Massive numbers of dead and dying trees are being seen almost everywhere in the Applegate Valley. More Douglas fir trees have died in Southern Oregon in the last four years than the last four decades.
The alarming number of dead conifers is fueling concerns about public safety along roadways, increased fire risk, changes in wildlife habitat and economic impacts to local communities. The Bureau of Land Management is asking for public feedback on the best strategy for addressing this devastating tree mortality.
The Strategic Operations for Safety Environmental Assessment (EA) proposes to address the crisis by allowing BLM managers to quickly address concerns along roads, near homes and in locations where firefighters have the best chance of stopping fires quickly and safely.
The proposal will strategically target dead and dying trees as well as those showing significant signs of decline in optimum places close to where people live. The BLM has worked closely with researchers in the US Forest Service and Oregon State University Extension Office on developing indicators and criteria for dying trees.
BLM Medford District Manager Elizabeth Burghard said they don't have any additional funding to address the conifer mortality that is creating safety concerns across 200,000 acres of public lands in Southern Oregon. She said they must rely on timber sales to remove dead and dying trees in strategic locations.
The BLM anticipates that this EA will cover an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 acres of treatments. The first project could begin as soon as mid-2025. Learn more about the projects during a virtual public meeting on December 10th at 5 p.m.. Register in advance at "bit.ly/SOSmeeting."
