Letters to the Editor 06/24/2015

Dear Editor,

I appreciate the interest, interview, and commentary article published in The Nugget by Diane Goble on "Perils of Pesticides" in the June 3, 2015 edition. There are a few incidental facts I would like to clarify.

While Lowe's has announced it will no longer carry neonic-treated seeds, plants, and products this will not happen until NEXT year. That means that this year's neonic-treated products will be sold as usual and will kill pollinator insects and birds who ingest those insects as part of their normal

bird-fare.

The statement about deer grazing as an analogy of chemical contamination or chemical trespass is from the an article about Milestone® contamination in composting soils sold as "natural." This contamination resulted in a ban on the sale and use of Milestone® in the UK.

Some positive actions for the present:

Plant organic native perennials: pollenators know instinctively to look for them (DNA), they are more hardy and generally zenotropic than exotic, foreign varieties. A list of organic Oregon nurseries can be found at http://www.xerces.org.

Planting neonic-treated plants and seeds, no matter how lovely the blossoms appear, is a death warrant to any bee or butterfly that eat the nectar - and the bird that may eats that invertebrate. The toxins become embedded in the cell structure of vegetation. Every time you walk across treated lawn/soil, humans and animals are also dosed with unknown concentrations of poisons.

Plant a cluster of northern milkweed indigenous to Oregon for monarch butterfly caterpillars. The Monarch caterpillar feeds exclusively on milkweed.

Avoid pesticides and herbicides. Use natural means to boost soil fertility and eradicate any garden pest. Ladybugs and other invertebrate predators are easily obtained to assist with garden health. Red wigglers are a great way to make your own amending soil "tea," and will eat vegetable

waste.

Dispose of existing contaminated lawn-cuttings and trimming correctly. This material needs to be buried, not sent to the landfill for composting. The ban in the UK on sale and use of amionopyrlids (Milestone®, et al) resulted after investigation concluded that compost derived from chemically treated vegetation was being sold as "natural," a misnomer at least, resulting in garden crops failing.

Buy only certified organic seeds and soils.

Support organizations that are campaigning on social and political levels to educate and change laws to protect our environment from Monsanto, Dow, and Bayer influence in Congress.

Help bumblebeewatch.org and butterflywatch.org track migrations (journeynorth.org) by documenting sightings using your cellphone or via upload of images to their website. Audubon has a yearly birdwatcher report form also. That 2/3 of American bird species are on the decline is an important link to poisoned pollinator invertebrates.

Support the local initiative for a Sisters' Pro Pollinator Ordinance, at work in committee. Information will be forthcoming in the next month.

A. Barrett

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To the Editor:

Re: "Sisters man killed in Fryrear Road wreck" (The Nugget, June 10, p. 25).

I read the sad story of Michael Graham's accident. What the story did not include was that people stopped to help him. When we arrived, a man was giving CPR while a woman counted loudly to keep the rhythm just right. Another man stood by ready to help. When we called 911 they said they had already received other notifications of the accident.

People helped. It seems important to tell everyone that people stopped! The emergency crew just didn't find him alone beside the road.

Carolyn Russell of Sisters

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To the Editor:

I think that some of the Black Butte Ranch homeowners have the trail issue backwards. These are the handful of homeowners who are convinced that somehow their safety/private property rights/privacy would be compromised if a paved multi-use trail were built from Sisters to Black Butte Ranch.

In all likelihood, many more people would be coming from the direction of BBR to Sisters than the other way around. In fact, quite a number of Ranch residents have expressed interest in and support of a paved trail that they could enjoy with their families and friends.

There is little logic to the fear that "outsiders" would help themselves to the BBR trails and ultimately the pools and tennis courts if a paved trail were constructed. Ride 8 miles to play tennis or swim in a pool when there are multiple opportunities for recreation in Central Oregon? Not likely.

