Feds propose opening millions of acres of western Oregon forests to 1960s logging levels
Federal officials are attempting to open up millions of acres of forests in western Oregon for “maximum” timber production to “advance Trump administration priorities,” including areas that are home to federally protected, vulnerable species, the Bureau of Land Management announced.
The agency on Thursday shared in a notice of intent that officials will propose new updates to the Western Oregon Resource Management Plans that have governed logging and conservation on 2.5 million acres of forests in 17 Oregon counties for decades, and that were last updated in 2016. The notice kicks off a month-long public comment period that will wrap on March 23. The agency does not expect to hold any public meetings in advance of releasing its proposal, the notice said.
About three-quarters of the 2.5 million federal acres, known as O&C lands for having once belonged to the Oregon and California Railroad, are protected from regular logging. But in its notice of intent, the land management bureau indicated it could return those acres to 1960s harvest levels, at times more than 10 times average harvest levels over the last two decades.
“Bringing timber production back to historic levels is essential for reviving local economies and reducing the threat of catastrophic wildfires,” said acting director of the land management bureau, Bill Groffy, in a statement. “President Trump has made it clear — enhanced domestic timber production is vital for our national security, economic prosperity, and effective wildfire management.”
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/02/20/repub/feds-propose-opening-millions-of-acres-of-western-oregon-forests-to-1960s-logging-levels/
Submit public comment here or email: BLM_OR_Revision_Scoping@blm.gov