Of trails and transparency

The Nugget’s story on the proposal by two companies to provide shuttle services to and from several trailheads on the Sisters Ranger District appeared in the July 17 edition, two days before the end of the official Forest Service comment period on July 19.

That timeframe is not optimal for informing our readers about a project of interest in our National Forest.

Unfortunately, The Nugget was made aware of the scoping letter for the project — by a citizen — only on July 15. We believed the newspaper was on the scoping list for all projects in our local district, but that was not the case. That issue has been rectified.

We’re confident that there was no intent to push the proposals through under the radar. This type of permit issuance doesn’t actually require public comment, and the Sisters Ranger District sought it anyway. It would have been better if the information had been more broadly disseminated, but it’s clear that no one was trying to hide it.

It’s also clear that the Sisters Ranger District has underestimated the degree of public interest in these particular proposals. We asked if the comment period might be extended to allow for wider community input. That doesn’t look like it’s in the cards. That’s unfortunate. Like any agency, the Forest Service operates under protocols, and they may not want to set a precedent they can’t sustain. We’d still like to see more time allowed for a deeper dive into the proposals, and for public weigh-in.

The Sisters Ranger District has made positive efforts to be transparent, despite the complications of operating as a federal bureaucracy. They have held open houses on significant endeavors like the Green Ridge Project, and District Ranger Ian Reid has been proactive in informing the public about the District’s activities. Those who want direct communications from the Forest Service on local projects can opt in at https://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/deschutes/landmanagement/projects.

Folks in Sisters care a lot about what goes on in our forest. So does The Nugget, and so does the Forest Service. Keeping our forests healthy and accessible for public use is a partnership amongst many people and entities. We all need to communicate constructively to make that partnership effective.

Jim Cornelius

Editor in Chief, The Nugget Newspaper

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

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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