Photo by Bruce K Hope
Watch Saving Wellington
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Help Us Save Wellington WildlandsThe Wellington Wildlands Council (WWC) is a charitable nonprofit organization working to conserve, preserve, and obtain permanent legal protections for the 7,500-acre Wellington Wildlands and its buffers.
Located in southwestern Oregon, the wildlands are on the slopes of Mt. Isabel overlooking the Applegate Valley and are the last remaining roadless areas between Medford and Grants Pass, Oregon. (See map below.) The council is run entirely by dedicated volunteers in the Applegate and Rogue valleys. Every dollar donated goes directly to expenses for creating maps, mailings, and public outreach programs. Wellington Wildlands Update
Welcome to our website! The Wellington Wildlands Council would like to update those interested in the Applegate community about our ongoing efforts to protect the imperiled Wellington Wildlands—which lie in the heart of our valley—and other projects we are supporting to protect our region's treasures. We have been granted nonprofit status, meaning you can now donate and receive a tax deduction! (Click here to donate now, or you can mail a check to WWC, PO Box 1137, Jacksonville, OR 97530-1137.) After the sad passing of our inspiring leader, David Calahan, there was a lot of deliberation regarding the future of the council. With the advice and support of the Applegate Trails Association, Applegate Neighborhood Network, and council members, we decided to form a nonprofit to go forward with this important work. Our main impetus is to carry on David and Barbara Calahan's vision to protect Wellington Wildlands, enabled by a generous donation from their trust. We are working toward development of an economic study that will compare the costs and economic benefits of residential, environmental, and recreational activities versus logging in our area's public lands. This is an expensive endeavor, so any support you can give will be greatly appreciated. We also welcome any questions or comments emailed to info@wellingtonwildlands.org. We are also actively supporting the River Democracy Act, proposed by Senators Wyden and Merkley, and are working for the designation of approximately 200 miles of Applegate Wild & Scenic Rivers and Streams to include in this legislation. We have sent a request to the senators about including the three streams—Long Gulch Creek, Balls Branch, and Left Balls Branch—in Wellington Wildlands. To date, Long Gulch Creek has been included, but Balls Branch and Left Balls Branch have not yet been. We remain focused on the Bear Grub Timber Sale, the most immediate threat to the Wellington Wildlands. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is currently reviewing the formal protests to the timber sale after Timber Products was awarded the sale. Timber Products has indicated that their top priority is to log the old forest of Wellington Wildlands, starting at the top of China Gulch near Ruch. We appreciate the support of our partners at Applegate Siskiyou Alliance, Williams Community Forest Project, KS Wild, Applegate Trails Association, and others to protect our precious wildlands. This commercial logging is proposed within just a few miles of our homes, farms, vineyards, and businesses in Ashland, Jacksonville, Medford, Phoenix, Talent, Central Point, and Ruch, and will be seen and felt by local residents and those who hike or ride the mountain trails around us. Because of the Bear Grub project area, climate change effects and wildfires near our homes will actually become worse. Removing whole groves of mature, fire-resistant trees and creating canopy gaps will encourage the development of dense, highly flammable understory fuel and remove the carbon-storing capabilities of these forests. Bear Grub includes commercial logging of much—if not all—of the old-growth timber in the Wellington Wildlands, the LAST REMAINING roadless wilderness area between Jacksonville and Grants Pass. This is a vital section of the planned Applegate Ridge Trail (ART) system that will finally link Grants Pass to Jacksonville to Ashland—an 80-mile foot-trail that will be the host for future events and recreation. If Bear Grub is implemented, trail integrity, viewsheds, and the wilderness experience will be damaged for years to come along these and many other trails. Please tell BLM how it impacts you, your quality of life, or your property. To learn more and obtain a copy of the Bear Grub Environmental Assessment, go to the BLM Bear Grub project site. You can also write a letter opposing commercial timber harvests in the Bear Grub Vegetation Management Project area. Mail your letter to BLM, Attn: AFO Planning-BGVMP, 3040 Biddle Road, Medford, OR 97527. And you can email your elected officials at the emails below. (See a comprehensive list of government agencies and officials on the Threats & Opportunities page.)
We’re also embarking on a fun community project—a photo competition! All interested community members are encouraged to submit their most gorgeous photos of the Wellington Wildlands to info@wellingtonwildlands.org. A case of delicious Applegate Outlaw hard cider will be awarded to the best photo! It is our intention to include the photos in a calendar in the future. For more information, contact Audrey Eldridge at audrey@wellingtonwildlands.org or 541-899-8728. Thank you for helping to save our wildlands! Sincerely, Wellington Wildlands Council |