Divide Draft Environmental Assessment

Divide Draft Environmental Assessment The Forest Service is seeking comments on the Divide Draft Environmental Assessment (EA). The Draft EA and supporting documents can be found on the Willamette National Forest's project website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/willamette/projects/56803. The Detroit Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest proposes to actively manage forest stands to promote growth, diversity, and structural complexity at the landscape scale; manage Riparian Reserves to attain Aquatic Conservation Strategy Objectives; support biodiversity in the project area by restoring, enhancing, and maintaining special habitats; and provide a sustainable supply of timber products to local economies. The project proposed would treat managed stands using commercial thinning, regeneration harvest with reserves, skips, and gap creation on 1,918 acres. Non-commercial treatments are proposed over 74 acres for wildlife and aquatic habitat enhancement using a combination of thinning, skips, and planting, with emphasis on sugar pine. This includes meadow enhancement by cutting and pruning encroaching young conifers, girdling of encroaching larger diameter conifers, piling, pile burning, and treating invasive weeds over 11 acres. Approximately 1,623 acres would be treated for fuel reduction of activity-generated slash by chipping, pruning, piling, and burning. Additional actions would include road maintenance, or minor reconstruction on approximately 94 miles of existing forest system roads, and invasive plant treatments to address existing invasive plant populations, and any new infestations that may be caused by project activities. This project is subject to comment pursuant to 36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B. Comments may be submitted through the project website (https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?Project=56803) or mail or hand delivery (44125 N Santiam Hwy, Detroit, OR 97360). It is the commenter's responsibility to ensure timely receipt of comments. Only those who submit specific written comments during a designated comment period will be eligible to participate in the administrative review (objection) process for this project (36 CFR 218). Specific written comments should be directly related to and within the scope of the proposed action and must include supporting reasons for the responsible official to consider. Names of commenters will be part of the public record and subject to the Freedom of Information Act. For more project information, contact Amy Mayedo at Amy.Mayedo@usda.gov. November 18 2025 LEUG0409178