Bulletin of the Native Plant Society of OregonNOTE: This is an archived NPSO Bulletin.
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Bulletin of the Native Plant Society of Oregon[ Return to Bulletin Directory ]
June 6-8, Fri. - Sun. Annual Meeting: At Camp Cascade. See March or April Bulletin for details.
June 8, Sun. State Board Meeting: 9 A.M., at the annual meeting
Meeting: No meetings for the rest of the summer.
June 1, Sun. Field Trip: Frazier Meadows. Meet: NE corner of Pendleton Safeway parking lot, 8 A.M. Leader: Jerry Baker.
June 21, Sat. Field Trip: Magone Lake, north of Mt. Vernon. Meet: NE corner of the Pendleton Safeway parking lot, 7 A.M., or at the lake swimming area, 10 A.M. Leaders:Katherine and Aaron Skirvin.
July 12, Sat. Field Trip: Target Meadows, near Tollgate. Meet: NE corner of Pendleton Safeway parking lot, 8 A.M. Leader: Bruce Barnes
Meeting: No meetings until October. (Potential volunteers see Volunteers notice article.)
June 14, Sat. Field Trip: To Jackson-Frazier wetland to look at Des champsia cespitosa (tufted hairgrass) and other wetland species. Loverna Wilson will lead us through wet prairie habitat and tell us about the pre- settlement history of the area. Boots advisable. 9 A.M. to noon. Meet: OSU parking lot, 25th and Monroe, across from the Beanery. Bring a lunch or snack, if you would like to stay and chat with Loverna. An elevated footpath with observation decks is being built in the wetland, and we're planning a work party later in the season to help with construction. Detail will appear in the Bulletin. For more information, call Carolyn.
Meeting: No meetings in the summer.
June 14, Sat. Atlas Trip: Siltcoos Estuary Exploration. We'll make a plant list (and speak a lot of Latin) at Lane County's only sizeable salt marsh. Several salt marsh species are documented north and south of here, so we'll target them on our visit. Rubber boots, lunch, binoculars. A second, surprise stop will make for a full day. Leave S. Eugene H.S. parking lot at 8:30 A.M. Bruce Newhouse.
June 28, Sat.Field Trip: McGowan Meadow, Coburg Hills site, about S acres in size, at 2000 ft. elev. There is a mixture of Willamette Valley and higher elevation plants here. Leave, 10 A.M., S. Eugene H.S. parking lot. Dave Predeek.
Meeting: No meetings in the summer.
June 7, Sat. Field Trip: The Island. This is a remnant example of our native grasslands. Much of the local high desert probably looked like this before grazing, farming and urbanization took over. Unfortunately, even in this barely-grazed area, exotic weeds are a problem. NPSO will assist the BLM in removing medusahead from several, small, infested areas. Call Stu Garrett, evenings.
June 17, Tues. Atlas Field Trip: Metolius Highlands. This will be one of our surveys to look at areas that have been poorly botanized to develop information for the Oregon Plant Atlas Project. Meet at the Deschutes National Forest Supervisor's parking lot, near Pilot Butte, 8:30 A.M. Call Stu Garrett, evenings, for more information.
June 28, Sat. Field Trip: Alder Springs Thistle Attack and Nature Hike. This is one of the most dramatic canyons in our area. Exotic thistles are starting to take over and we will cooperate with the BLM and the Portland Chapter of NPSO to attack it. Combination work day and fun hike. Call Stu Garrett, evenings, for details.
July 19-20 Sat - Sun. Field Trip: Studhorse Butte, Christmas Valley. We will join Lucile Housley, BLM botanist, for a survey of rare plants in this beautiful and isolated area of Christmas Valley. We will camp overnight and help Lucile survey. Call Lucile, for details. We will meet her at the Christmas Valley Lodge on Saturday morning.
Aug. 2, Sat. Field Trip: Strawberry Summit/Morning Hill Forest Farm. Easy 7 mi. R.T. hike, with 1200 ft. elev. gain, to the highest peak in the Strawberry Wilderness, at 9038 ft. See interesting alpines and whitebark pine.Three grapeferns are found here. Participants can camp Fri. and Sat. nights at the trip leader's beautiful Morning Hill Forest Farm. Call Jennifer Barker, in Canyon City, for details.
Sept.13, Sat. Field Trip: Broken Top Volcano. Our annual trek to view the spectacular glaciated scenery and alpine wildflowers in the high Cascades west of Bend. This is a 6 mi. R.T., moderate to strenuous hike with 1700 ft. elev. gain. Mostly off-trail hiking through the Three Sisters Wilderness, so number is limited to 12. A Cascades Classic! Preregistration is required. Call trip leader Stu Garrett, to sign up.
