News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
When people think of doing business in Sisters, they think of downtown merchants and industrial park operations.
But there is a lot of business going on out in the national forests that surround Sisters - resorts, campgrounds and lodges, dozens of outfitters, the Camp Sherman Store and more.
According to Jeff Sims, who handles permitting for the Sister Ranger District, there are about 130 recreation special use permits on the district. As might be expected in dealing with a large federal bureaucracy, there are lots of hoops to jump through before a permit is issued - criteria that must be met and rules and regulations that must be followed.
"We don't have an open door policy where we just stamp your proposal and send you out the door," Sims said.
Sisters businessman Scott Buckles brought forward a proposal recently that he thought would make a strong business proposition for himself, stimulate the economy in Sisters and be a good, low-impact fit with the forest. But the Forest Service turned him down.
Buckles proposed a "canopy tour" in the Three Creeks area. He had cemented a partnership with Experience Based Learning, an outfit that specializes in sending people sliding along zip lines through forest canopies and across canyons in a thrilling two- to 2-1/2-hour ride interspersed with opportunities to learn about the local geography and flora and fauna. (To see what a canopy tour looks like, visit http://www.zipdesigns.org).
Buckles said he expected to invest some $250,000 in the project, which he believes would bring thousands of visitors to Sisters specifically for the outdoor experience.
"These are people who aren't here for the Rodeo; they aren't here for the Quilt Show," he said. "They're here for that purpose."
Buckles also envisions employing about 20 people.
The problem for Buckles is that Hoodoo Mountain Resort has proposed a zip line and Mount Bachelor is also talking about installing one.
Sisters District Ranger Bill Anthony says those proposals make it difficult to approve another proposal somewhere else. Forest Service policy is to consolidate as many uses as possible under existing special use permits, such as the one under which Hoodoo operates.
Another key policy is that the Forest Service will "not issue a special use permit either solely for the purpose of establishing a profit-making, commercial enterprise or where satisfactory public service is or could be provided on nearby private or public lands."
If Hoodoo is putting in a zip line, the Forest Service argues, that takes care of any need and the rules say Buckles shouldn't get a permit of his own.
Buckles doesn't buy the argument. He says the Hoodoo zip line - if it is in fact built - "is a totally different experience. That's kind of a carnival ride."
Anthony isn't ready to concede that point.
"Hoodoo hasn't implemented theirs yet," he said. "There's no reason that theirs couldn't include an educational component or a canopy tour."
Buckles is frustrated that he has not been able to gain traction for what he thinks is a perfect business operation and economic development engine for Sisters.
"I don't want to have to leave Sisters to do this," he said.
For his part, Anthony said that while Forest Service rules guided his office to turn Buckles down, he is willing to talk about the proposal further.
"I don't think it's a closed door," he said.
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.
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