Some of the last remaining ancient forests in the Pacific Northwest are imperiled by a Bush Admin- istration plan that ignores the wilderness qualities of these areas and leaves them vulnerable to large-scale logging. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released its proposal for managing 2.5 million acres of western Oregon forestlands. The BLM's process for developing wilderness recommendations has been grossly inadequate - they recommended a mere 5 of the 146 areas inventoried as potential wilderness. Tell the BLM to expand its wilderness recommendation to include other well-loved wild places like the Wild Rogue Additions.
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Some of the last remaining ancient forests in the Pacific Northwest are imperiled by a Bush Administration plan that ignores the wilderness qualities of these areas and leaves them vulnerable to large-scale logging. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released its proposal for managing 2.5 million acres of western Oregon forestlands. The BLM's process for developing wilderness recommendations has been grossly inadequate - they recommended a mere 5 of the 146 areas inventoried as potential wilderness. Tell the BLM to expand its wilderness recommendation to include other well-loved wild places like the Wild Rogue Additions.
The western Oregon lands covered by this management plan are heavily forested and feature rare old growth forests containing trees that have stood since before the United States was established. These wild lands should be protected as wilderness to conserve these ancient giants and the beautiful landscapes that surround them. Unfortunately, the BLM has misapplied the criteria for determining potential wilderness, and too few areas will be recommended unless you speak out to the BLM in favor of more wilderness.
In a prior analysis, the BLM itself noted the value of the large, roadless expanses of the Wild Rogue Additions for their aesthetics, solitude, wildlife, fisheries, water quality, recreational opportunities, and intrinsic wild undeveloped character. In spite of these compelling values, the BLM omitted these fantastic additions from its management proposal. BLM's reversal demonstrates how ineptly the BLM has evaluated and determined wilderness recommendations - a responsibility it is legally obligated to fulfill. Other wild places such as Reuben Creek, Wellington Mountain, Clackamas Wilderness - Bull of the Woods/Opal Creek Additions were omitted from wilderness recommendations as well.
In sum, BLM recommended less than one percent of all the lands in the 2.5 million acre planning area. For balance, BLM should do better and for our children, BLM must do better. Let them know how you feel.
