93 



United States Department of the Interior 



BUREAU OF L^\D NIANaGEMENT 

 MEDFORD DISTRICT OFFICE 



3CM0 BIDDLX ROAD " ■ 



MEDFORD. OREGON 97504 ,, ,„^^ ^^,„ ^^. 



5420(1 10) 

 Kupillas 

 ^£\VtO S3136(DR:jmw) 



Ms. Sue Kupillas , ^iO^ 



Jackson County Commissioner '^^ROOi^^'*^ ^ l2 iqqc 



10 S. Oakdale ^^° 



Mcdford, Oregon 97501 



Dear Ms. Kupillas: 



This responds to your letter dated July 3, 1996, examining the timber salvage process being followed 

 by the Medford District, Bureau of Land Management The following information will clarify what 

 the BLM is doing to salvage the winter blowdown. 



Since March 1996, Buitc Falls Resource Area has issued nine short-form negotiated permits for 

 windihrown timber, totaling 80 MBF. We have had a number of requests to sell additional small 

 amounts of timber on a negotiated sale basis. These requests have been denied for the most part 

 because it is far more cost effective, both fiom preparation time and revenue return stand points, to 

 sell this volume on a competitive basis. We are currently working on offering two competitive sales 

 to salvage the blowdown. The Windy Evans Environmental Assessment, a 200 MBF timber sale, 

 is out for public review and 's scheduled for sale in August 1996. 



The Ground Round Environmental Assessment is near completion and a September seile date is 

 anticipated. This project is estimated to harvest approximately two miUion board feet of blowdow-Ti 

 located in the Round Mountain, Flounce Rock and Trail Creek areas. We have been working with 

 the Forest Service's Butte Falls Ranger District to include their lands in the Groimd Round 

 Environmental Assessment and timber sale. We also, are working with the Prospect Ranger District 

 to include BLM lands located on isolated parcels in the School Marm area in a Forest Service 

 salvage timber sale. 



We understand an 3d\-isory committee has been formed, with members representing the Forest 

 Service, Jackson Count>' Natural Resources Advisory Board, Timber Industry and the Regional 

 Ecosystem Office (REO), with an objective to evaluate the affects of salvage in Late Successional 

 Reserves (LSR). The Medford District is avx-aiting the outcome of this process and vi.ill implement 

 the final REO direction, which will be the same direction the Forest Service will be following. 

 Through the Bune Falls Ranger District and Prospect Ranger District it is anticipated that all salvage 

 of blowdown uiU be done consistendy. 



OA-om _ Qfi - 4 



