PUBLIC COMMENTS REQUESTED FOR OREGON’S BLUE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL FOREST
The US Forest Service is required to revise its 1990 Land Management Plan for the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests in Oregon, referred to as the Blue Mountains National Forests. Land Management Plans are important documents that provide specific, long-term directions for land use. Revised wording to the Blue Mountains Forest Plan may result in changes with how airstrips are accessed for both recreation and maintenance.
Now is the time for recreational pilots to request that aviation and airstrips be recognized and formally included in the plan. Inclusion will ensure safe, continued access to regional airstrips, including Reds Horse Ranch (68D), and others.
We ask that you submit a comment here before the October 6 deadline. Our goal is for the USFS to receive a robust and consistent response from the general aviation community, resulting in specific changes to the plan’s wording. In your own words, submit your comments using the link provided, using the below talking points as a guide:
Historic Use
- Both commercial and private aviation activity has historically occurred on these Forests since the 1930s. Please consider adding “aviation” to the list of approved activities.
Management and Maintenance
- Aviation organizations have established Airstrip lntegrated Operations and Maintenance Plans on the Wallowa-Whitman Forest. This plan can be replicated on each Blue Mountains Forest for airstrip maintenance. This is cost effective partnering with aviation groups to maintain the airstrips, saving USFS funds.
Transportation Infrastructure
- Airstrips are a component of the USFS nationwide transportation system, as are the roads and trails, and should be considered as such in any management plan
- Airstrips support Federal and State land management activities, wildfire operations, recreational and hunting use, emergency evacuation, access to private in-holdings and commercial ventures that support the local economy.
Objectives
- Please add “Maintain Airstrips” to this list
Dispersed Usage
- Airstrips provide locations for dispersed backcountry recreation.
Aesthetics
- Airstrips appear as open meadows on level terrain, and offer habitat for wildlife.
Effect on Wildlife
- Scientifically peer-reviewed studies show that aircraft noise has no detrimental effect on wildlife. More information on this proposed Management Plan is available here.
Your public comments count. It’s easy to Submit HERE.
Thank you for helping preserve priceless backcountry aviation assets.
Submitted September 25, 2025
Posted in News
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“The only people who can change something are the ones who really want to. And not everybody does.” When I read this, it took me back to the early days of the RAF. We saw a troubling trend taking place — the loss of airstrips across the country with no real organized voices to help put the brakes on the decline. And we really wanted to change that. Change demanded new ideas from us. Ideas that we assumed would initially be resisted. This defined our purpose. Good ideas come with the burden of effort and purpose. That separates those with a strong purpose from those without. We wanted to create an organization that would counteract the attrition of backcountry airstrips we saw taking place. We rolled up our sleeves and didn’t look back. Easy to say now that the RAF was lucky, but it was purpose that drove the organization in the early years; that really formed who we are today. A group of people with a purpose who knew we needed more people who thought like we did, and cared; people who took this idea called the RAF and added to it, keeping it unique but effective. We felt that most of the existing business models in the nonprofit space were not what we needed to be, and we pushed forward persistently with our thinking – thinking that required putting our own personal desires aside and pursuing ones that were for a greater good. You joined in. You, too, found purpose in the RAF and now look where we are. Nearly 15,000 of us are making the necessary sacrifices to make our voices heard, to create a better environment for the future of recreational aviation. We have more opportunities today because of you. Each one of us is important to continue the momentum we have gained. To determine what the RAF can do to further our mission to preserve, improve, and create airstrips for recreational access. To prioritize the many opportunities coming our way. It is about us, and what we are going to do with the time we have left on this earth. This organization will hopefully give you purpose now and in the future. Most importantly, I really hope it will give you as much sense of accomplishment as it has me. Thank you for what you continue to do. - John McKenna, RAF Chairman Submitted April 15, 2026
FEATURING: THE RAF DOG COLLECTION MODELED BY JOSIE & MUD Outfit your four-legged co-pilot for every adventure! From airplane rides to backcountry trails, this collection has everything they need to travel in comfort and style. Featuring two new additions—a stainless steel Orvis dog bowl and DawgMuffs—alongside RAF favorites like the collar, leash, and bandana. This collection includes items designed and created by RAF supporters. Shop the Dog Collection here. If you have questions, please email contact@theraf.org or call 406-582-1723. Your RAF Outfitter purchase is greatly appreciated and furthers the mission to preserve, improve, and create airstrips for recreational access. You can support the RAF mission all year by shopping at the RAF Outfitter online store. Products are being added regularly, and items are thoughtfully selected for durability and suitability for pilots, by pilots. We welcome photos of supporters using RAF gear! Please send your images to ewhite@theraf.org , and let us know if we have permission to post them on social media or our website. Submitted April 5, 2026.
Call To Action Volunteer
As you're planning your 2026 flying adventures, remember to review safety briefings for the airstrips you plan to visit. The RAF strongly recommends you review safety briefings and print a copy to have in your airplane - it's even required to fly into some airfields, like Ryan Field (2MT1). For those airfields, pilots flying in are required to review the briefing on an annual basis, and now is the perfect time to catch up on any changes to the runway/area that happened throughout the winter. You can find safety briefings on the RAF Airfield Guide . If an airfield in the Airfield Guide has a required briefing, the airfield listing will clearly indicate it and have a tab to view the briefing. Submitted March 30, 2026 Photo By Jim Stevenson
RAF Texas volunteers and Ranger Airfield Foundation volunteers helped begin restoration of the historic 1928 Ranger Airfield hangar on March 28. “A Wright biplane landed here at the field in 1911, and people have been using it ever since,” Ranger Airfield Foundation Founder Jared Calvert said. He noted that Amelia Earhart landed there in a Pitcairn Auto Gyro. Richard Bach, Pancho Barnes, and General Patton also landed at the field. It’s the oldest continuously used turf field in Texas.
