Ore. city councilor challenges forest thinning
Ore. city councilor challenges forest thinning
18 January 2010
published by www.ktvz.com
USA — An Ashland City Council member has filed a lawsuit challenging a federal forest thinning project approved last year and held up as a model of collaboration.
Eric Navickas claims the Ashland Forest Resiliency project poses a risk to old growth forests and clean water in the mountains upstream of the southern Oregon community.
The lawsuit filed Friday against the U.S. Forest Service says much of the project is necessary but it goes too far in some areas of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.
When forest Supervisor Scott Conroy announced his decision on the project last October, he praised the collaborative effort between his agency and the city.
The project is meant to reduce the risk of large wildfires to protect homes and forests in Ashland’s watershed.
