"Lawsuit challenges plans to remove ‘danger’ trees along 400 miles of roads in Willamette National Forest"
"Conservation groups are suing the U.S. Forest Service over its plans to log along hundreds of roads in the Willamette National Forest that burned in last year’s wildfires.
The agency says the Beachie Creek, Lionshead and Holiday Farm fires created dangerous conditions on 404 miles of forest roads that are needed for forest management and recreation but are now closed for public safety.
Willamette National Forest Supervisor Dave Warnack approved a plan earlier this month to remove dead or injured trees — referred to as hazard trees — along all of these roads without reviewing the environmental impacts of the logging.
“This project provides a vital first step to reopen fire-burned areas so we may move forward with fire restoration and repair and help the landscape recover,” he said in a statement.
Nick Cady with Cascadia Wildlands said the plan is too broad and doesn’t consider any of the impacts that potentially extensive logging would have on nearby rivers or endangered species."
Cassandra Profita reports for Oregon Public Broadcasting August 19, 2021.
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