Oregon/Washington Forests & Woodlands

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) forests provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, forest products and clean water. The BLM emphasizes balancing the ecological, economic and social aspects of forests, managing them to consider the needs of future generations. The process to propose, design, and sell a timber sale takes from two to four years. The process begins when a planner reviews land use allocations, watershed analysis and information about the timber in a given area. After the planner has confirmed that the area is available for harvest and that the age and condition of the timber is suitable for harvest, the public is notified of the proposed sale. The notice is given in each District’s Planning Update which is mailed quarterly and posted on the internet. The public is asked to identify issues to be analyzed in the Environmental Assessment for the timber sale. This process is known as "scoping" and is required under the National Environmental Policy Act.