the Forest Plan Revisions, how to comment, and background information. 

Here is BMBP’s overarching vision for the Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision.

Check out this great video, highlighting how amazing the Blue Mountains are and talking about the Forest Plan Revisions. It features Karen Coulter (BMBP’s Director), Dr. David Mildrexler (Eastern Oregon Legacy Lands), and Rob Klavins (Oregon Wild).

Sign up to be on BMBP’s Action Alert list to stay updated on upcoming comment periods and other information.

Here is the Forest Service’s webpage about the Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision.