Protection of older trees, like this lodgepole pine in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest in 2017, is the focus of the landmark 1994 Northwest Forest Plan, which currently is undergoing revision due to climate change, wildfire risk and other factors. More than 9,000 people commented on the plan update, with more comments to come after a draft environmental impact statement is issued.

The U.S. Forest Service is reviewing more than 9,000 comments it received from the public about its proposed update to the landmark 1994 Northwest Forest Plan, with a second comment period due to follow the pending release of a draft environmental impact statement, the agency announced Tuesday.

“The goal of this process is to contribute to sustainable, climate-adapted, wildfire-resilient landscapes designed to protect threatened and endangered species while also contributing to social and economic sustainability in the region,” said Jacque Buchanan, regional forest for the agency’s Pacific Northwest Region.

The 30-year-old plan addressed threats to threatened and endangered species, but it needs to be updated to accommodate changed ecological and social conditions, according to the agency.

A key feature of the 1994 plan was the creation of reserves that generally prohibit logging on forests over 80 years old, thus allowing those areas to recover from past logging. The update will affect management plans for 17 national forests across 24.5 million acres of federally managed land in western Oregon, western Washington and northwest California.

The proposed amendment emphasizes the protection of mature and old-growth forests, the impacts from climate change, the inclusion of tribal perspectives and the growing threat of wildfires, according to Alexi Lovechio, climate program manager for the Ashland-based conservation organization Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center.

“The integration of forest management with climate resiliency is becoming the driving need for forest management, especially in seasonally dry forests in the range of the northern spotted owl,” Lovechio said in a news release.

More information is available at https://bit.ly/478uqpw.

Central Point Hispanic celebration was a hit

The Central Point Parks and Recreation Department has received an “Innovation Award” from city management for September’s Hispanic Heritage Celebration at Twin Creeks Park.

The celebration sprang out of an attempt to add excitement to a Movies in the Park showing of the movie “Coco” and grew into a party attended by about 2,000 people.

“We got to do it the way Hispanic people celebrate,” parks specialist Margarita Esparza said was the sentiment at the time. “We’ve got to do it with music, with food. … It started from there.”

Mariachi Joya de Oro performed, as did Ballet Folklorico Ritmo Alegrea and Jrs DJ Music.

“It all started with a small idea,” Esparza said. “We had to go big. It was such a fun event. The community came together in such an amazing way.”

Businesses made donations, including the donation of a bounce house.

“Everybody was just reaching out to us,” Esparza said. “It became very successful very quickly.”

When it came time to show the movie, not everybody wanted to shut things down, she said. The second annual celebration, probably minus a movie showing, is set for Sept. 20 at the park. For more information, contact Esparza at 541-664-3321, ext. 201.

Butte Falls hires forest project liaison

Butte Falls has hired Sonya Goddess, a 2023 graduate of Southern Oregon University, to help promote the city’s 430-acre community forest project, according to a city announcement.

“Through volunteer recruitment, event organization and fostering connections within the community, I aim to cultivate a sense of ownership and shared responsibility for everyone involved,” said Goddess, who has a background in environmental science.

The woodland, adjacent to the city, was purchased in 2021 as a way to help reduce wildfire danger, protect the woodland and provide recreational, educational and economic opportunities. Funding for the outreach position came from the city, the Ford Family Foundation and the Gordon Elwood Foundation.

More information is available at 541-865-3262 or townofbuttefalls.com.

Ski patrol suggests rescue locator app

Kacy Carlson, ski patrol director at the Mt. Ashland Ski Area, is promoting a mobile phone application, airflare.com, that can be used as a rescue locator. Cost is $4.99 a year.

“It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it,” Carlson said in a video posted to the ski area’s social media page.

The application, which can be downloaded to Android and iPhones, enables users to be located by search and rescue personnel in the event of an emergency. The application also has user-to-user capability, to locate a companion.

Josephine County seeks park hosts

Josephine County Parks is seeking park hosts to help provide grounds maintenance, clean bathrooms and assist visitors. In exchange, hosts get a full hookup recreational vehicle site.

Hosts should have excellent customer service skills. They must have their own RV, pass a national background check and provide references.

For more information, call 541-474-5285 or email parks@josephinecounty.gov.

State parks looking for seasonal help

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is recruiting 250 seasonal park rangers and assistants for positions across the state. Jobs last four to nine months, with the peak season from April to September, although some positions start as early as March and run as late as December.

Seasonal staff help with janitorial work, landscape maintenance, visitor education and visitor services.

Pay starts at $17.34 per hour for seasonal assistants and $20.06 per hour for seasonal rangers, plus benefits. Student workers, ages 16 and older, start at $17.32 or more per hour, depending on experience, with no benefits.

For more information, visit stateparks.oregon.gov.

Forest road improvement grants available

The Oregon Department of Forestry has created a grant program to help the owners of small forest tracts to improve or fix their roads while improving fish habitat and water quality.

The program, Small Forestland Investment in Stream Habitat, was created to help landowners who own 5,000 acres or less of forestland deal with changes to the Oregon Forest Practices Act brought about by the landmark Private Forest Accord.

Grants can pay design and construction costs for projects that help fish habitat connectivity or minimize sediment delivery to streams. Projects might include culverts, fords and repair of abandoned roads, along with road fixes using perched fill.

Legislation accompanying the accord led to the creation of the Small Forestland Owner Office to provide technical assistance, supporting services and the management of incentives programs.

For more information, visit bit.ly/3P1Sc0b. Contact ODF headquarters at 503-945-7200.