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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 Co-owner of historic Butte Creek Mill remembered for her generous spirit ... Jackson County firefighters train for 'mayday' scenarios ... Medford pair sold phony health device ... Co-owner of historic Butte Creek Mill remembered for her generous spirit ... Jackson County firefighters train for 'mayday' scenarios ... Medford pair sold phony health device ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Vegetation cleared to protect oak habitat Brush and trees on the Table Rocks are being thinned to protect oak habitat. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 20, 2015 @ 12:01 am Posted Sep. 20, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> I was hiking Wednesday on Table Rock, and there are hundreds of burn piles. Some have been burned and are covered with a small piece of black plastic. It looks like a war zone up there. They cut down a lot of underbrush like manzanita, but they also cut down and burned oak trees. Can you solve this mystery? — Bummed out on Table Rock The area at Table Rock may not look pretty right now, but land managers said the work is being done to protect oak habitat. "Aesthetically, it is troubling," agreed Don Ferguson, spokesman for the Medford District Bureau of Land Management. However, the 1,200-acre Table Rocks Oak Climate Adaptation Project is being done to protect oak habitat that is under threat from two main sources. First, fire suppression has allowed fuel loads in the area to build to unnaturally thick levels, which increases the risk for a high-intensity wildfire. Historically, low-intensity fire swept through the area on a regular basis, thinning vegetation and trees, according to project partners. Second, climate models predict warmer, drier summers, increasing the risk of drought and wildfire. Thinning helps the oaks better withstand those forces, according to information provided by partners on the project. The project is a joint effort of the Lomakatsi Restoration Project, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the BLM, The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Klamath Bird Observatory. Native American tribes also are being consulted for the project. On-the-ground work began in February 2015, stopped during the wildfire-prone summer season and will pick up steam again this fall. Work will continue seasonally into 2019, partners said. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 20, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » 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. 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 2015 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