In December 2010, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar set in motion a plan to experimentally test the principles of ecological restoration, as developed by Drs. Norm Johnson and Jerry Franklin, on BLM lands within the Roseburg, Medford, and Coos Bay Districts. The goal of the pilot projects is to determine whether the application of active forest management can make substantial contributions to forest ecosystem restoration, spotted owl recovery, and local/regional economic recovery simultaneously. The BLM, along with Drs. Norm Johnson and Jerry Franklin, will be holding a series of meetings to discuss the pilot projects and learn more about forest ecology. The public is encouraged to attend these meetings. Date: Feb. 16, 2011 Time: 6 to 8 p.m. What: Roseburg Pilot Project Open House Location: Seven Feathers Casino Resort Conference Center 1146 Chief Miwaleta Lane Canyonville, OR 97417This initial public meeting will provide an opportunity for interested members of the public to learn about the Roseburg Secretarial Pilot Project and the objective of this pilot to test the ecological and economic merits of the restoration strategy outlined by Drs. Norm Johnson and Jerry Franklin. The pilot projects will incorporate new process and modeling techniques used in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 2010 Draft Revised Recovery Plan for Northern Spotted Owl. Brief summary information will also be provided outlining the Medford and Coos Bay District Secretarial Pilot projects and the opportunities for public involvement in those efforts. There is no fee to attend this workshop. Date: Feb. 17, 2011 Time: 9:30 to 3:30 p.m. What: Moist Forest Workshop Location: Seven Feathers Casino Resort Conference Center 1146 Chief Miwaleta Lane Canyonville, OR 97417This workshop will be lead by Drs. Norm Johnson and Jerry Franklin and will focus on a review of the fundamentals of Moist Forest ecosystems. A core objective of this presentation will be to improve understanding among participants of the basis and objectives of retention harvesting. There is no fee to attend this workshop.The program will present information on:
* Natural stand development and the structure and function of Pacific Northwest coniferous forests;
* Disturbances and the nature and role of biological legacies of disturbance;
* Nature and importance of early successional (pre-forest) ecosystems; and
* Silvicultural applications of this science in ecological forestry, including variable retention regeneration harvesting.
For more information please visit the Forestry Pilot Project on the web at: blm.gov/or/resources/forests/index.php
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
