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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Drive-by shooter gets 8 years ... OSF and bookstore at odds over banned books display ... Two recent area scams promise money or demand it ... Drive-by shooter gets 8 years ... OSF and bookstore at odds over banned books display ... Two recent area scams promise money or demand it ... TIMBER HARVEST Federal agency enacts new plan for Oregon land amid criticisms Comment By ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press MailTribune.com By ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press Posted Aug. 5, 2016 at 6:45 PM By ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press Posted Aug. 5, 2016 at 6:45 PM » Social News BEND — A federal agency enacted a plan Friday to manage about 2.5 million acres of land in western Oregon that would increase the potential timber harvest by as much as 37 percent. It immediately drew fire from both the wood-products industry and conservationists. The Bureau of Land Management predicted the resource management plan would increase job growth, tourism and recreation. BLM Deputy Director Steve Ellis said the agency "has achieved an extraordinary balance that will create predictability and sustainability in Western Oregon." The BLM estimated 278 million board feet per year could be harvested once the plan is fully implemented. Sarah A. Levy, a BLM spokeswoman, said in a telephone interview that allowable sale quantities were being increased from 203 million board feet to 205 million board feet and that an additional 73 million board feet that are in reserves could also be harvested if special measures to protect fish, water and wildlife are met. In those reserves, the BLM would protect stands of older forests, which have the highest value to northern spotted owl, the agency said in a statement. But Steve Holmer of the American Bird Conservancy said: "The BLM is now planning to log mature forests that are needed to recover populations of the threatened Marbled Murrelet and Northern Spotted Owl, and that provide for clean water and carbon storage." Levy also said that under the plan, which replaces the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan, 20 percent of the landscape is designated as recreational that local communities can use. By ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press MailTribune.com By ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press Posted Aug. 5, 2016 at 6:45 PM » 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... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site 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. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501