Activist describes roads campaign

Tim Lillebo wants to see more of Oregon protected as roadless area.

The director of the Oregon Natural Resources Council, spoke at Sisters COCC Lunch and Learn meeting last week. He outlined the Wild Wilderness Campaign now underway in Oregon.

Using maps and slides Lillebo noted that 10-15 percent of public lands are roadless (not accessible by cars), including Tumalo Mountain. Oregon contains 18.5 million acres of land managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM); 11 percent of these lands have been protected by Congress as wilderness.

The thrust of the present wilderness campaign is to get more areas under the umbrella of protection provided by Congress. To do otherwise leaves these lands vulnerable to commercial and logging development, Lillebo said.

President Bill Clinton has already signaled his intention to support more roadless areas. Mike Dombeck, head of the U.S. Forest Service, also favors a policy to limit/reduce roads in National Forests.

Lillebo asks why people move to Central Oregon, noting that the answers usually reflect enjoyment of the natural environment and recreational activities. People enjoy views of the Three Sisters and hiking on the many local forest trails.

"Wilderness provides us with our cleanest drinking water, most intact salmon habitat, and important recreational havens," Lillebo said.

According to the activist, two-thirds of Oregon's drinking water comes from roadless areas.

Even if people don't visit the wilderness areas, it is comforting to the human spirit to know they are there, Lillebo noted. He also argued that stewardship pays economic dividends.

From an economic perspective, those states/areas with land use laws have the most vibrant economies, he said.

As an example of threats to unprotected wilderness areas, Lillebo cited plans for a large new ski area and resort complex near Klamath Falls (Winema National Forest). According to Lillebo, the Pelican Butte area faces new roads, ski runs and two timber sales, potentially endangering fish, owls, wolverines and other organisms.

Closer to home, Lillebo noted a proposal for a gravel pit to be constructed in the Cline Butte area between Sisters, Redmond and Bend. An open meeting on the proposal is scheduled at Redmond's Senior Center on Thursday, March 16, at 5 p.m. to discuss this proposal.