A protester is currently camping out around 100 feet above the ground in an old-growth Douglas fir they say is at risk of being cut down to make way for a logging road. The tree is in the BLM鈥檚 area near Rogue River.
They called in from atop their small platform attached to the tree.
鈥淚 can see nearby towns. I can see 1000s of acres of forest. Lots of beautiful mountains covered with trees. Also, at least five or six really gnarly clear cuts,鈥� said the protester, who identified themselves only as Aidan.
The BLM鈥檚 Rogue Gold project includes commercial logging as well as fuels reduction to lessen wildfire risk. Activists claim the plan threatens old-growth trees along with habitat for threatened species like the northern spotted owl.
鈥淚'm here putting myself on the line鈥� until I make sure that this forest is protected,鈥� said Aidan.
Tree-sitters declared victory after another proposed road they protested was abandoned in April. It was within the BLM鈥檚 nearby Poor Windy Forest Management Project.
The BLM did not respond to a request for comment about protests at the Rogue Gold project. In April, the agency disputed the claim that the Poor Windy project road cancellation was due to protests. A spokesperson has said their projects do not target old-growth trees for logging.
Environmental groups over their Rogue Gold project, where the latest tree-sit is occurring, claiming it threatens late-successional reserve forests that are set aside for conservation. But protesters aren鈥檛 waiting for a decision by the courts.
鈥淎fter the success at Poor Windy, it's more clear than ever that taking direct action and using these kinds of more escalated tactics is an effective strategy for protecting these forests,鈥� said Sam Shields, an organizer working with the protesters. He called it a 鈥渞enaissance鈥� for direct action to protect old-growth trees.
Last month a judge sided with conservation groups suing the BLM over the agency鈥檚 Integrated Vegetation Management for Resilient Lands Program. The new management program is meant to promote forest resilience for areas of Southern Oregon at high risk of wildfire. The court found that the plan鈥檚 logging in late-successional reserves violated the BLM鈥檚 management plan to protect those forests.
