Klamath-Siskiyou eNews, Issue 128
KSENEWS, 24.09.2008 21:20
Klamath-Siskiyou eNews, Issue 128
September 24, 2008
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In this Issue:
KS Wild's Annual Dinner and Auction - This Weekend!
Speak Up for the Wildlands of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Legislative Update: Oregon Treasures
A Big Whopper is Around the Corner
Fall Hikes with KS Wild: Wild Rogue and Oregon Caves/Mt. Elijah
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KS Wild's Annual Dinner and Auction - This Weekend!
Saturday, September 27th, 5:30pm
Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak Street
Join us in celebrating community and protecting biodiversity! KS Wild’s staff, Board of Directors, volunteers and supporters will enjoy a night of great food and stimulating company. The evening will feature a local dinner, a beautiful array of auction items and a lively update on KS Wild’s successes and activities. Hurry, tickets are going fast.
5pm - Social hour, silent auction opens; 6:30pm - Dinner; 8pm - Live auction
Enjoy music by the Mighty Lonesomes during social hour.
$30 - Vegetarian/vegan, $35 - Local, grass-fed organic buffalo, $15 - Child’s plate
This event does sell out, so please RSVP soon to ensure your participation in this wildly fun evening!
To RSVP, call 488.5789 or email 
laurel@kswild.org.
All proceeds support KS Wild's efforts to protect the forests, waters and wildlife of the extraordinary Klamath-Siskiyou region of northwest California and southwest Oregon.
Thanks to our event sponsors: Eric Strong Furniture, Gathering Glass Studio, Osprey, Patagonia, Tropical Salvage, Sweetgrass Natural Fibers, Opie Snow Heyerman, Longsword Vineyard, Momentum River Expeditions, Geppetto's Restaurant, Nectar Eco Boutique, Weisinger's of Ashland, Eagle Optics, Heart and Hands, Siskiyou Crest Goat Dairy, Sweetgrass Natural Fibers, Pangea, Rogue Creamery and ExOfficio
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Speak Up for the Wildlands of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is determining which areas of the Forest should be open to Off-Road Vehicles and which areas should be protected. They need to hear from you!
The forests and watersheds of the Rogue/Siskiyou National Forest are famous for their world-class wild rivers, astounding biodiversity and scenic splendor. Threatened Coho salmon still spawn in the creeks, extremely rare Port-Orford cedar trees grace the stream-banks, and peaceful trails still lead into untrammeled wildlands. All of these forest values are being placed at-risk from the Forest Service’s current proposal to encourage Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) use in some of the most fragile landscapes of the Forest.
Motorized recreation is a valued and legitimate part of the National Forest experience. The Rogue/Siskiyou has thousands of miles of roads that can be responsibly explored by car, ORV or motorcycle while also respecting the irreplaceable forest values that belong to all Americans. Unfortunately, some in the ORV community believe that there should be no limits at all on their preferred form of recreation, despite the fact that nationally about 2.5% of annual visits to National Forests have ORV use as their primary activity, yet motorized recreation can devastate public resources. So over the years meadows have been trashed, creeks have been sullied, and hiking trails have been destroyed by irresponsible ORV users.
Under the Forest Service’s initial proposal, ORV use would be encouraged in fragile places such as Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs), designated botanical areas, near Port Orford cedar populations (that could be wiped-out by the motorized spread of a fatal root-disease), and along hiking trails in the backcountry, including trails around the Kalmiopsis wildlands and in the Upper Applegate (that are in IRAs proposed as additions to the Red Buttes Wilderness). These are simply not the appropriate places for motorized recreation on our public lands.
The Rogue/Siskiyou Travel Management planning process is a once in a lifetime opportunity for you to tell the Forest Service where motorized use should be allowed, and where it should be prohibited. A letter to the Forest Service can make a difference!
Take action: Please take a moment to write a quick note to the Forest Service asking them to protect the irreplaceable forest values that you hold dear for future generations. The deadline for comments is October 14, 2008. Click here for a sample letter and addresses.
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Legislative Update: Oregon Treasures
It was just over a year ago that KS Wild helped bring together business and conservation interests throughout the West to help protect two of Oregon’s real natural treasures: the Oregon Caves and the Wild Rogue River. In short time, the outpouring of support has been spectacular. In June, legislation was introduced in both chambers of the U.S. Congress and a hearing was held in September in the U.S. House of Representatives. This momentum demonstrates the strength in communities joining together to garner the attention of elected leaders and persuade them to act on behalf of the environment.
