RECENT ACTIVITY

Forest Bridges Responds to the

BLM's draft RMP-EIS for the

Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

The O&C Forest Habitat Project respectfully submits substantive comments in the paper that follows, entitled:

THE FOREST BRIDGES’ CASE FOR

INTENSIVE ACTIVE MANAGEMENT (ALT B+)

OVER MODERATE ACTIVE MANAGEMENT (ALT C)

ON THE CASCADE SISKIYOU NATIONAL MONUMENT

Our aim in providing our analysis and comments (that follow in more detail) is to support the BLM in selecting an active management alternative that adequately and expeditiously addresses dry forest ecosystems on the CSNM that are overstocked, low in heterogeneity, and facing drought,

disease and unprecedented stand-replacing fires. By taking this approach, we believe the BLM will honor the stated framework of conservation, protection, and restoration in the CSNM; the Tribes will be honored for their historical forest stewardship approaches as well as in the BLM including

them as vital CSNM restoration and on-going management partners; and the public will come to appreciate the level of intensive management that is needed in the short-term to ensure a lasting, ecologically and visually rich Monument. And, of course, the CSNM will achieve and maintain

sustainable, fire- and climate-resilient forests meeting multiple needs -- our collective ultimate goal.

It is our sincere hope that the BLM will consider our arguments for Alt B over Alt C, with considerations for managing more intensively (as needed) within the reserves for the CSNM. We appreciate, in advance, the BLM’s efforts to actively engage with the other appropriate Federal

agencies, the state governments and appropriate agencies, local county governments, and the Tribes to collaboratively arrive at the best active management alternative for the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.