Bureau of Land Management Protects Oregon Forests through Integrated Vegetation Management
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Medford, Oregon — The Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington Medford District Manager has approved a plan to promote resilient forests across southwestern Oregon. The Decision Record for the Integrated Vegetation Management for Resilient Lands Environmental Assessment (IVM EA) was signed Wednesday. The plan aims to protect forests from fire, drought, insects, and disease. It is also designed to improve habitat for wildlife and plants.
The forests of southwest Oregon are fire-adapted ecosystems. Reducing competition among trees allows them to grow larger in diameter becoming more resilient to impacts of fire, drought, insects, and disease. The plan will preserve large trees and reduce the risk of large-scale, high severity fires.
“This plan supports the Rogue Valley Fire Integrated Community Wildfire Protection Plan,” said Jen Smith, acting Medford District Manager. “The IVM plan is critical in helping us reduce the threat and severity of fire across a very large wildland urban interface area.”
By analyzing similar actions across the Medford District, the IVM EA creates a framework to increase the pace and scale of critical resiliency treatments. While developing the IVM EA, BLM officials consulted with local Tribes, worked with other government agencies, and provided multiple opportunities for public engagement. The BLM will provide additional public engagement opportunities for future projects involving commercial harvest treatments under the IVM EA.
Learn more about the IVM EA by visiting the project website at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/123406/510.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.