Grants Pass, Ore. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 2016 Resource Management Plan established the 294-acre Provolt Seed Orchard as a Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA). In May, the BLM will host a couple of community meetings in conjunction with a recreation management plan being developed for the area that has functioned as the Provolt Seed Orchard since 2015.
These community meetings are an opportunity for the public to express how the area could serve the community’s recreational needs. BLM District Manager Elizabeth Burghard says, "We want this to be a conversation where we can learn what is important to the community about managing the area for recreation." These meetings will be an open format with individual stations to talk one-on-one with individuals. The BLM supports traditional land uses and providing access to hunting, fishing, and other recreational opportunities.
The BLM acquired the Provolt Seed Orchard in January 1981 and it functioned as a seed orchard for production, breeding and preservation of a select species of Oregon native trees until 2015. During its operation, the orchard provided a cooperative seed orchard program, public access to the Applegate River, and opportunities for local grade school education demonstrations of orchard management.
The Community Conversations will be held on May 8th (6pm - 8pm) and May 12th (9am - 11am) at the Provolt Seed, 14171 Williams Highway, Grants Pass, OR 97527.
For information on the meeting, contact recreation planner, Sarah Mathews, at samathews@blm.gov, or 541-471-6648. For additional information on the BLM please visit: https://www.blm.gov/oregon-washington.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
