Wolves and lynx threatened by the “Deep” timber sale in Central Oregon

The Paulina Ranger District of Ochoco National Forest is planning to revive the “Deep” timber sale already defeated by us in court as the “Jackson’ sale, with very few changes and almost all the same commercial sale units.

This means that once again habitat for resident lynx, northern goshawk, pileated woodpeckers and for dispersing endangered gray wolves will be threatened by logging of this magnificent high elevation mixed conifer forest and that the area is at risk from “timber mining” as the forest is concentrated along stream drainages and may not recover from logging, resulting in streams drying up and permanent forest loss. Please call the Ochoco Forest Supervisor, Kate Klein, and ask that the Jackson sale be cancelled for these reasons: 541-416-6500

About Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project

Since our inception in 1991 in rural eastern Oregon, our mission has been to protect, defend, and restore the natural ecosystems of the Blue Mountains and eastern Oregon Cascades bioregions. Our efforts include proactive public education on ecological issues, forest surveys and documentation of proposed public lands projects (timber sales, road building, livestock grazing, herbicide and biocide programs, etc.), training, ongoing involvement in public lands policy management decisions, and litigation in federal courts to protect the biodiversity and ecological integrity of the region.

 BMBP has been hard hit by the ongoing national Depression and is in danger of going under entirely. However, thanks to a handful of dedicated major donors, support from the Fund for Wild Nature, and the passion and hard work of our summer and fall volunteer interns and dedicated activist lawyers and law students, we have managed to keep our work going, so far.

A grassroots group such as BMBP accomplishes far more in a year than seems conceivable for such a low amount of funding, with a high degree of efficiency and effectiveness compared to most of the top-heavy, bureaucratic larger environmental organizations.

The difference is our close relationship with the public lands we seek to protect, our extensive time spent in the field with the wildlife, and the passion that engenders to keep us working hard even when we are volunteering our time. We hope that you share our commitment to keeping eastern Oregon wild and beautiful for the great diversity of wildlife that live there, for future generations of human residents and visitors, and for the long-term ecological integrity of watersheds, rivers, soils, forest, high desert, and climate.

-Thank your Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project

Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project
27803 Williams Lane
Fossil, Oregon 97830
(541) 385-9167

Portland, OR.— Cascadia Wildlands, the Center for Biological Diversity and Audubon Society of Portland filed a notice of intent to sue the state of Oregon today over harmful clearcutting practices on the Elliott, Tillamook and Clatsop state forests. The notice presents evidence that the state’s practices are harming, harassing and otherwise leading to the demise of the federally protected marbled murrelet, which comes inland to nest and breed in mature and old-growth forests. The Endangered Species Act prohibits actions that injure threatened species, including destruction of their habitat.

“These coastal state forests provide some of the best remaining older forest habitat in the Coast Range for the imperiled murrelet,” said Francis Eatherington, Conservation Director with Cascadia Wildlands. “Yet in 2010 and 2011, the state approved vast logging increases on all three forests. 2012 is the year the public will ensure that we have a sound plan for our forests, not more clearcutting.”

Timber sales on the three state forests are harming marbled murrelets by eliminating the trees they need for nesting and by fragmenting the forest, which leads to trees blowing down in their habitat and increased predation of the birds and their nests.

“Logging on Oregon’s state forests is driving the marbled murrelet to extinction,” said Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “We have a network of clearcuts, but no network of protected areas for rare and precious wildlife and fish. Oregon has to do more to protect the murrelet and other endangered species that need our older forests to survive.”

Current research on marbled murrelet populations in the Pacific Northwest shows that populations are declining every year; continued logging on the three state forests is a likely factor. By playing fast and loose with the requirements for finding murrelets and their habitat, the Oregon Department of Forestry continually allows logging in the birds’ nesting areas. Oregon is home to a vital part of the West Coast murrelet population, but if the forestry department’s practices are allowed to continue, the population declines could worsen.

the elliot state forest

“With nearly 600,000 acres of forest in the heart of Oregon’s Coast Range, state forests are key to the murrelet’s survival,” said Bob Sallinger, Conservation Director for the Audubon Society of Portland. “It is long past time for the state to take a proactive approach to protecting the old-growth and mature forests needed by the murrelet.”

For over a decade, the state was engaged in developing a habitat conservation plan that would have given it a permit for limited impacts to marbled murrelets in exchange for the bird’s conservation; but it abandoned that effort. This lawsuit seeks to force the state to develop a plan that will truly protect the murrelet.

Revenue from clearcutting supports state forest management overhead and programs as well as county and state services. The conservation groups have long encouraged the state to pursue other options on state forests to generate revenue: capitalizing on emerging carbon markets, conservation acquisitions, and restoration thinning in young plantations. Much work can be done in the forest that will produce value for all Oregonians while also protecting imperiled species.

