Author: Luke Ruediger

 A TREX participant igniting a night burn at the Rainbow Mine on South Russian Creek near Sawyers Bar, California. October 2015. This past week I attended the Klamath River TREX, a prescribed fire training program facilitated by a coalition of partners in Northern California, including the Mid-Klamath Watershed Council, the Salmon River Restoration Council, Northern California Prescribed Fire Council, the Nature Conservancy, the United States Forest Service, Cal Fire and others. The project implements prescribed fire for fuel reduction and community safety on private and tribal lands. Currently, the Klamath River TREX is running prescribed fire crews in Happy Camp and Orleans on the Klamath River, and near Sawyers Bar on the Salmon River. I was working with the good folks on the Orleans and Salmon River crews, on the Bacon Flat, Butler Flat, and Rainbow Mine Burn Units. All units were safely and successfully conducted by hard working locals, professional...

The Mule Mountain Trail is not only one of the most popular hiking trails in the Applegate Valley, but also one of the most intact, low-elevation habitats in Southern Oregon. Forest Service land managers are proposing this beautiful trail system for motorized use. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest has released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Draft Record of Decision (dROD) for the Travel Management Plan. The Travel Management Plan (TMP) was necessitated by the Travel Management Rule — a national Forest Service policy intended to address the impact of OHV use on public resources. The Travel Management Rule cites “soil erosion, water quality, and wildlife habitat,” as well as impacts to “quiet recreational experiences,” as issues to be addressed in each National Forests’ TMP. The rule identifies criteria for the designation of OHV routes, including minimizing the potential impacts to soils, watersheds, vegetation and...

Taowhywee, Agness Baker Pilgrim, Takelma Indian Elder, Confederated Tribes of Siletz being a “voice for the voiceless,” speaking in support of wild rivers and clean water at the public meeting in Grants Pass, OR. This week an estimated 500 people turned out for public meetings about proposed strip mines in Rough & Ready Creek, the North Fork of the Smith River, and the southern Oregon coast. Despite the large turnout and the enormous importance of this issue, the meetings have received very little local media attention. Two public meetings were held: one in Gold Beach and one in Grants Pass, Oregon. The overwhelming majority—an estimated 95%— of those who spoke at the meetings where in opposition to the proposed strip mines and in support of mineral withdrawal for these wild rivers. Currently, the United States Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management have implemented a two year “mineral segregation,” meaning no new mining claims can be...

  A view of the Hinkle Lake Basin and Whisky Peak from the summit of Arnold Mountain. Recently I submitted the Applegate Valley OHV Monitoring Reports and Motorized Vehicle Closure Petitions to the BLM and Forest Service. Both the BLM and Forest Service have acknowledged receipt of these documents and I am awaiting their official response.  The reports document the impacts of OHV use in the Applegate Valley and the petitions request official closure and/or decommissioning of unauthorized and damaging OHV trails. Many local residents helped to support this project by signing on to the petition, providing me with tips and information about OHV routes, and funding the Kickstarter campaign that made it all possible. Thank you all for your support.  I would like to specifically thank those who funded my Kickstarter campaign and supported the Applegate Valley OHV Monitoring Project. Below are all the people that made the monitoring reports and petitions...

OHV use is impacting many of the Botanical Areas designated to protect rare plant species and unique plant communities on the Siskiyou Crest. The Siskiyou Crest OHV Monitoring Report documents these impacts and recommends solutions. Please read the report and sign onto our petition for OHV closure on the Siskiyou Crest. The Applegate Valley OHV Monitoring Project, the Siskiyou Crest Blog and Klamath Forest Alliance have joined forces to document the impact of OHV use on public land in the Applegate River watershed. In May, the Siskiyou Crest Blog initiated a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund the Applegate Valley OHV Monitoring Project. Thanks to the support of the local community the project was funded. Since June, I have hiked many miles of OHV routes in the blazing summer heat, spent countless hours writing and organizing reports, documenting the impacts and recommending management solutions. Now we need your help to make the biggest impact possible.  I...