Region Archives: US West

An Oregon magistrate judge issued a recommendation on Friday that could omit commercial timber sales from a federal fire resilience and forest restoration plan in southern Oregon. The findings and recommendations from U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Clarke largely favored conservation groups who sued the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for approving large-scale commercial logging, thinning and prescribed burning in forested habitats occupied by northern spotted owls. On Apr. 10, 2023, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center led three other conservation groups in suing the bureau for approving its project without the environmental impact statement that is typically required by the National Environmental Policy Act. “The BLM failed to demonstrate that the IVM project and the associated timber sales and logging activities, including but not limited to Late Mungers, promotes and maintains [northern spotted owl] habitat, including foraging habitat and habitat for prey species,” Klamath-Siskiyou wrote in its complaint.

Chris Chambers

ASHLAND, Oregon — On a clearing overlooking Siskiyou Mountain Park in Ashland, a navy blue helicopter is making laps back and forth up the forested hillside. …In areas of this forest, anywhere from 20-80% of the fir trees are dead.” …Chris Chambers worries that a large wildfire could permanently change this forest if hotter temperatures driven by climate change make it hard for fir trees to grow back after a fire. He says this thinning work will help soften the blow. If we don’t stay ahead of it, then we might not have a forest in 20, 30, 40 years”. The work in the Ashland watershed is aimed at the symptoms of the Douglas fir die-off. But it doesn’t explain why the trees are dying. …Max Bennett is a retired Oregon State University extension forester. He’s been researching this fir tree die-off, and he co-authored a 2023 paper called “Trees on the Edge.”

SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, California — High in the evergreen canopy of General Sherman, the world’s largest tree, researchers searched for evidence of an emerging threat to giant sequoias: bark beetles. The climbers descended the towering 2,200-year-old tree with good news on Tuesday. “The General Sherman tree is doing fine right now,” said Anthony Ambrose, executive director of the Ancient Forest Society, who led the expedition. “It seems to be a very healthy tree that’s able to fend off any beetle attack.” It was the first time climbers had scaled the iconic 275-foot (85-meter) sequoia tree, which draws tourists from around the world to Sequoia National Park. Giant sequoias, the Earth’s largest living things, have survived for thousands of years in California’s western Sierra Nevada range, the only place where the species is native.

Tara Hudiburg

MOSCOW, Idaho—A multidisciplinary team led by University of Idaho researchers has been granted $15 million to investigate the long-term impact of drought and fire on forest ecosystems. The six-year award comes from the National Science Foundation’s Biology Integration Institutes, which supports diverse and collaborative teams addressing critical biological questions across multiple disciplines through research, education, and training. The funding will establish the EMBER (Embedding Molecular Biology in Ecosystem Research) Institute, uniting researchers from various institutions and backgrounds. This includes molecular and cellular biology experts, organismal physiology, and ecosystem sciences. “We are looking at how stress caused by increasing drought and wildfire affects forest recovery and resilience. By working together, we are not just investigating how trees or microbes respond but how organisms depend on each other to survive,” said Tara Hudiburg, principal investigator for EMBER and professor in U of I’s Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences.

The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) is releasing $14-million to help protect the state’s waterways and reduce wildfire risk. It’s part of a local, state, and federal partnership called the “20 Year Landscape Resiliency Strategy.” The strategy prioritizes areas at high-risk for wildfires. This year through mid-2025, the three programs paid for by the state’s General Fund will invest about $14 million into local, state, federal, and private partners’ projects. The investment will expedite work on over 100,000 acres. The partners will implement these landscape resiliency strategy projects to improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk. The state is leveraging almost 30 different sources of funding for the programs, such as the Landscape Resiliency Program and the Small Forestland Grant Program, with an eye towards not just reducing the risk of wildfire, but also building local economies and protecting water resources.

See the Department of Forestry press release: ODF Grants $14 Million to Help Protect Water and Reduce Wildfire Risk

A massive debris flow has brought a long-term closure to the Valley of the Giants, a popular hike through some of Oregon’s oldest and largest trees in the Coast Range. In early December 2023, heavy rain triggered a flow that obliterated part of the North Fork Siletz River Road. It’s the final stretch in a network of remote roads leading to the trailhead west of Falls City. “It’s the biggest (debris flow) that I’ve ever seen on our lands,” said Andy Frazier, supervisory forester for the Bureau of Land Management’s Marys Peak Field Office. “It was massive. After it happened, we were standing on the road culvert and (the debris) was 15-20 feet above our heads.” The road and trail are closed and not likely to reopen for multiple years, Frazier said, adding, the debris flow started somewhere high above North Fork Siletz River Road.

