(Medford, OR)—The Bureau of Land Management today issued its approved resource management plan and Record of Decision for the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, which will guide management of the monument’s 113,500 acres in southwestern Oregon to protect its biodiversity and important historic resources while providing for public access and recreational opportunities.
Cascade Siskiyou National Monument was established by Presidential Proclamation 7318 in 2000 and expanded through Presidential Proclamation 9564 in 2017. The area provides habitat for an array of rare plant and animal species across its three ecoregions (Cascade, Klamath, and Siskyou), including ancient sugar and ponderosa pine, rock buckwheat, tall bugbane, the threatened northern spotted owl, endangered gray wolves, Lost River sucker, and more. Native American occupancy of the area dates back thousands of years and the monument is home to exceptional natural features, including Pilot Rock.
The BLM is responsible for managing the monument’s natural resources and the integrity of its diverse ecosystems, as well as preserving its cultural and historical legacy for the benefit of all Americans. Currently operating under three separate plans, the BLM’s new consolidated plan will ensure more consistent management of the entire monument.
The plan, which incorporates public input received through a 90-day public comment period and multiple public meetings, uses the best available science to protect the monument’s objects of scientific and historic interest. The BLM received nearly 4,000 comments during the comment period on the draft plan.
You can find the BLM’s Record of Decision, approved resource management plan, and other related planning documents at the BLM National NEPA Register.
