Forest service will have another go at the Blue Mountain Forest Plan

By Terry Murry on Wednesday, December 28th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

UMATILLA NATIONAL FOREST – The highly controversial Blue Mountain Forest Plan has been shelved, but efforts continue to develop a plan for the future for the Umatilla, Malheur, and Wallowa Whitman national forests.

Darcy Weseman, public affairs officer for the Umatilla National Forest, said that a group of government and tribal leaders named the Blues Intergovernmental Council, is already discussing plans for the future. The plan in effect now was written in the 1990s and officials agree it needs to be updated.

The first plan issued by the U.S. Forest Service drew considerable criticism. Weseman said the critics had problems with a variety of elements, including the overarching complaint that it was too hard to understand. The BIC hopes to help make a second plan more understandable as well as more responsive to those who live on or near forest lands.

“While the Blues Intergovernmental Council is going to continue to work with us, they don’t replace the public’s voice,” she said. “We are looking to start the public revision process in 2023 and when we start that, we’ll be sure to get lots of information out and the public will be able to engage directly with us to share feedback.”