Brian Harvey

The forests of the Pacific Northwest, for instance, are made with prodigious quantities of water. Some of the rainiest spots on the continent lie along a strip of land between the Pacific Ocean and the western slopes of the Cascade Range from northern California up to Oregon and Washington. The sodden conditions continue up the west side of the Coast Mountains in British Columbia and through the Alaska Panhandle to the edge of Prince William Sound, close to Anchorage, Alaska. All along this region grows a dense tangle of lush forest. It is “a pretty good spot on the planet to grow big trees really fast,” explains University of Washington forest fire ecologist Brian Harvey on a vividly clear day in late July 2023. …So the scientists are here to consider what happens to the West Coast’s old-growth rainforests in an era of more wildfire?

ARIZONA — A test project conducted in the Kaibab National Forest has found that thinning 3,400 acres of ponderosa forest saves about 260 acre-feet of water per year, or about 75 million gallons. One acre-foot of water provides enough to support one household for a year. Thinning 1 million acres could save 90,000 acre-feet of water. And that’s worth about $50 million, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The test project researchers created a high-resolution map of the watershed using light detection and ranging imagery. This helped researchers at ASU’s Center for Hydrologic Innovations create a three-dimensional map of the watershed and estimate the extra water produced. The reduction in trees and brush allowed more water to flow into streams. …The Forest Service has been struggling for a decade to thin forests through the 4-Forests Restoration Initiative, but the need to get rid of low-value biomass has stalled large-scale thinning efforts. 

BEND, Oregon — A three-part series exploring how Central Oregon can safely live with fire. …In Central Oregon, the reality of living with fire, and its offspring smoke, is unavoidable. But, unlike other natural disasters that regularly devastate communities worldwide, we have some measure of control over fire. Over the next few months, the Source Weekly will investigate how prepared we are for the next wildfire – from how the forests are being managed to how to accommodate the region’s rapidly growing population without increasing wildfire risk. Because, as the experts stress, it is not a case of “if” but “when” a blaze will be in our backyard. According to the USFS, 99.9% of prescribed burns go as planned. But when they go wrong, they can go very wrong. …Against this backdrop, the stakes today are high. But according to many experts, the risk of not burning is higher, per a  federal government wildfire crisis report.

…In a pilot program, Arizona State University and Salt River Project are investigating whether forest thinning will increase water supplies, in addition to reducing wildfire risk and protecting important infrastructure. The project is focused on a 3,400-acre area in the Kaibab National Forest. The research team developed a cutting-edge modeling technique for estimating water benefits derived from forest thinning and restoration. Specifically, they created a high-resolution map of the watershed — one that accounts for trees along with their height, size and species using light detection and ranging, or LiDAR, surveys and high-resolution imagery of the land. …The pilot program determined that forest thinning on approximately five square miles of land in the Kaibab National Forest would generate approximately 230 acre-feet, or nearly 75 million gallons of water during the first year. One acre-foot of water can provide water for three Arizona families for one year.

California wildfires aren’t the only thing killing the state’s majestic giant sequoia trees. Researchers in the Sierra Nevada, the only place where the giant sequoia naturally grows, have found several of the world’s largest trees unexpectedly infested with beetles, some dying from the attacks. While the mortality numbers are small, especially when compared to the toll of the wildfires, the emergence of another lethal threat to the titans — this one also tied to the warming climate — is hugely worrisome. That’s why research teams at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are climbing into the canopy. …The welfare check is coordinated by the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition. …Bark beetles have been a major scourge on Sierra forests over the past decade. Coupled with drought, they’ve caused a massive tree die-off. …Giant sequoias, however, were thought to be immune to the insect. [to access the full story a San Francisco Chronicle subscription may be required]

Durango, Colorado — The Durango Air Tanker Base opened May 15 in preparation for what fire officials say is likely to be an “average” wildfire season. With a snowpack that barely peaked above 30-year median levels and has melted rapidly since mid-April, the intensity of Southwest Colorado’s fire season still depends on many factors, such as the ferocity of the summer monsoons and wind. “Keep in mind an average June here is an active fire season,” said Toby Cook, deputy fire staff officer with the San Juan National Forest. “So, average doesn’t mean that we won’t be in a fire season, average could be a very active fire season.” …Air tankers and other firefighting support aircraft use the base to refuel and restock on retardant. It also is home to the forest’s Durango Helitack crew. …The base is open through September, unless fire season draws on longer than expected.

