BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT OR-13-02
For release: Dec. 10, 2012
Contact: Jeff Clark
(503) 808-6028
BLM seeks public input on recreation area, river use
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is currently involved in Resource
Management Planning (RMP) on more than 2.5 million acres in western Oregon. The revisions to the existing
RMPs will determine how these BLM-administered lands will be managed to further the recovery of
threatened and endangered species, to provide for clean water, to restore fire-adapted ecosystems and to
produce a sustained yield of timber products. Recreation and visitor services will also play a role throughout
this planning effort so the BLM is asking the public to answer several planning questions related to recreation
area management and Wild and Scenic Rivers. Comments must be submitted by Feb. 18, 2013.
There were 5.4 million recreation visits on western Oregon BLM lands in 2011. These numbers combined
with recreation-specific issues identified in scoping efforts has led to the need for additional recreation
outreach. The public continues to demand a diverse range of recreational opportunities in a variety of natural
resource settings. Feedback from the public would help the BLM evaluate current recreational experiences and
public demand for recreation.
“I’m proud to know that lands under BLM stewardship provide meaningful contributions to the quality of life
for communities and residents across western Oregon.” said BLM Oregon/Washington State Director Jerome
E. Perez. “These lands are both the frontier and our backyard-where you can play, escape, and reconnect with
the outdoors.”
Web based interactive sites have been created to engage the recreation community and to assist the BLM
answer several planning related questions that were raised during the public scoping period. These surveys will
be active for a 70 day period (Dec. 10 through Feb. 18), and can be accessed at:
http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/rmpswesternoregon/reccomments.php and
http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/rmpswesternoregon/rivercomments.php
In addition to web based outreach tools, the BLM will be holding District specific open houses across Western
Oregon to engage the public and receive input specific to the recreation components being analyzed as part of
this planning effort. The dates and locations for these open houses are currently being identified and will be
posted at the following link: http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/rmpswesternoregon/index.php
The BLM encourages you to get involved and help plan for the future as we look at defining the role that
recreation plays on BLM lands throughout western Oregon. For more information please contact Zach Jarrett,
recreation representative for the Resource Management Planning team at [email protected] or (503) 931-6184.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land – the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System
of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface
mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more
than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies
that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates
on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and
enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock
grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public
lands.
-BLM-