EASTERN OREGON – The American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) and Associated Oregon Loggers (AOL) are urging the U.S. Forest Service to adopt a Blue Mountain Forest Plan that will improve and increase active management across the 4.9 million acres that comprise the Umatilla, Wallowa-Whitman, and Malheur national forests. In separate comments submitted for the plan’s draft environmental impact statement, both groups said the plans should improve active management using local professional land managers and giving them the flexibility needed to respond to unhealthy forest conditions that increase the risks of severe wildfire. “Eastern Oregon is losing too many forested acres to severe wildfire, insects and disease, and we need forest plans that allow the forest service to mitigate those threats,” AFRC Director of Forest Policy and Monitoring Andy Geissler stated.