PHOENIX — National environment authorities are investing millions of dollars into fighting wildfires across Arizona. In fact, the USDA Forest Service earmarked nearly $7 million for the cause, according to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM). The DFFM announcement from last week said the money will flow through Community Wildfire Defense Grants. “The $7 million supports six projects, including a large-scale prevention project in Pine Lake and the Hualapais in Mohave County,” DFFM spokesperson Tiffany Davila said in a press release. …The cash will also support a fuels reduction project in Patagonia, along with updates to existing resiliency plans for the greater Flagstaff area and Cochise County. Additionally, the grants will help develop new Community Wildfire Protection Plans for Santa Cruz and Coconino Counties. Director for the Santa Cruz County Office of Emergency Management Sobeira Castro said these grants provide invaluable support.

A second round of funding through the USDA Forest Service’s Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) Program will support communities across Alaska through grants for creating Community Wildfire Protection Plans, planning efforts, or implementation totaling $3,759,337. Communities received priority for this program if they are a low-income area, recently impacted by disaster, or in a wildfire hazard location. “To support additional wildland fire mitigation in at-risk communities, the State of Alaska opted in to the CDWG program to allow local applicants the maximum resources and assistance from the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection,” said Norm McDonald, Deputy Director of Fire Protection. “The program aims to help communities effectively deal with wildfire risk and the division encourages eligible communities and organizations to take advantage of this funding opportunity and apply throughout the five-year program.”  

Federal courts recently upheld the expansion of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument on the border of Oregon and California. Now, the Bureau of Land Management is working on a plan for that monument’s future, inviting the public to learn more about the management options. The monument located on the border of Oregon and California was first in 2000 and expanded in 2017. Timber companies challenged that expansion, arguing the president didn’t have the power to designate a monument on Oregon and California railroad lands originally set aside for logging. In March, a federal appeals court upheld the expansion. …The BLM’s preferred plan, labeled “moderate active management,” emphasizes flexibility, according to the agency. That option would reduce the amount of land managed for recreation from 9,859 acres to 431 acres. It would also decrease the area where wildfire fuels reduction is prioritized from 29,600 acres to 10,944 acres, with a focus on land .25 miles from at-risk communities.

YAKIMA, Washington – Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small announced $250 million to help at-risk communities protect their homes, businesses and infrastructure from catastrophic wildfire, made worse by the climate crisis, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The Community Wildfire Defense Grant program will fund 158 projects to help communities in 31 States, two Territories and 11 Tribes develop community wildfire protection plans and remove overgrown vegetation that can fuel fires that threaten lives, livelihoods, and resources. …Now in its second year, the program helps communities in the wildland-urban interface maintain resilient landscapes, create fire-adapted communities, and ensure safe, effective wildfire response — all goals of the unifying National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy and aligned with the objectives of the National Climate Resilience Framework.

YAKIMA, Washington – Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small announced that the Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is investing nearly $74 million to spark innovation, create new markets for wood products and renewable wood energy from sustainably sourced wood, and increase the capacity of wood processing facilities as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. …these investments fund 171 project proposals across 41 States and American Samoa, and directly support forest health and the wood products economy. …The Forest Service is awarding grants to entities across the public, private, and non-profit sectors through its Wood Innovations Grant, Community Wood Grant, and Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Grant Programs. …Funded proposals include converting heating systems in schools to sustainable biomass boilers, installing cutting-edge equipment in sawmills and processing facilities to increase efficiency, supporting innovative housing using mass timber, and more.

NEWBERG, Ore. — Following the destructive wildfires in 2020, state officials started looking to plant new trees to replace those that burned. Now the Oregon Department of Forestry has turned to an expert to make sure those new trees have the best chance of survival. Workers at the Oregon Department of Forestry spend a lot of their time keeping Oregon green, and one place they spend much of that time is at J.E. Schroeder Orchard in Saint Paul. ODF manages the property, but you could say Kevin Barnes is a key figure in making sure our forests continue to grow. He’s a grafting specialist and makes sure the trees in the orchard will be able to produce seeds for replanting in forests both in Oregon and across the Pacific Northwest.

PORTLAND, Oregon — The Oregon Department of Forestry says it is not sending crews to help with fires burning in western Canada. Dozens of fires in British Columbia and Alberta are labeled “out of control.” …While we haven’t seen any major fires in the Pacific Northwest, that could change in an instant, officials say. The Oregon Department of Forestry wants to make sure we’re ready when it happens. They are building a vision for Oregon’s forests. Right now, the Oregon Board of Forestry and the Department of Forestry are working together to put together a strategy to protect the state’s forests and the people who rely on them. …The plan includes funding wildfire resources, expanding the use of prescribed burns, and teaching more people about wildfire safety and prevention. The plan could be adopted in June, before heading to Governor Kotek’s desk.