The Elliott is a 93,000-acre forest located in the Coast Range east of Coos Bay. The Clatsop and Tillamook state forests are made up of nearly 500,000 acres in the northwest Oregon Coast Range. In the last two years, the state has revised management plans for the three state forests to dramatically increase logging.

The conservation organizations are represented by outside counsel Daniel Kruse of Eugene, Tanya Sanerib of the Crag Law Center, and Cascadia Wildlands’ Staff Attorney Nick Cady.

Currently, timber companies clearcut up to 500 acres of ancient forest in the Elliott each year. In 2012, if Oregon Department of Forestry proposed management plan for the Elliott is passed, they will sell/cut up to 850 acres per year. NEST hopes to slow the destruction of the murrelets’ waning habitat by finding and reporting nest sites that should be protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Fall is the best time to climb survey—immediately after nesting season, but before the rainy season washes away all of the evidence.

Come join us for our pilot season to save the Elliott. We are especially searching for experienced climbers, though all levels and types of experience are welcome. Can you id birds? Are you an archer, or a mycologist? Do you thrive on a deep and unending love for wilderness? Are you really good at setting up tarps? We would love to hang out in the woods with you!

Interested volunteers should come to our orientation at 10:30 a.m. September 30th at 1648 Alder, Eugene, in front of the Lorax Manor. We will hold basic climb trainings and discuss survey methods. The first caravan departs October 1st. If you would like to come later in the month, or if you will need temporary housing in Eugene, give us a ring.

What to bring:

While we hope for a fairly dry October, the Elliott is a rainforest. Expect rain. All volunteers should come with raingear and layers of wool or synthetic clothing. We will be hiking off road through gnarly terrain, so a good pair of boots is essential. Don’t forget your sleeping bag, and consider bringing your own tarp or tent. Other recommended items include: headlamp, compass, personal climb gear, water bottle, personal dishware, snack food, water filter, and multiple pairs of wool socks. NEST can accommodate volunteers without personal food, gear, or financial resources, but if you can contribute to our daily costs it would certainly be appreciated.

For volunteer or media inquiries, contact Sarah: (860) 367 7641. argempi617@gmail.com

NEST Climber Halfway Up, in the Canopy!

With summer well upon us, NEST is heading back into the field again for another round of surveys!

We are seeking volunteers to join our camp. Though, NEST welcomes people with climbing experience, experience is also unecessary. NEST is  happy to train volunteers for all climbing and all skills needed for conducting red tree vole surveys. People who do not wish to climb are also welcome to join, as equally important ground support.

NEST asks that people who do not have their own transportation join us for at least 1-2 weeks. Rides and pick-ups near the camp location may be arranged.

For people who do have their own transportation, we can provide directions. Directions to camp sites will be kept with the in town contact person, who will be reachable at this email and at a phone number (to be posted on the website soon). We also ask all volunteers to check in with town support people,  before hearing into the field. That way, camp can be re-supplied with food donations!

This could be your beautiful, rustic summer home!

As always, NEST welcomes donations of gear and/or funds. Among the things on

are wishlist are: all kinds of camping gear, gps units, new or gently used climbing gear, shotline, caribeaners – steel and not, harnesses, a car battery, a solar panel, two way radios, and more! As NEST is a 501c3, all donations are tax deductible.

If you would like to join NEST in the field, please contact us by:

email at nestcascadia@gmail.com

or phone:

NEST Town Contact: 541.935.8098

Thanks!

Information is below!

(1) Cascadia Forest Defense 2011 Action Camp, July 22nd-25th
Elliott State Forest

This July activists are invited to to support meaningful action in defense of our beloved, ancient coastal rainforest, the Elliott State Forest.

Under the watchful mismanagement of the Oregon Department of Forestry, timber barons are actively razing this rare, 93,000 acre cathedral of previously untouched wilderness. It’s time for friends of Cascadia to take a stand against… the dozens of clearcuts on the table for 2011-2012.

Workshops will include: Map and compass, backwoods stealth, survival and evasion, forest games, tree climbing and anti-oppression.

The Elliott lies roughly 2 hours Southwest of Eugene. For more info: www.forestdefensenow.com
If you would like to share a ride or if you need a ride, please see http://www.forestdefenseno​w.com/p/rideshare-page.htm​l

(2) Trans and Womyn’s Action Camp (TWAC)
July 27th-August 1st.
Location TBA (in a forest in OR or WA)

Please schedule the 3rd Annual Trans & Womyn’s Action Camp into your summer’s travel plans, and make your way into the lovely woods of Cascadia for another radical and magickal gathering or skill-shares, workshops, networking, and fun!

T.W.A.C. standing for the Trans and Womyn’s Action Camp is getting ready for another summer in Cascadia. Expect to make awesome friends, share stories and skills, explore the forest and experience …what kicking ass grrl and trans style feels like. This will be the third year of Cascadia’s annual Trans and Womyn’s Action Camp with promises of an amazing space to feel safe, learn and share. Stemming from Earth First! T.W.A.C. sees an intersection between the oppression of identity and that of the wild, aiming to confront the root causes of both in this amazing week long camp!

