W.O.P.R. will test Obama commitment to science

B.L.M.’S Western Oregon Plan Revisions (WOPR) – A bad idea


Our departing president ignored or corrupted scientific evidence when it didn’t fit his political agenda. President elect Obama has promised to pay attention to what scientific research has to say. The B.L.M.’s WOPR will provide an early test of his commitment to science.

The B.L.M. has announced that it will implement the “WOPR” changes in forest management for the B.L.M. lands in Western Oregon. This despite a majority of public comments and an appeal from our Governor Ted Kulongoski opposing implementation of WOPR. The WOPR changes substantially increase logging and off road vehicle use and decrease streamside buffers and areas set aside for old growth and wildlife. They eliminate Adaptive Management Areas, areas committed to local involvement and experiments to develop a better forestry for tomorrow.


The WOPR proposals take us back to an outdated forestry that has left our forests in poor condition. Timber harvest in the narrowed streamside buffers will negatively impact our irrigation and drinking water. Climate change will mean less snow pack and less late season water for farmers and cities alike. The B.L.M. WOPR plan is certain to make conditions worse.

The WOPR REVISIONS IGNORE CLIMATE CHANGE.

Climate change was not considered in developing the WOPR plan.
How these forests are managed affects climate in substantial ways. The WOPR proposals impact a lot of land. They will result in larger CO2 emissions and less carbon sequestration. We can expect increased stream erosion and habitat disturbance. Forests are the lungs of the planet. We must, however, take care of the forests if the forests are to take care of us.

Climate change will increase the pressure on forest habitat. Hundreds of species of animals and plants will be impacted. For many of these, the choice will be to migrate or to die out. These B.L.M. forests are a key part of the migration corridors. It is at least foolish and probably negligent to ignore climate change when managing public forest land.

The WOPR REVISIONS ELIMINATE ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT AREAS.

Adaptive Management Areas (AMA’s) were created for experimentation to develop better forestry management practices. In my home, the Applegate valley of Southwest Oregon, the AMA is a success story. New techniques for thinning to enhance both fire safety and habitat are being tried. Uses are being found for the smaller diameter and non-timber products that the forests can provide. Cutting the big timber is a boom and bust economy. Sustainable forestry should provide a more stable type of employment.
Yes, there is more money in cutting the big trees now, but it makes more sense to manage the forests in a sustainable way.


Creating a sustainable forestry takes time, generations in fact, as trees mature slowly. The effects of our actions are not quickly seen. We have begun the effort to develop a sustainable forestry. This work should continue. Adaptive Management Areas are a good idea. They lead to the improvement of forest management.

WOPR simply drops the AMA’s and dedicates those lands to intensive timber production.


The WOPR REVISIONS TURN BOTANICALLY RICH AND FRAGILE SOILS INTO AN OFF ROAD VEHICLE PLAYGROUND.

The WOPR proposes several new large Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) emphasis areas in “my back yard” (the Siskiyou mountains, B.L.M. Medford, Oregon district) .

The Siskiyou area has outstanding biodiversity, steep hills and granitic soils. These fragile soils erode easily. Four wheelers and dirt bikes make ruts that become erosion channels. We get muddy creeks, plugging salmon habitat. We get invasive species. Expanded OHV use in a place like this is not compatible with other forest values. OHV users should have adequate places to ride, but this is the wrong place to turn into a giant playground off road vehicles.

Conclusion:

The Northwest Forest Plan was created in the 1990’s, after much public input and with much effort to balance competing interests. It has science behind it. President Bush, on his way out of town, is slipping through one more piece of bad science and ecological stupidity to increase the short term timber cut. If President elect Obama is going to honor his pledge to follow the science, these WOPR revisions will not be implemented.
Jonathan Spero