I fail to see how a bike path that would end at the entrance to the Ranch, next to the highway, would impinge upon residents' privacy rights. Nothing currently prevents anybody from driving in, parking their vehicle, getting out the bikes and using the BBR trail. The idea that someone is going to break in and carry off a load of stuff or a grandchild on a bicycle is far-fetched. Short of building a 12-foot wall around the perimeter of the Ranch, there is no way to keep out all non-residents.

What I object to from some of the letters seen recently in The Nugget has to do with an underlying tone of exclusivity and patronage. Not all impacts of Black Butte Ranch onto Sisters are positive, including higher grocery store prices, traffic congestion and use of our recycling center.

We put up with the annoyances, however, because we share a reciprocal relationship.

Keep in mind that some of those people riding from Sisters on a paved bike path might actually stop in and spend money at one of the BBR restaurants, thereby helping to fund the Ranch Corporation. Sounds like a plus to me.

Let's try to be a little more community-minded and less exclusive, please.

Sarah Rahm

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To the Editor:

Was anyone else offended by the letter to the editor of Dianne and Thomas Hart in last week's Nugget, June 17?

They wrote "Unless I have something wrong, the [Black Butte] Ranch's paths are the Ranch's business [not that of Alan Unger, our county commissioner].

It seems arrogant that people who acknowledge they live in Corvallis think that our Deschutes County commissioners have no business considering events and impacts that happen in Deschutes County. Since when did Black Butte Ranch become its own principality?

Fear of change seems to motivate both the concerns of the Harts and also another BBR resident, Mr. Andrews (June 10).

Mr. Andrews wrote "All I ask is that public paths stay off our private property." Mr. Andrews, your wish is granted.

The proposed path is on Forest Service land, not private property, specifically not your private property.

If someone trespasses on your private property, I encourage you to call the BBR police and report them.

Mr. & Mrs. Hart, I want to point out that building a path in the woods does not constitute "inviting non-paying non-invited people into our homes." Mr. and Mrs. Hart, I have no desire to visit you.

I do like the option of walking/hiking/riding in MY National Forest.

Likewise, I encourage Ms. Baker (June 10) not to be so overly dramatic in describing the effects of the path. She wrote "I oppose any type of trail that will destroy and kill thousands of animals. Frogs, deer, squirrels, lizards, elk, coyotes just to name a few would be permanently displaced or killed by destruction to the forest."

Ms. Baker, I promise to never go so fast hiking or later with my walker that I will run into an elk. I promise. Actually I, too, oppose anything that will destroy "thousands" of animals." For that reason I am a lifetime member in the Sierra Club, as well as being a member of Oregon Wild, Oregon Natural Desert Association, and the Deschutes Land Trust. I treasure our environment and see the path as a way to bring people out into nature so they will enjoy and become advocates for the land.

This is not just about having "privacy" for our homes that happen to be built within the national forests. The forest is not just for fit, young people. It is for all of us. We should all have access to our national forests.

Ken Serkownek

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To the Editor:

I'm writing an update of my previous letter regarding the absence of bathroom facilities at Cliff Clemens Park.

I visited City Hall on June 10 to ask why there was not even a Sanican available at this park, as the rock is the known place where little boys pee.I was told that the City had applied for a grant for a restroom to be built. I expressed that the current situation wasa public health as well as a safety problem.

They kindly took my number and said the Public Works Director would call me back. In my conversation with him I was told the only person that could authorize it was the City Manager, who I was told was out of town. I proceeded to tell him that due to the pubic health risk he could use his City credit card to order it. I also expressed that I was willing to order it myself and have The Nugget there as it was delivered.

To my surprise I noticed today, June 15, that there is now a Sanican at the park. My grandchildren no longer have to go somewhere else to use the bathroom when visiting the park.

Just goes to know when you're willing to put your money where your mouth is, and the truth is shown, good things can happen.

It's too bad our leaders fail to see the simple solutions in situations like this.

Greg Stohl