Local News

The Yellowjacket Environmental Assessment on the Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is in early planning stages.

The district's main focus for the project is to start a meaningful community engagement with as much diversity of thought as possible.

The goals and objectives for the projects are to mitigate risks to human health and safety and to keep roads open to the public, not just for recreation but also for ingress and egress for the public and Forest Service personnel; to connect fuel reduction projects to the west and east, providing a more resilient landscape and helping protect vulnerable communities from catastrophic wildfires; to reduce hazardous fuels and foster a more fire-, insect- and disease-resilient forest; to treat the dead and dying Douglas fir and other conifer species; to restore and promote more climate-adapted pine, oak and other species; and to enhance and protect the old growth by focusing on reducing competition for legacy trees.

Although the project footprint on the map is large, treatments will be very specific and forest officials expect the acres treated could be potentially small. Treatment areas outside of the priority road system treatment and shaded fuel-breaks have yet to be identified.

The district will be utilizing input from the public and the Rogue Forest Partners via field trips looking at specific concerns that local interest groups are interested in discussing.

For additional information or to schedule a field trip, contact Wes Crum at (541)-899-3822 or Kit Colbenson at (541)-899-3876.