June 4, Wed. Meeting: 7:30 P.M. Mosier School. Joy Belsky will tell us about her research on the effects of pollution on the plants of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.
July 26 - 27 Sat. - Sun.y Wildflower Show: 10 A.M. - 4 P.M. both days. Skamania Lodge, Stevenson, Washington. Presented in conjunction with the National Commission for the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial. For more information, call Allen Bell.
June 1, Sun. Field Trip: Saddle Mountain. Moderately difficult hike. Meet: 10 A.M., trailhead parking lot. Call Kathleen Sayce, for more information.
June 1, Sun. Field Trip: Columbia Hills Loop. Hike about 5 mi. R.T., with 1400 ft. elev. gain. We will visit the Columbia Hills Natural Area Preserve, traversing about a mile of the rocky ridge top. The sharp ridge crest and open terrain allow sweeping views in all directions. Some wildflowers, like Erigeron linearis, will be in their prime. Leave: 8 A.M., Gateway/99th Ave. Park & Ride, near SE corner of parking lot. Take exit 7 from 1-84, turn right immediately onto 99th Ave. Second mtng. place: 9:30 A.M., Rest Area, M.P. 74, Washington Hwy. 14. Cross Columbia River on Hood River Bridge at exit 64 from 1-84. Call Russ Jolley, for more information.
June 10, Tues. Meeting: 7 P.M. First United Methodist Church, 1838 SW Jefferson St., Portland. Carol Horvath, a botanist with the Mt. Hood National Forest, will present a program on the plants of Chile.
June 14, Sat. Field Trip: Grand Island Floodplain Forest. This is the first in our 1997 series of ecosystem-focused trips jointly sponsored with the Portland Audubon Society. The mature floodplain forest of Grand Island, south of Dayton in SE Yam hill County, is one of the largest intact blocks of this heavily impacted habitat type in the Willamette Valley. It harbors a surprisingly diverse flora and fauna. See for yourself! Meet: 6:30 A.M., in front of the new Safeway in King City/Tigard (on 99W). Second mtng.: 7:15 A.M., Grand Island store south of Dayton (where you turn east to head down to the Island). Trip ends at noon, so lunch is optional. Leaders: Tom Love, tlove@linfield.edu, (PAS) and Kareen Sturgeon, ksturg @ calvin.linfield.edu, (NPSO).
June 21, Sat. Field Trip: Brooks Meadow. Alpine wildflowers in a lush meadow with great views of Mt. Hood. Led by Forest Service botanist, Heather Laub. Less than a mile of walking. Leave: 9 A.M., Gateway/99th Ave. Park & Ride, near SE corner of parking lot. Take exit 7 from 1-84, turn right immediately onto NE 99th Ave. Second mtng.:11 A.M., junction of Hwy. 35 and F.S. Rd. 44. Contact Heather Laub, or Greg Stone.
June 28, Sat. Field Trip: Trapper Springs Meadow. Explore meadow, wetland and surrounding forest habitat in the Clackamas River Ranger District, south of Timothy Lake, with USFS botanist Carol Horvath. There is no designated trail. This is a "meadow meander." Species of interest include, Drosera rotundifolia, Gentiana sceptrum and Gratiola species. Area is wet and brushy so tall boots and protective clothing are recommended. Driving: 150 mi. RT. Leave: 8 A.M., ODOT lot, 60th and NE Glisan, in Portland. Contact Carol Horvath.
June 28, Sat. Field Trip: Alder Springs Thistle Attack and Nature Hike. Joint trip with the High Desert Chapter, which see for details. Call Russ Jolley, for information.
Officers: Newly-elected officers are: Jennifer Beigel, president; John Roth, vice president; John McClendon, secretary/treasurer; Don Heinze, field trip chair; Darlene Southworth, conservation chair.
Meeting: No meetings in the summer.
June 14, Sat. Field Trip: Sharon Fen. Moderate hike. Leader: Darren Borgias, The Nature Conservancy. Features: A superb example of a minerotropic fen (A floating/quaking mire), bladderpod ( Utricularia minor), a floating, aquatic, carnivorous plant, other interesting aquatic and emergent plants.
June 21, Sat. Field Trip: Babyfoot Lake. Leaders: Anita Seda, U.S.F.S., and Linda Mazzu, BLM. Features: unusual plants, such as weeping spruce ( Picea breweriana). Meet: 9 A.M., Selma Supermarket, left (north) side.