Unfortunately, Senator Gordon Smith is blocking increased protections for Oregon’s Treasures, making it unlikely that the legislation will become law this year. KS Wild and our allies will continue this effort in 2009 and are confident we will secure protections for these special places in southwest Oregon.
Take Action: Please contact Senator Gordon Smith and ask that he support protections for the Rogue River and Oregon Caves. You can call Senator Smith at 541-608-9102 or click here to submit an email comment on his website.
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A Big Whopper is Around the Corner
Since the Bush administration first announced it would revise the management plans for 2.6 million acres of Bureau of Land Management forests in western Oregon, reactions have been fairly constant: the timber industry loves it, everyone else hates it. In its latest newsletter, the BLM outlined an aggressive pro-logging strategy for the final plan, which is expected out this fall.
When the BLM released its Western Oregon Plan Revisions (WOPR) draft plan in late 2007 it proposed a sevenfold increase in ancient forest logging. Not surprisingly, 30,000 members of the public commented; over 90% asked the BLM to save the remaining older forests, protect clean drinking water, and concentrate forest management on restoration and thinning small trees to protect communities from wildfire.
According to the BLM, the final plan will mirror the draft in most regards: 1) remove BLM forests from the scientific framework of the Northwest Forest Plan; 2) ramp up clearcut logging across hundreds of thousands of acres; 3) remove streamside buffers that protect clean water and fish; and 4) log some of the last remaining older forest in western Oregon.
In order to soften the blow of this awfully conceived proposal, the BLM suggests it will “defer” logging of a “subdivision” of older forests for 15 years. Since the BLM intends to log all of our forests sooner or later, these deferred lands will be available to cut in 15 years. Despite the potential extinction of old-growth dependent species like Coho salmon and the Northern spotted owl, BLM is bent on converting our forests into biologically deficient tree farms. What is worse, the BLM’s narrow definition of old-growth leaves open hundreds of thousands of acres of groves of trees over one hundred years of age.
To be certain, proposing to log some of our last, best public old-growth forest is unpopular, but the BLM will claim its new proposal has changed and adapted due to the concerns of the public. Don’t believe the hype. In addition to harming fish and water and ramping up clearcutting of forests of all ages, the Bush administration’s final plan will put our ancient forest ecosystem at dire risk. Perhaps most troubling, logging ancient forests that store carbon would exacerbate the effects of climate change. Unfortunately, this is what we have come to expect from this administration. Stay tuned as things unfold and be sure that KS Wild will stay at the forefront of this fight to keep our remaining public old-growth standing tall.
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Fall Hikes with KS Wild: Wild Rogue and Oregon Caves/Mt. Elijah
October 5: Mt. Elijah and the Oregon Caves. Hike to Bigelow Lakes and Mt. Elijah to enjoy expansive views and learn about pending legislation to expand the Oregon Caves National Monument and retire a grazing allotment in this botanically rich roadless area. Moderate, 5 miles. Meet at Gooseberries in Grants Pass at 9am and the Illinois Valley Visitors Center in Cave Junction at 9:45am.
October 25: Hike the Wild Rogue
Join KS Wild for a hike into proposed Wilderness along the Lower Rogue River and visit an historic cabin on Whisky Creek. We will discuss legislation that was introduced in June 2008 to protect this area. Carpools leave the Ashland Shop n Kart at 9am and the Gooseberries Natural Foods parking lot (1533 NE F St.) in Grants Pass at 10am. Bring hiking shoes, clothing layers, food and water. Hike is moderate and approximately 6 miles.
Always bring good hiking shoes, water, food and clothing layers. For more information, call 488-5789 or email lesley@kswild.org
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Click here to become a member of KS Wild today! By sending a minimum annual membership of $35 to KS Wild you receive our quarterly print newsletter and protection for the outstanding Klamath-Siskiyou wildlands.
The Klamath-Siskiyou (KS) Region of southwest Oregon and northwest California is a world-renowned hub of biological diversity. Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains, this region houses more conifer species than any other region in the world. From ancient old-growth forests to dry desert climate - and everything in between - the KS is a refuge for wild nature.
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Lesley Adams
Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center
PO Box 102
Ashland OR 97520
541.488.5789