Upper Applegate Watershed Restoration Project

This project, also referred to as the UAWRP, encompasses the 52,000-acre Upper Applegate Watershed, and is a collaborative effort between stakeholders and federal agencies (the RRSNF and BLM's Medford District) that incorporates an all-lands approach to address landscape resilience to disturbances. Using this approach, the agencies sought to highlight nature’s benefits, as well as the goods and services provided by forests to the surrounding communities.

What Work Will Occur?

The Final Decision Notice authorized the following:

• Road Restoration: 3 miles
• Riparian Restoration: 100 acres
• Botanical Enhancement: 6108 acres
• Commercial Thinning: 1520 acres
• Non-commercial Thinning: 3290 acres
• Prescribed Fire: 4428 acres
• Maintenance of Fuels: 5660 acres
• Decommission of OHV Trails: 3-4 miles
• McKee Trail Restoration: 300 feet
• Motorized Trail: 2.1 miles

Objectives of the Project

The UAWRP seeks to meet the following objectives:

• Improve watershed conditions and reduce road-related impacts to natural resources;
• Improve ecosystem resilience and function at the landscape scale in order to sustain healthy forests and watershed for future generations;
• Provide protection to communities at risk from wildland fire;
• Provide for sustainable recreation opportunities; and
• Improve community awareness for stewardship of the land to foster a respect for ecosystems and the processes that maintain them.

The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is pleased to be a part of the Rogue Forest Partners (RFP).  Working together with the community, the partnership plans to conduct restoration treatments in the Upper Applegate Planning area beginning in 2021.  Funding for the project in part comes from a six year “Focused Investment Partnership” awarded to the Partners through the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB).

Document Library
SOPA Page (all planning documents) Final Decision Notice (August 2020) Draft Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (September 2019) Final Environmental Anaylsis (November 2018) Project Proposal: Iteration 3 (August 2018) UAWRP Project Area Map (September 2018) Final Scoping Letter Learn: What is Iterative NEPA? Nature's Benefits and Restoration (July 2018)