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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 Home News Latest Stories Emergency services, May 25 Central Point hopes to keep pot grows indoors Talent will clear weeds in rights of way Crews will open hiking trails rarely explored off lower Rogue River Volunteers mark Jacksonville's historic graves with 350-plus flags Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, May 25 Stray bullet from drive-by nearly hits sleeping White City resident Emergency services, May 24 Emergency services, May 23 Jury will consider death penalty in double-murder case Politics and Elections Case, Salmon leading in Central Point School Board race Lundberg, Mannenbach leading Eagle Point races Jackson County district election turnout under 17 percent Arthur I. Cyr: Camp David summit will not help Mideast stability Ashland water bills could go up to fund watershed protection Education Departing Ashland High principal Zundel looks to next challenge Jacksonville Elementary students on stage at Britt Case, Salmon leading in Central Point School Board race Lundberg, Mannenbach leading Eagle Point races Ashland High's Michelle Zundel heading to Medford district Environment Crews will open hiking trails rarely explored off lower Rogue River OR-7, mate may be adding to their pack Rogue jet boat tour company eyes TouVelle for permanent home Why is Bear Creek so muddy? Blame Emigrant silt and winter storm Mt. Ashland Ski Area proposes summer adventure center State News Historic Grants Pass Forest Service compound headed to auction Oregon coast parkland sale to golf course developer is unprecedented In the Oregon Legislature: Impeachment, kicker rebate, gun control Bill would cancel 'kicker,' use money for budget reserves, education Oregon Senate passes bill keeping domestic abusers from having guns Nation - World Uh oh .... Apple Watch demand is weak Obituaries Warren Irving Paul Dorothy Isabelle Murphy Bayliss Bruce Michael McGregor Walter Schweiger Dawn Borns/Hagler/Huttl Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Check out top import and export for every U.S. state Patriots fan sets up GoFundMe page to help pay for team's Deflategate fine Sports Latest Stories Venom Victory Ducks again down No. 2 UCLA, await fate LeBron's triple-double boosts Cavaliers Stamkos has goal, assist to lift Lightning Edwards captures Coca-Cola for first win of season Varsity 541 College Sports Ducks again down No. 2 UCLA, await fate Stamkos has goal, assist to lift Lightning Alexander, Maguin capture NAIA titles Ducks take super regional, advance to World Series Mercado helps spark Ducks in Supers Pro Sports LeBron's triple-double boosts Cavaliers Edwards captures Coca-Cola for first win of season A look back at the Clay-Liston fight Kirk garners fourth title at Colonial Montoya garners second Indy 500 victory Community Sports Adrenaline boys, 96G Red girls off to hot starts Business Latest Stories Liability for fraud will fall to merchants who don't adopt new credit-card chip technology The Beanery coffeehouse in Ashland closes abruptly Blog: The Gateway to Summer Allegiant Air resumes flights to Arizona Two Crown Markets planned for Talent Real Estate News Single-family home sales take off Never enough: New Starbucks proposed on Barnett Road in Medford Jackson County debt-ridden homeowners have an option People In Business People in Business Transportation Allegiant Air resumes flights to Arizona Tourism stronger than ever in Southern Oregon Medford airport still flying high with record passenger counts Agriculture 1-800Flowers.com reports $10.5 million loss in third quarter Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, May 25 Kathleen Parker: Who's the studliest of them all? Our View: Don't siphon off prison savings just yet Letters to the Editor, May 24 Guest Opinion: BLM management plans fail people and forests Editorials Our View: Don't siphon off prison savings just yet Other Views: PERS ruling leaves little room to maneuver Our View: Free tuition could fly if 'fifth-year' plans reined in Our View: Josephine voters choose lawlessness again Our View: Renovating the Capitol is important but costly Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, May 25 Letters to the Editor, May 24 Letters to the Editor, May 22 Letters to the Editor, May 21 Letters to the Editor, May 20 Columns Kathleen Parker: Who's the studliest of them all? Guest Opinion: BLM management plans fail people and forests You want what-ifs? Here's one George Will: Kaine's quest for war legitimacy Dana Milbank: My return to organized labor Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: BLM management plans fail people and forests Guest Opinion: Medford needs SkyPark more than it needs parking Guest Opinion: Ample water? Think again Guest Opinion: Oregon mothers need much more than flowers Guest Opinion: Child poverty and the Schneider Children’s Center Lifestyle Latest stories Prudence Hilburn: Peanut butter, chocolate are a timeless pairing Mr. Campbell and fun with engineering Make herbs part of your plant world Tips for upping your age IQ Adopt a Pet Food Prudence Hilburn: Peanut butter, chocolate are a timeless pairing Community blog: Roasting rhubarb riffs on beet-goat cheese salad Page H. Onorato: Saturday brought treat for supper Taste of Alba Wine by the keg, growler, box and ammo can Home and Garden Make herbs part of your plant world Homeowner’s insurance: What it covers, what it excludes Monarchs are disappearing, but you can help with a wildflower garden Linda Cobb: Time to make a list of spring garden chores Dear Monty: Novice homebuyer’s first attempt disappointing Health Community blog: It�s a Shame: How to Understand and Manage It Health Watch: How to avoid the diet rut Donna Knight: How to lessen your risk Community blog: Little Free Libraries Community blog: Fasting out of Cancer Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, May 22 Religion Briefs: Friday, May 15 Religion Briefs: Friday, May 8 Religion Briefs: Friday, May 1 Milestones and Achievements Prefontaine-style running trail proposed in south Medford Bukair-Hinkle Wedding: Stephanie Anne Obad and Mark Douglass Schmor Ashland water bills could go up to fund watershed protection Drones helping create unique wedding photos Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories 5 things to do in the Rogue Valley Live Music in Local Clubs Memorial Day celebrates veterans Rogue Rage Duo at The Point SOU presents Shakespeare's 'The Winter's Tale' Theater SOU presents Shakespeare's 'The Winter's Tale' OSF commissioned plays tour