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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Local school a leader in conflict resolution learning ... Levy would restore bus services ... As It Was: The Ruch family tragedy overcome by town's founder ... Local school a leader in conflict resolution learning ... Levy would restore bus services ... As It Was: The Ruch family tragedy overcome by town's founder ... COUNCIL CORNER Council Corner: Updating the Ashland Forest Plan Comment By Stefani Seffinger DailyTidings.com By Stefani Seffinger Posted Apr. 26, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Stefani Seffinger Posted Apr. 26, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News The current Ashland Forest Plan used to guide the management of the Ashland city forest lands was written in 1992. Times have changed in 24 years as our knowledge of watershed biology, changes in recreation use and on-the-ground practices in forest management have developed in ways we may not have anticipated. Bringing this plan into the 21st century has been the goal of the Forest Lands Commission for the past four years. Thousands of hours of research, analysis, compilation of data, maps, education and history have been undertaken to address best practices in managing the approximately 1,100 acres of undeveloped city forests. Co-ordination between a number of stakeholders including the Ashland Forest Lands Commission, the Parks and Recreation Commission and staff, the Department of Public Works and the Ashland Fire Department have been dedicated to this document. Technical support came from a broad spectrum of professionals including specialists in plant pathology, forest ecology, entomology, sociology, environmental studies and forest management. A draft of this plan was presented to the public last week. The plan will next be presented to the City Council at its study session on May 2 with formal adoption by the council scheduled for May16. The goal of this plan is address best practices in management for forest health, wildlife habitat, fire hazard and recreation. To achieve these goals, city forest land has been surveyed and studied and existing information digitized into GIS (Geographic Information System), an analytical tool city forest managers use to develop and prioritize treatments for forest lands. Riparian Management Areas have been created specifically to address water quality management. Forest management practices are assessed with standards and performance measures to evaluate the their effectiveness. In the past several years over 100 acres a year have been worked on to reduce fuels, treat fuel breaks, manage invasive plants and reduce undergrowth to limit severe fire threat and promote forest health. Recreation in the watershed has expanded exponentially in the past 10 years, with a growing number of hikers, joggers and downhill bikers competing to use the trails — both planned and created illegally — on city forest lands. Much work has been done to determine which trails to commission and which trails to close. A city plan for trails looks at creating trails that will reduce the impact of human activity on wildlife, forest health and erosion as well as separating mountain bikers and joggers/hikers to promote safety and the enjoyment of the watershed. There are currently 46 miles of trails in the watershed maintained by the the Ashland Department of Parks and Recreation. Other important areas addressed in the plan include the history and social changes that have occurred in the past 24 years. These educational efforts have significantly increased the acceptance and importance of forest management practices. Advances in technology and increased data collection have given us more tools to share with the public to show the positive impact of our management practices on the watershed and to gain acceptance of practices such as controlled burning, and management to improve forest health. Studies of public acceptance of forest management have been conducted that have documented this increase of public acceptance. A wide range of activities to engage the public have been conducted including field trips to the watershed, a map contest, participation in Earth Day and engagement with students and user groups in hands-on projects. A watershed art trail is being developed that has been approved by the Public Art Commission. This project hopes to enhance the emotional and artistic connection that our citizens and visitors have to the watershed. As a liaison to this commission for the past five years, I have been awed by the dedication and hard work of this group. They are truly amazing! The Ashland Forest Plan will be a document that helps to effectively manage our beautiful watershed, the main source of our drinking water for future generations. Thank you, commissioners and city staff, for all your work. Stefani Seffinger is a member of the Ashland City Council. By Stefani Seffinger DailyTidings.com By Stefani Seffinger Posted Apr. 26, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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