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47 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, March 7, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend February 24, 2004 Ashland thinning project gets bids ASHLAND — A project to thin trees on city-owned land in the Ashland watershed has attracted bids from helicopter logging operators and mills, quieting fears that the large proportion of small-diameter and dead trees would scare off prospective bidders. Ashland Fire & Rescue Chief Keith Woodley said the city received two bids from helicopter companies on Wednesday detailing costs of removing the trees. Last week, six mills submitted bids for what they would pay for the wood. Woodley said that he is still examining the bids, but the costs of the project likely will be covered by the payment for the timber. "Overall, they look very promising. The potential for the project to pay for itself is real," he said. The project went to bid as timber prices are recovering from a downturn, Woodley said. The project calls for thinning 183 acres of the city’s 486 acres in the lower watershed to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health. Sixty-eight percent of trees marked for cutting are 12 inches in diameter or less, and 96 percent are 18 inches or less. The plan also calls for helicopter logging, which costs more but is less disruptive to the forest floor than ground-based methods. Advertisement The plan was crafted by the Ashland Forest Lands Commission, with guidance from Woodley and Marty Main, the city’s forestry consultant. A final decision on which bids to accept will be made within 10 days, Woodley said. Work could begin as soon as mid- March, with a proposed May 15 completion date. Commission chairman Steve Jensen said he hopes the plan — which was unanimously approved by the commission last week and will go before the Ashland City Council on Tuesday — can become a model for ecologically responsible thinning. The combined estimated costs for helicopter logging, paying a timber harvest tax and treating logging slash ranges from $271,235 to $300,235, Main said. Projected revenues from helicopter logging range from $230,000 to $276,000, he said. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times