National forests and BLM to merge

On Friday, June 16, the decision was made to combine the Ochoco and Deschutes National Forests under the leadership of one forest supervisor.

In addition, there will be two associate forest supervisors, one of which will be the district manager of the Prineville Bureau of Land Management.

"With this combined leadership model, we are creating stronger natural resource programs in central Oregon," said Becki Heath, supervisor of the, Deschutes National Forest.

This decision eliminates one forest supervisor position on the Ochoco National Forest.

There will continue to be visible presence in the Prineville, Madras and Bend communities. The Ochoco National Forest and the Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Management will co-locate their Prineville offices.

"This model focuses on improving public service," said Don Smith, District Manager of the Prineville BLM. "Our working relationship with the two forests, especially the Ochoco, will only get stronger."

The Crooked River National Grasslands will be operationally merged with the Bureau of Land Management's Deschutes Resource Area. The Deschutes National Forest will manage the BLM's La Pine Block. At this time, there are no additional district consolidations proposed.

"This integrated leadership structure makes it easier to apply watershed-scale ecosystem management," said Tom Schmidt, supervisor of the Ochoco National Forest.

Under the proposed consolidation, one Forest Supervisor will lead the Ochoco-Deschutes National Forest with one budget and one program of work. There will be a separate BLM budget with the goal of a single common budget for both the forest and BLM in the future.

According to a press release, the consolidation will:

¥ create stronger land management in Central Oregon;

¥ provide a healthier balance between infrastructure and natural resource management;

¥ improve resource management;

¥ improve public service;

¥ increase the ability to apply watershed-scale ecosystem management;

¥ eliminate one Forest Supervisor position, with possible additional "efficiencies" among staff and sub-staff.

¥ allow flexibility in dealing with future budget reductions, with lower overhead costs resulting in increased on-the-ground work and presence.

Under the plan, the Forest Service and Prineville BLM will be co-located in Prineville. A visible presence in the Prineville, Madras and Bend communities will remain. Local employees will have input, individually and through their union representative, into "how" the agencies will integrate and what the structure will look like, according to the government.