Damage from logging prevented in bull trout watershed on the Willamette National Forest, Oregon

The Willamette National Forest has withdrawn its decision to do damaging logging and road reconstruction in watersheds with ESA-listed bull trout, in response to US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) re-initiation of ESA consultation on this and four other timber sales for their effects on bull trout. The consultation was re-initiated in early 2002 after the Cascadia Wildlands Project, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Oregon Natural Resources Council notified the USFWS in Dec. 2001 that they intended to file suit against the USFWS for its failure to comply with the ESA in its previous consultation on the timber sales. The effort is part of the Center's Western Native Trout Campaign.

The withdrawn Simco sale would have damaged bull trout habitat by logging 9.9 million board feet on about 480 acres and reconstructing 32 miles of roads. Much of the proposed logging would have been on steep, unstable slopes and some would have occurred within an uninventoried roadless area within a watershed that provides key spawning and rearing habitat for the ESA-listed bull trout. All of these activities would have significantly reduced bull trout survival by increasing sedimentation.

Once the re-initiated consultation is completed for the remaining logging projects, the groups will evaluate the results to determine if litigation is still needed to protect the affected bull trout habitats and populations. The three groups are represented on the case by Chris Winter of Cascade Resources Advocacy Group.