Regional Office, Westside Service Center, and Mt. Hood employees review landscape fuels and forest health treatment work in the Sportsman’s Paradise area. Barlow Ranger District, Mt. Hood National Forest, Oregon.
Note: The following is from a 2012 Statement by US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell concerning Challenges and Opportunities for Achieving Healthier National Forests, located here:
www.fs.fed.us/sites/default/files/legacy_files/media/type... "Another tool that has been helpful in building relationships and improving agency decision making is use of the objections process prior to a decision, rather than using an appeals process after a decision is made. Our experience with the objections process for hazardous fuel reduction projects authorized under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act indicates that the process tends to increase direct dialogue between the agency and stakeholders and often results in resolution of concerns before a decision is made, and thus
better, and more informed decisions result. One example is the Sportsman’s Paradise Fuels Reduction Project on the Mt. Hood National Forest. This project was initiated by local homeowners, who along with the Oregon Department of Forestry and an environmental group worked collaboratively to develop recommendations for the District Ranger. The most positive aspect of this effort is that the Sportsman's Paradise homeowner's group, which previously had not engaged with the Forest Service became an active participant in the project planning process resulting in new relationships. The Mt. Hood National Forest received an objection from a participating environmental group. After discussions with the group, the District Ranger made some minor revisions to the project which resulted in the group withdrawing their objection. Upon implementation, the authorized work will reduce the risk of potential catastrophic fire loss for approximately 900 acres surrounding the Sportsman's Paradise community of approximately 170 lots. The 2012 Consolidated Appropriations Act includes a provision for the Secretary to expand and establish a pre-decisional objection process in lieu of the appeal requirements of the Appeal Reform Act. This provision allows the Agency to apply the positive experience gained from use of the pre-decisional objections process for Herger Feinstein Restoration Act authorized fuel reduction projects. We have begun work on drafting the regulations."
Photo by: Beth Willhite
Date: June 20, 2018
Credit: USDA Forest Service, Region 6, State and Private Forestry, Forest Health Protection, Westside Forest Insect and Disease Service Center
Source: Beth Willhite collection; Sandy, Oregon.
Image provided by USDA Forest Service, Region 6, State and Private Forestry, Forest Health Protection:
www.fs.usda.gov/main/r6/forest-grasslandhealth