Aug. 2, Sat. Field Trip: Oregon coast from Brookings to Charleston. Leader: Bruce Rittenhouse, BLM. Features: Rare plants, such as Lilium occidentalis , other coastal vegetation. Meeting place to be announced. This trip may be extended to two days, if the participants want to. Call Don Heinze, for field trip information.
For information on South Coast Chapter, contact Bruce Rittenhouse.
June 12, Thurs. Meeting: 7 P.M. Bring family and friends to Powell Point any time after 4 P.M., for fishing, swimming or botanizing Myrtle Island RNA. See how high water changed the channel and bar. Potluck at 6:30 P.M., with BBQ chicken and beverage furnished. For information, call Mildred Theile.
June 14, Sat. Field Trip: Kentucky Fall and Roman Nose in Douglas County's Smith River drainage. Leave: 8 A.M., BLM parking lot, 777 Garden Valley Blvd., Roseburg.
July 10, Thurs. Meeting: 6 P.M. Potluck at Hillcrest Vineyard. View Quercus chrysolepsis and Quercus suber in ag setting. Discuss the Oregon Flora Project. Bring an unknown plant for identification.
July 12, Sat. Field Trip: Go to Illahe Lookout and Wild Rose Trail to view plant regeneration and composition after last fall's Spring Creek fire. Meet: BLM parking lot, 777 Garden Valley Blvd., just off exit 125 of I-S, for 8 A.M. departure.
Aug. 2, Sat. Field Trip: Field Trip: Explore Crater Lake's rim drive pumice fields for subalpines. Long legs can hikes the Mt. Scott trail. Leave: 7 A.M., BLM parking lot, 777 Garden Valley Blvd., just off exit 125 of I-S, or rendezvous, 9 A.M., Diamond Lake Lodge. For information, call Richard Sommer.
Meeting: No meetings in the summer.
June 29, Sun. Field Trip: Niagara Falls Scenic Trail. Moderately difficult trail (3 mi. R.T.) through a midseral Douglas fir forest with an understory of moss-laden vine maple thickets. Meet: 9:30 A.M., Safeway parking lot in Dallas. Leader: Larry Scofield.
July 5, Sat. Field Trip: Snow Peak and associated wetlands. Moderately difficult 1 mi. hike up to the old lookout site. The objective is to develop a species list for the Oregon Flora Project. Meet: BLM parking lot, corner of Fabry Rd. and South Commercial. Travel distance about 80 mi. Leader: Terry Fennell.
July 12, Sat. Field Trip: Iron Mountain. Joint trip with Audubon Society. Moderately difficult hike. Meet: 7:30 A.M., K-Mart parking lot on Mission St. Bring water and lunch, which will be at the lookout. Leader: Walt Yungen.
Aug.16, Sat. Field Trip: Wash Creek Divide. This trip along Cascade Mountain ridges features the rare Aster gorrnanii , other late season flowers, huckleberries and great views. Meet: 8 A.M., BLM parking lot, corner of Fabry Rd. and South Commercial. Driving time about 2 hrs. Leader: Claire Hibler.
Meeting: No meetings in the summer.
June 7 - 8 Sat. - Sun. Field Trip: Meet at Jerry's Market in Joseph, Oregon for a weekend at The Nature Conservancy's Clear Lake Ridge Preserve. Situated in a spectacular location between the Wallowa Mountains and the Seven Devils, it is perfect for viewing wildflowers and birds. Hike downhill on Saturday for 6 miles along a riparian area that is perfect for birding. Help pull aggressive knapweed and Scotch thistle along the way. Sunday will be a tour of the ridge, with birding at Downey Lake. Drive a 4-wheel vehicle if you have one. Bring camping gear, food, water, gloves and your favorite weed digger. Meet: Jerry's Market, 9 A.M., Sat., to car pool. For information, call Berta Youtie.
June 22, Sun. Field Trip: Weeds are displacing the rare pink thelypody at The Nature Conservancy's North Powder Preserve. Meet: 9 A.M., North Powder Cafe, south side of 1-84, North Powder exit. Bring gloves, lunch, water and weed removal tools. For more information, Call Berta Youtie.
MJune 28-29 Sat. - Sun. Field Trip: Dunstan Preserve on the Middle Fork John Day River. Carpentry skills needed. The Nature Conservancy needs help removing old fences, dismantling buildings and repairing historic structures. Barbecue Saturday evening. Bring camping equipment, food, water and musical instruments. Meet at the preserve on Saturday morning. For more information, call Berta Youtie.
We may conduct other field trips in June. Watch your local paper for announcements.