ARIZONA — According to a release from the Coconino National Forest, Wolf Fire operations have resulted in the treatment of roughly 10,000 acres of land following a late April lightning strike on the Coconino National Forest’s Mogollon Rim Ranger District. Fire managers spent roughly one week conducting firing operations to reduce dead vegetation and hazardous fuels, restore critical nearby watersheds, improve wildlife habitat and lessen the future risk of catastrophic wildfire in the Clints Well area. Firing operations wrapped up in advance of predicted rains for Tuesday and Wednesday. The Northern Arizona Type 3 Incident Management Team, which has been managing the Wolf Fire since April 6, plans to transition management of the fire back to the Coconino National Forest on Wednesday.

A large logging project ended in an unusual way for many lawsuits involving logging, endangered species and federal agencies: It settled without years of litigation. Late last year, two conservation groups, Native Ecosystems Council and the Alliance for the Wild Rockies filed suit to halt a large logging project near Townsend, known as the “Middleman Project,” that they said hurt elk, grizzly bear and Canada lynx, the latter two of which are classified by the federal government as endangered species. …The project was originally slated as a 20-year project in the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest and the Big Belt Mountain Range. …As part of the agreement, the Forest Service can continue with the “associated activities” in the Crouching Trout Timber sale. The service also agrees to limit prescribed burning to the “inventoried wilderness areas” of no more than 25% of any area.

Tina Kotek

Gov. Tina Kotek abruptly pulled back this week on a pair of nominations to the board that oversees Oregon forest policy, after blowback from environmental groups over one of her picks. Kotek had planned to tap two men for the state Board of Forestry who have often been on opposite sides of debates over how much of Oregon’s forests should be open to logging. One was Bob Van Dyk, a conservationist who formerly spent a dozen years with the Portland-based Wild Salmon Center. The other: Heath Curtiss, vice president of government affairs for Hampton Lumber. The dual appointment would have left the balance unchanged on a seven-member board that is closely scrutinized for where its volunteer members stand on forest issues. …The reason appears tied to a letter eight environmental groups sent to Kotek’s office on Tuesday, railing against the selection of Curtiss for the board.

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources released its annual Forest Health Highlights report on Wednesday following a 2023 aerial detection survey that mapped 517,000 acres of forests with some level of tree mortality, defoliation, or foliar diseases. …Though the 2023 Forest Health Highlights report documents the fewest acres affected as part of a complete survey since 2018, it also contains several concerning trends and new data points underscoring the forest health crisis in Washington. One of the most concerning datapoints comes courtesy of the Douglas-fir engraver. Scientists mapped 25,600 acres of tree damage attributed to this bark beetle – the largest amount recorded by an aerial survey in Washington since 1969 and nearly 20 percent more than the 20,300 acres observed in 2019. Douglas-fir engraver damage signatures such as dead tops and branch flagging…

Suzanne Simard

Fostering mutual respect with nature is the answer to saving forests and even solving the climate crisis, according to forest ecologist Suzanne Simard. “It comes down to what we do with this concept of reciprocity,” said Simard, crediting the practice to long-lasting indigenous traditions. “This idea of being … in kinship with the trees.” The 64-year-old spearheads a British Columbia-based forest restoration project and recently authored a book, “Finding the Mother Tree,” about forests forging communities of their own — both above and below the ground. “Every tree is linked to every other tree,” Simard said at a talk for University of California Santa Barbara Arts & Lectures earlier this month.  …Simard’s findings defied the age-old idea of survival of the fittest… “It’s created a whole bunch of controversy,” Simard said, referencing her 1997 publication that disrupted the world of science. “That upended this notion that plants are in it for themselves.” 

QUINCY, California — Last week local groups announced a lawsuit aimed at the United States Forest Service claiming that the agency’s project in Plumas County is increasing wildfire vulnerability among other accusations. The release refers to a “$650 million logging project” that would allegedly log and spread herbicide on about 133,000 acres of old-growth forest while not preparing an Environmental Impact Statement. The groups that issued the release are Feather River Action, the John Muir Project and the Plumas Forest Project. However, the Forest Service’s numbers vary dramatically from the claims made by those filing the suit. Plumas National Forest Public Information Officer Tamara Schmidt said that while the service cannot comment on the litigation itself, the project referred to is likely the Spirit R-Z Resource Service project. The project’s numbers don’t quite line up with the claims made in the suit.