After two months of deliberation, the Bureau of Land Management decided to move forward with its Thurston Hills regenerative harvest plan.
Despite protests from concerned community members and environmental conservation groups, the Bureau of Land Management is continuing its project to harvest 109 acres of forest in Springfield-adjacent land.
Members of the the bureau’s Northwest Division countered protest points in a press conference Friday, explaining that fire danger would see no significant changes, the land would be further opened to recreational use, and the local economy would see a boost from collected lumber.
David Howell, associate District Manager, says the agency will still welcome community engagement regarding the project.
“We know it’s important to industry, we know it’s important to advocacy groups, and we know it’s important to the neighbors,” Howell says. “With the issuance of a decision like this, it doesn’t end the conversation on what happens out there.”
Though further protests can be brought to the Interior Board of Land Appeals, the Thurston Hills project may begin as early as this fall.
Copyright KLCC, 2020.
