Williams Community Forest Project

05/09/2026

Hi WCFP supporters.☮️✌🏽🥰🤟🏼🌲🎶🌳🌲🌲🌲☮️☮️☮️
We hiked the Layton Ditch Trail from Panther Gulch to Medicine mountain
last week. Although the wild flowers were outstanding so was the poison
oak. On Saturday May 9th we are going to w**d whack the poison oak so the
trail can be used without risk.
Those that want to help in this worthwhile project meet at the Williams
Grange at 10:0O am on Saturday May 9th. Bring your loppers and w**d
whackers or we will provide you a tool.
Thanks and hope to see you there.
WCFP

04/29/2026

Nice article and beautiful photos from Ashland hiking group… about the Layton Ditch trail, which we recently did trail work on. Beautiful weather, it’s time to hit the trails!!

The last Monday hike of April gave us a glorious day with Spring in the air and on the trail. We chose to do the Lower Layton Mine Ditch Trail above Williams in Josephine County. We did part 2 of a 3-part trail network, which is 21 miles long in total.

04/26/2026

Hi all,

Note the date change for our monthly hike . We are celebrating Earth Day on 4-25 and changed the date of our monthly hike to Saturday May 2nd. The plan is to Hike the Layton Ditch Trail South of Panther Gulch. We recently cut several large fallen logs on the trail and it's in good shape .

Meet at the Williams Grange at 10:00am. The trail is of moderate intensity and we can determine the length of the hike by consensus since its an out and back. Reminder: wear
hiking shoes, bring water and snacks.

Best to you

WCFP

04/23/2026

Celebrating Earth Day With Action!
ASA Filed a Lawsuit Against the BLM’s SOS Logging Project in March. Today, for Earth Day, We Filed for Preliminary Injunction to Stop the Logging While the Case Works its Way Through Court!
While the country is celebrating Earth Day, Applegate Siskiyou Alliance is demonstrating our commitment to the environment of the Applegate Valley by filing a Motion for Preliminary Injunction for the BLM’s SOS logging project. We filed suit with Crag Law Center against this massive logging project on March 3, 2026 over a failure to properly analyze impacts to the Northern spotted owl and the endemic Siskiyou Mountains salamander. We also filed suit due to significant inconsistencies between authorized actions and project level implementation. This includes the excessive removal of hardwoods throughout SOS timber sales, the construction of new unauthorized road segments, and unauthorized logging in Riparian Reserves.

Now on Earth Day, we are filing for an injunction for the two active timber sales, including the Apple Saws Timber Sale above Cantrall Buckley County Park and on the eastern face of Ben Johnson Mountain, as well as the Holcomb Hollow Timber Sale on Woodrat Mountain, which are actively being logged right now, creating severe impacts to the forests, wildlife and scenic skyline surrounding Ruch. If we are granted a Preliminary Injunction it would stop the logging of these two active timber sales, and it would also preclude logging of the Thom Bone Timber Sale above Thompson Creek, which has been authorized by BLM and sold, but has not yet seen active logging. The halt in activities would enjoin these sales until the court has the opportunity to resolve this case on its merits and we have the opportunity to be heard and have our day in court.

ASA is taking action on Earth Day, and working hard every day to support the protection of the Applegate-Siskiyou. We hope that while you celebrate Earth Day, you will also make a commitment to taking action in any way you can. The threats to our region are mounting and there is no time like now to act!

Read the Motion for Preliminary Injunction Here:
https://applegatesiskiyoualliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SOS-PI-Brief.pdf

04/02/2026

This is a warning of forest activity near Medicine mountain.

The BLM is brushing the road from East Fork to the yellow gate at Medicine mountain and then on the BLM road through the yellow gate.There is heavy equipment on the BLM road beyond the yellow gate and the occurrence of salvage logging. (Dead trees logged near the road and trail)

The Layton Ditch Trail south from Medicine mountain is parallel with the BLM road and the trail is on a short section of the BLM Road. Hikers in the area need to use caution and avoid the logging activity to deter accidents.

When we know the time of day and days of the week when the operator will be there we will pass the info on.🌳🌲🌳✌🏿☮💚

Thanks

WCFP

03/30/2026

It’s spring, and Forest Keepers is heading back into the field.

Join us Saturday, April 18 from 10–2 as we visit 2–3 Cedar Flat BLM units to document current conditions before project work begins later this year. We’ll take photos, make observations, and help create a baseline record of forest and watershed conditions on the ground.

Meet at Williams Grange to carpool.

03/19/2026

URGENT: Comment Deadline this Monday: March 23, 2026

The BLM - Bureau of Land Management announced a proposal to revise its Northwestern and Coastal Oregon and Southwestern Oregon Resource Management Plan, including reevaluating protections for Research Natural Areas (RNAs) and Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs).
These places protect some of the most unique forests, headwaters, and natural landscapes in our region. Public comments help shape what is studied, protected, and managed in the final plan. Included in thier list to reevaluate is our own Pipe Fork RNA.
Submit a public comment and help ensure these important areas are carefully considered in the planning process.
You must submit comments on issues and planning criteria related to this planning effort by any of the following methods:

Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov, Project Number DOI-BLM-ORWA-0000-2026-0001-RMP-EIS.
https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/?id=a591dee8-500c-f111-8406-001dd8029ed0
Email: [email protected].
Mail: Attention BLM OR930: 1220 SW 3rd Ave, Portland OR 97204.

Need help writing a comment? We got you - we created a public commenting guide to help you write a personal, impactful comment.
https://www.williamscommunityforestproject.org/public-commenting-guide/

https://www.williamscommunityforestproject.org/support-us/

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03/19/2026

Residents of Ruch are raising concerns as their once quiet community now finds itself at the heart of three timber sales, with two currently active.

03/05/2026

Join us this weekend at the All Thing Fire Fair! We are excited to be a part of this great event. Hope to see you all there!

02/25/2026

Read this article about a recently published paper in the peer-reviewed journal, Biological Conservation called "Ecological trade-offs of mechanical thinning in temperate forests"

"We are not “anti-thinning,” as our research shows there are benefits of thinning under certain conditions. However, those conditions are few and far between, with costs (ecological and financial) a function of treatment intensity, type of removals, scale, and context."

https://therevelator.org/forest-thinning-hype/

The study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S000632072600056X

Forest managers conduct hundreds of thousands of acres of forest “thinning” projects annually in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and elsewhere, resulting in substantial ecological and financial costs.