A federal judge has ruled against the Bureau of Land Management’s plans to log on a tract adjacent to the Thurston Hills Natural Area in Springfield.
The 100-acre Pedal Power timber sale was proposed shortly after Willamalane Parks built a network of hiking and biking trails in collaboration with BLM. People who live near Thurston Hills objected to the logging project, citing the potential for increased wildfire risk. Nick Cady is with Cascadia Wildlands, which, with Oregon Wild, filed a lawsuit to stop it.
Cady: “This is a designated recreation area. And the BLM was proposing clearcutting directly over these proposed trails. That was going to increase fire hazard for about 400 residences, is what they estimated, for the next 40 to 50 years.”
Judge Michael McShane ordered the BLM to issue a new environmental review of the logging proposal that takes into account the potential fire risk.
BLM says it's still reviewing the judge's ruling.
