Collaboration on the Malheur National Forest

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Collaboration on the Malheur National Forest
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Malheur National Forest

• 1.7 Million acres
• Headwaters to Middle, South and main stem John
  Day Rivers
• 88 steelhead spawning in Middle Fork occurs on
  the Malheur N.F.

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Malheur National Forest Issues

• Fire adapted ecosystems, frequent fire
• Successful fire suppression policy
• Overgrown forests with too many small trees

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Community Impacts

• High unemployment
• Workforce losing/lost trained workers
• Transition to smaller diameter logs
• New method of business
• New equipment needs/retooling
• Cost is a barrier

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Forest Products Industry - Mills

• Grant County
• Malheur Lumber Company (John Day)
• Operating since 1980s
• Prairie Wood Products (Prairie City)
• Not operating since 2009
• Grant Western Wood Products (John Day)
• Not operating since 2007
• Harney County
• Hines/Louisiana Pacific (Hines)
• Not operating since 2007

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BMFPs Mission

• Blue Mountains Forest Partners is
• a diverse group of stakeholders who work
  together to create and implement a shared vision
  to improve the resilience and well-being of
  forests and communities in the Blue Mountains

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BMFP History

• Began when the County Government invited
  conservation interests to Grant County
• Expanded membership gradually
• include timber interests, ranchers, landowners,
  contractors, local government, conservationists,
  USFS, tribes
• Set ground rules and decision-making framework,
  zones of agreement
• Utilized third-party neutral facilitators
  (Sustainable Northwest)

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Who is involved?

• County government
• Local community members
• Environmental stakeholders
• Industry stakeholders
• Local foresters operators

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Project Development

• Developed by BMFP in coordination with USFS
• Informed by 2 landscape analyses
• Bigger Look
• CFLRP

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Projects

• Dads Creek 7,200 ac.
• Damon 19,000 ac.
• Soda Bear 20,000 ac.
• Elk 16 42,000 ac.
• Big Mosquito 36,000 ac.

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Successes

• Franklin/Johnson/Van Pelt vs. 21 Rule
• Grand fir key
• Moist mixed conifer
• 2011 CFLRP award
• 2.5 million/year x 10 years
• 10-year IRSC stewardship contract
• Zones of Agreement

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Successes

• Completed a strategic plan (2013)
• Secured 501(c)(3) nonprofit status (in process)
• Hired Executive Director (2013)
• Initiated multiparty monitoring
• Litigation-free since 2006!

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For More InformationVernita Ediger, Executive
Directorvernita.bmfp_at_gmail.com541-255-7525