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News Release:
Orleans Roundtable Discussions Begin
[Shield]: US Forest Service

US Forest Service
Six Rivers National Forest

Contact:
Julie Ranieri
(707) 441-3673
jranieri@fs.fed.us

Eureka, May 23, 2006

[Photograph]: Orleans community members have roundtable discussions.
   Orleans community members have roundtable discussions.
Thursday night roundtable discussions began on the Orleans Community Fuels Reduction and Forest Health Project (OCFR Project) located on the Orleans/Ukonom Ranger District, Six Rivers National Forest. The project will consider treating forest vegetation on approximately 3,000 acres of National Forest system lands to reduce the fuel load and potential wildfire risk to the community of Orleans and encourage the re-introduction of fire through pro-active prescribed burning.

Over 30 members of the community representing tribal, timber industry, community, retirees, research, private landowners and environmental interests met with District Ranger Bill Rice and his staff to begin preliminary public meetings on the project. Official scoping to begin the NEPA process will occur in July.

"I am very pleased with this initial turnout to build on the efforts the District has made over the years with the Orleans/Somes Bar Fire Safe Council and the Karuk Tribe of California to reduce the risk of wildfire to the Orleans Community," said Rice. "It is clear that we have more work to do and I look forward to working with our diverse stakeholders in this active river community."

"The Orleans roundtable public meeting process will help ensure fuels reduction and forest restoration efforts consider community and tribal priorities. This ensures stakeholders are included in appropriate dimensions of project planning and implementation," said Rice.

"To facilitate the inclusion of diverse viewpoints in vegetation management project planning is very important to us now before we go to the official NEPA process," said Rice.

The next roundtable discussion will be on May 17 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM in the conference meeting room located at the back of the Orleans Ranger District compound. For more information of the OCFR Project and the Orleans Roundtable, please contact Bill Rice or Project Leader Gene Graber at 530-627-3291.

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