throughout country 'Cuckoo's Nest' is a big play, well presented 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' REVIEW: Randall Theatre's 'Little Shop of Horrors' a rollicking good time Music Live Music in Local Clubs Rogue Rage Duo at The Point The Farr Side: Swift dominates Billboard Music Awards Interview: Country mainstay T. Graham Brown reflects on career Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum at The Mountain House Community Events Memorial Day celebrates veterans Third Friday: 'Into the Woods' is a must-see 5 things to see at Art in Bloom Flowers, art and music highlight Art in Bloom Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic at OSF's Black Swan in Ashland Movies Interview: ‘Good Kill’ offers blistering look at ‘battlefields and blackjack’ of drone warfare Review: ‘Tomorrowland’ feels like another Disneyland staple — Dopey Movie review: Disney takes us to ‘Tomorrowland’ Dwayne Johnson rocks in a new way in ‘San Andreas’ Movie review: Cast keeps laughs coming in ‘Pitch Perfect 2’ Dining Upscale pub fare at The Point Wine by the keg, growler, box and ammo can 6 stars of the Rogue Valley food universe Cool down with a cold one (or two, or three) Nguyen Street Food Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Central Point hopes to keep pot grows indoors ... Crews will open hiking trails rarely explored off lower Rogue River ... Historic Grants Pass Forest Service compound headed to auction ... Central Point hopes to keep pot grows indoors ... Crews will open hiking trails rarely explored off lower Rogue River ... Historic Grants Pass Forest Service compound headed to auction ... GUEST OPINION Guest Opinion: BLM management plans fail people and forests Comment By Sue Kupillas MailTribune.com By Sue Kupillas Posted May. 24, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Sue Kupillas Posted May. 24, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Western Oregon’s rural forested communities have waited over 20 years for a solution to restore balance to the management of the Bureau of Land Management’s O&C timberlands. More active management is desperately needed to create jobs and generate county timber receipt revenues. As Oregon’s congressional delegation has tried and so far been unable to reach agreement on legislation to increase timber harvests, many hoped relief would come through the BLM’s proposed Resource Management Plans. Now that the agency’s draft plans have been released, it seems the BLM favors the status quo over any real changes that would make a meaningful and positive difference for citizens and families who reside near these lands as well as restore health and vigor of the forests. O&C lands are inextricably tied to the economic fabric of Western Oregon’s forested communities. Because of their unique history, the federal government mandated that O&C lands be managed for the benefit of the counties that host these lands. Unlike national forests that are intended to be managed for multiple uses, O&C lands are required under law to be managed for sustained-yield timber production to generate revenues for counties while supporting jobs in the local economy. Though timber must be harvested for revenues and jobs, under sustained yield principles these harvests cannot exceed what the forests can grow every year. For much of its history, the O&C lands enabled rural communities and counties to be self-sufficient and prosperous. This changed in the early 1990s as a barrage of lawsuits brought even modest timber projects to a halt. Today we harvest less than 20 percent of the forests’ 1.2 billion board feet of annual growth, resulting not only in economic decline but increased tree mortality and fuel loads for future wildfires. President Bill Clinton’s Northwest Forest Plan was supposed to balance the need for protection of the Northern Spotted Owl with the economic needs of nearby communities. Unfortunately, after 20 years it is clear that this hands-off, single-species approach to management has failed our communities, the forests and the spotted owl, whose populations continue to decline in the face of predators and catastrophic wildfire. As the BLM prepares to replace its Clinton-era plans to guide the future management of O&C forests, it’s concerning that the agency appears poised to double-down on an approach that has failed everyone as well as everything we value in these forests. None of the alternatives offered by the BLM in its draft plans would provide sufficient or predictable, sustainable supply of timber. The plans would set aside more land under the guise of environmental protection, ignoring the federal O&C Act and the failures of the past two decades. Because the plans make no effort to increase the pace and scale of forest management activities, we can only expect larger and more severe wildfires that now commonly fill our valleys with smoke. Some alternatives in the draft management plans are better than others. The BLM’s preferred alternative would set a course for harvest levels of 234 million board feet per year, which is close to current levels and still less than 20 percent of the forests’ annual growth. One alternative would increase harvest levels to 486 million board feet per year, yet it’s highly doubtful the agency would ever achieve this goal. That’s because the draft plan fails to reconcile well-intentioned but conflicting federal regulations. These conflicting regulations have been used by radical groups to litigate countless timber projects. It’s uncertain how other federal agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will respond to projects under the new plan. The BLM’s draft plans are disappointing, though unsurprising considering the sum of broken federal policies that prevent the forests from being actively managed. It’s critical for citizens to get involved and urge the BLM to improve their draft plans. But only Congress can provide the relief necessary to honor the promise that was made to counties and communities through the O&C Act. We must urge Sen. Ron Wyden and all of our congressional delegation to work together and address the litigation and federal “analysis paralysis” that continue to prevent efforts to bring balance to the management of these federal lands and restore economic vitality to our local communities. Sue Kupillas is a former Jackson County Commissioner and former executive director of Communities for Healthy Forests. By Sue Kupillas MailTribune.com By Sue Kupillas Posted May. 24, 2015 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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