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--> --> Millions allocated for woodlands projects By Vickie Aldous Ashland Daily Tidings Local residents will help guide the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in spending nearly $6 million on road and trail improvements, watershed rest-oration, wildfire fuels reduction, fish and wildlife habitat restoration and other projects in southwest Oregon. The funding comes through the federal Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. Historically, counties have received a portion of receipts from logging, grazing and other activities on federal land to offset property tax revenues lost because of the large amount of federal land holdings. Those payments have decreased as timber harvests have declined on public lands. Oregon counties will share $152.8 million this year under the act, compared to $76.3 million in 2000 and $80.8 million in 1999, according to Forest Service officials. Funds allocated under the act will be spent on schools and other needs as well as on natural resource projects. The Medford District BLM recently announced the appointment of 15 local people to the newly created Medford District Resource Advisory Committee to review and recommend nearly $2.5 million in projects on BLM land in Jackson, Josephine, Douglas, Curry and Klamath Counties. The money also can be spent on private land projects that benefit natural resources on federal lands. Committee members come from a cross-section of the community representing the commercial timber industry, environmentalists, organized labor, recreationalists, Native Americans, elected officials and others, according to BLM officials. "It's a new and exciting opportunity for the BLM to work with the community in a collaborative fashion and make joint decisions on projects," said Karen Gillespie, public affairs officer for the Medford District BLM. In addition to taking input from resource advisory committee members, the BLM also is seeking comments and project proposals from the public at large. The first committee meeting is tentatively scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 14 at the Medford District BLM office, 3040 Biddle Rd., Medford. Time will be set aside for public comments. However, in order for projects to be reviewed at the first meeting, members of the public are asked to call Bob Korfhage at 618-2227 to request a project nomination form. Project nominations should be submitted by Feb. 1. For its part, the Forest Service has established the Rogue/Umpqua Resource Advisory Committee, covering projects in Jackson, Josephine, Douglas, Lane and Klamath Counties, and the Siskiyou Resource Advisory Committee, covering projects in Josephine, Coos and Curry Counties. The committees will make recommendations for about $3.4 million of projects, Forest Service officials said. The first Rogue/Umpqua committee meetings are scheduled for Jan. 30 and 31 and will begin at 9:30 a.m. on both days at the Grants Pass Inn and Suites, 243 N.E. Morgan Ln. The Siskiyou committee will meet at 1 p.m. on Feb. 4 and 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 5 at the Chetco Community Public Library, 405 Alder St., Brookings. All meetings are open to the public and time will be allotted for public comments, including project nominations. The first day of each series of meetings will be spent organizing the committees, with the second day scheduled to include a review of proposed projects, according to Forest Service officials. Jack Williams, forest supervisor of the Rogue and Siskiyou National Forests, said the resource advisory committee meetings represent "a pivotal opportunity to expand relationships between the Forest Service and our neighbors to benefit watershed restoration and restore forest ecosystems." Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing