News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
People in the Sisters area are being asked to comment on a national initiative to protect "roadless areas" on the National Forests.
About 135,000 acres of the Deschutes National Forest would be affected by the protection initiative, according to Forest Service planner Gery Ferguson. In the Sisters area, most of the affected forest surrounds existing wilderness. Also covered is the "Metolius Breaks" area around the Metolius River.
The Deschutes National Forest will host an open house at the Bend Armory on Thursday, December 16, on the Clinton administration proposal. The public comment period on the initial "scoping" for the project ends December 20.
According to the Forest Service, "roadless areas are critically important for the long-term ecological sustainability of the nation's forests. Roadless areas serve as reference areas for research, as a barrier against invasive plant and animal species that harm native species and as aquatic strongholds for fish..."
The restrictions the Forest Service is currently considering include prohibiting new road construction and reconstruction projects and prohibiting commercial timber harvest in remaining roadless areas.
The proposal could also prohibit "the implementation of all activities, subject to valid existing rights, that do not contribute to maintaining or enhancing the ecological values of roadless areas," according to the Forest Service "Notice of Intent."
The Forest Service cites "strong public sentiment for protecting roadless areas." However, some forest-access activists are concerned that the initiative is part of a widespread effort to restrict access to public lands.
"They haven't proven that roads are detrimental to wildlife," said local sportsman and activist Greg Thomas.
Thomas said he does not oppose protection of roadless areas in theory, but he is suspicious of the motives behind the initiative.
"They're not talking about 'roadless areas,'" he said. "They're talking about areas that have trails and old logging roads."
He noted that the Blue Ribbon Coalition, an advocacy group for snowmobilers and others who pursue motorized recreation on National Forests, have registered their opposition with Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck.
In a letter to Dombeck, the organization requested an extension of the comment period and argued for "the custom and culture of small rural communities that depend on adjacent public lands."
People with concerns about the initiative should attend the open house and submit comments, according to Ferguson.
"If there's some activities that the public doesn't want restricted, now is the time to provide that information," Ferguson said.
There are two parts to the federal proposal: protection of "inventoried" roadless areas and study of "uninventoried" roadless areas that could be protected in later plans.
Inventoried roadless areas are already defined and included in Forest Service plans.
"Those may or may not have (unofficial) roads on them," Ferguson said. "Most do not."
Uninventoried areas, smaller than 1,000 acres will be studied and criteria developed for their identification as roadless areas and inclusion in future forest plans.
After the comment period closes on December 20, the Forest Service will draft an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) that will recommend a course of action. Further public comment will be made on that proposal.
Thomas and other activists see the protection initiative as a de facto expansion of restricted wilderness areas.
"We've got enough wilderness for those people who are into that wilderness experience," Thomas said. "I'm not against that. But with our exploding population, we've got to have places for people to go and enjoy their land."
The open house is scheduled in two sessions: 3 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on December 16.
Written comments can be made to: USDA FS, attn: Roadless, PO Box 221090 Salt Lake City, UT 84122; fax: (801) 517-1021; e-mail: roadless/[email protected]
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
Reader Comments(0)