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0 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 California man dies in I5 rollover ... Medford man wins Megabucks jackpot ... Budget tops $339 million for 2016-17 ... California man dies in I5 rollover ... Medford man wins Megabucks jackpot ... Budget tops $339 million for 2016-17 ... OTHER VIEWS Other Views: Working together for forest management Comment By The (Bend) Bulletin MailTribune.com By The (Bend) Bulletin Posted Apr. 9, 2016 at 12:01 AM By The (Bend) Bulletin Posted Apr. 9, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News The state of Oregon signed a new agreement last week that should bring more cooperation between the state and the federal government in managing national forests. Every summer as the wildfires race through the national forests and the air in Bend gets smoky, it's tempting to throw up your hands and think the federal government is never going to get forest management right. But this agreement — officiously named Oregon Good Neighbor Authority Master Agreement — could make a bit of difference. The state and the federal government already work together on projects in Oregon. This will enable them to do more. What kinds of things do they do? Here are a few examples: Oregon has committed $7.9 million to help the federal government do projects on federal lands in the state. The Oregon Department of Forestry is planning to use seasonal firefighters and contractors to do forest thinning on 200 acres outside of Lakeview on the Fremont-Winema National Forest. Federal timber sales money will help cover the costs. In the watershed of the John Day River, national forest staff members are going to be getting help from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and others to protect fish. They'll be doing things like installing screens on irrigation diversions to keep fish from getting sucked in. But hold it. Doesn't this mean that the federal government isn't doing enough to manage federal land? Yes, it does. But if Oregon doesn't do something about it, it means more wildfire risk, it means more challenges with endangered species, it means less revenue for what could be a thriving sustainable industry in wood products. There is still going to be wildfire, smoke in the air and wasted resources. This is another step, though, toward making things a bit better. By The (Bend) Bulletin MailTribune.com By The (Bend) Bulletin Posted Apr. 9, 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... 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