Until then, stay fierce! Fuck off  patriarchy!

For more info and ways to get involved e-mail:
twac@riseup.net
www.twac.wordpress.com

Click Here to See NEST Video & Fundraiser Page!

With the coming of summer solstice, begins the start of NEST summer climbing season 2011. While there are small teams of NEST volunteers already out in the woods, NEST will need its first big influx of volunteer climbers for the summer-long camp out, in mid-July! (If you are already in the region and wish to volunteer now, however, please email us!)

Along with the start of climbing season, comes a great need for funds. All those who work with NEST are unpaid volunteers. However, a summer long camp costs money to maintain. There are mouths to be fed, climbing equipment and camping gear needed, data-taking instruments to acquire, expensive transportation costs, office work expenses, and more!

For this, we ask supporters who might not be able to come out into the forests to contribute financially. You can do this directly through the paypal donation button on this website (receipts for tax purposes available upon request). Or, NEST has also set up an account at Indieagogo. For this, our summer funding goal is $2000!

By contributing through Indieagogo, you will receive different gifts depending on the amounts of money that you pledge to NEST. Forest-themed hoodies, T shirts, and patches are just some of the options!

All donations are tax deductible! We will send recipts upon request.

Please spread the word and help NEST meet our fundraising goal for the summer, by clicking on the following link!: http://www.indiegogo.com/Northwest-Ecosystem-Survey-Team-NEST 

Federal Judge Tom Coffin ruled that in approving the timber sale the U.S. Forest Service violated a basic federal environmental law. Judge Coffin wrote:

“The public is entitled to be accurately informed of the impact of the proposed action on the [northern spotted owl] and to have a meaningful opportunity to weigh in on the proposalŠ[A]pproval of the Trapper Timber Sale were based on a factual inaccuracy and the public has yet to be informed of the actual findings.”

The Forest Service cannot move forward with logging until the agency makes a new decision that meets the requirements of the law.

The Forest Service first proposed the timber sale in 1998, the Forest Service has failed to address significant new information that has arisen since the agency issued a decision on the project in 2003. In the ten years since the project was planned, a pair of threatened northern spotted owls has taken up residence in the vicinity of the timber sale.

The court said the agency relied on a flawed analysis of impacts to endangered species and failed to respond to a scientific critique of the project.

First proposed in 1998, Trapper has been slated to be logged by Eugene based Logging Company Seneca Jones since 1999.

In 2006, NEST volunteer surveyors found and documented 30+ red tree vole nests in the pristine, mature forest ecosystems of the Trapper timber sale. Wheras, previous US Forest service Surveys documented only 3 red tree vole nests in the same area. Despite NEST’s new survey data, these nests were never taken into account by the US Forest Service. The correct wildlife buffers for these nests were never created.

Thanks to the many efforts of local activists and multiple environmental groups, the pristine 157 acre forest – just east of Eugene and bordering the McKenzie River – has been saved.

Thanks to everyone who came out and all who volunteered!

Thanks to the Eugene Free School for the lovely space!

Thanks also to Holy Cow, Divine Cupcake, Ninkasi Brewing, Widmer Brothers Brewing for the delicious and refreshing food and drink!

And, of course, a big thank you to all performers – Aeon Now!, Jazz Balls, the Alder Street Trio, wonderful firedancers, and you!

The music lineup is:

Aeon Now!

The Same Old Used To Bes (former memebers of the Blair St Mugwhumps)

And…

Jazz Balls

Food & Drinks begin at 6:30pm

Music at 9:30pm

$3-5 for the music
…………sliding scale of more for other treats and refreshments!

All proceeds from the show will go to NEST (Northwest Ecosystem Survey Team), a volunteer based biological survey team that looks for
endangered species in the tops of old growth trees. Every critter nest found saves acres of old growth forest in Oregon.

Come to this party if you love dancing, chili, beer, and if you want to see Oregon’s old growth stay standing tall.

Feel free to invite your friends!

View from Straw Devil canopy, 2003

This weekend, as a part of the UO Survival Center‘s Forest Action Month, NEST is holding an overnight climb training and camp out. Located near the site of a the former Straw Devil treesit (which was saved thanks to a combination of the sit and red tree vole surveys conducted by NEST volunteers), it is also within quick walking distance of a natural Hot Springs.

We will be camping, learning basic tree climbing, and exploring the site of one the most intense forest defense campaigns in Oregon’s history.

Lovely Platform, 2003

Please RSVP to survival@uoregon.edu - space is limited. We will provide transportation and food. Please bring your own camping gear, weather-appropriate clothing (it may be cold and/or rainy! or… maybe not!), and climbing gear (if you have it!). No experience is necessary. Further details and directions available to those who request. For rides out from Portland, please email nestcascadia@gmail.com.