IMPORTANT NOTE TO FIELD TRIP PARTICIPANTSField trips take place rain or shine, so proper dress and footwear are essential. Trips may be strenuous and/or hazardous. Participation is at your own risk. Please contact the trip leader or chapter representative about difficulty, distance, and terrain to be expected on field trips. Bring water and lunch. All NPSO field trips are open to the public at no charge (other than contribution to carpool driver) and newcomers 'and visitors are always welcome.NOTICE TO FIELD TRIP CHAIRS AND LEADERSThe Forest Service and other agencies have set policies limiting group size in many wilderness areas to 12. The reason is to limit human impacts on these fragile areas. Each group using wilderness areas should be no larger than 12.POSTAL NOTICEBulletin of the Native Plant Society of Oregon; John Robotham, Editor; 117 NW Trinity P1. #28, Portland, OR 97209.Published monthly. Subscription price $18/year. ISSN 0884-599. Date and issue number on page 1. |
Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors of the articles. They do not represent the opinions of the Native Plant Society of Oregon, unless so stated.
Guidelines for Contributors to the Bulletin
The NPSO Bulletin is published monthly as a service to members and the public.
Rough and Ready Creek Named
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Call for Papers
Manuscripts are being requested now for Kalmiopsis, Journal of the Native Plant Society of Oregon.
The editors will be glad to read manuscripts on taxonomic subjects, plant ecology, plant management,
botanical history of Qregon, bQok reviews, letters to the editors, and other subjects of interest to our
readers. For average length and format, please see recent issues of the journal. There is currently no
specific deadline for articles for the 1997 issue, however, manuscripts or late drafts should be in the
hands of the editors this summer for consideration.
Please address your manuscripts and or questions to: Editors, Kalmiopsis, do Rhoda Love, Assistant Editor, 393 Fulvue Drive, Eugene, Oregon 97405; e-mail: rglove@oregon.uoregon.edu.
Editor Needed
Kalmiopsis readers may know that the present editor, David Kennedy, has resigned to pursue other
interests, after completing our beautiful 1996 issue, with its handsome, full-color cover. The Native
Plant Society of Oregon's Board of Directors is now conducting a search for a new editor. If any
Bulletin reader wishes to be a candidate for the editorship of Kalmiopsis, or wishes to recommend a
person for the editorship, please contact the NPSO President, Michael Igo, at P.O. Box 603, Mosier,
Oregon 97040.
Last month we published a photocopy of a leaf and asked if anyone could identify it. Indeed they could; responses came in from Oregon (several), Washington and Texas. All agreed on the identifi- cation. A letter from Art Kruckeberg, University of Washington, will serve as as an example. He writes, in part: "I'd bet two-bits that it is the cut-leaved form of Alnus rubra. It is given a varietal name in the Hitchcock flora, as var. pinnatisecta. Its type locality, coll. by Starker, 'ca. 10 mi. n.w. of Portland, Ore.' If I'm right, then, this is a sporadically occurring mutant form of common red alder. It has also been found in Washington: Olympic Peninsula and in the Black Hills-Capitol Forest area s.w. of Olympia WA. ... I have grown it in my garden; it is a handsome tree and retains its cut-leaved nature faithfully."
On behalf of the Jackson-Frazier Wetland Advisory Committee and the Benton County Parks De- partment, I want to thank NPSO for its very generous $500 grant toward the construction of the Jackson-Frazier boardwalk. But I also want to introduce NPSO members to this wonderful resource, recount NPSO's efforts in protecting the wetland, and offer opportunities to volunteer in building the boardwalk this summer.
Situated at the northern edge of Corvallis, where Jackson and Frazier Creeks join, the 147 acre wet- land spreads over the Willamette Valley floor. The creeks draining from the surrounding hills de- posited fine silts and clays forming Bashaw clay that dominates much of the wetland. In summer, soils shrink and crack; in winter, they swell, impeding drainage. Ponding is common in winter and spring. By midsummer, the wetland is bone dry.
Jackson-Frazier support several vegetation types: palustrine emergent wetland (wet prairie), shrub-scrub wetland, forested wetland, and emergent marsh (cattails). The area is floristically rich in native plants with over 250 species of flowering plants, including federally listed Bradshaw's lomatium (Lomatium bradshawii) and Nelson's checkermallow (Sidalcea nelsoniana). A plant list, put together by Ken Chambers and Dick Halse in 1980, is being updated by Dick and includes such rarities as the Western wahoo (Euonymus occidentalis), Howell's montia (Montia howeliji), Kincaid's lupine (Lupinus suiphureus var. kincaidji).
Early 19th century travelers and land surveyors in 1853 described the wetland as prairie with scattered ash along creeks. Indian fires and subsequent livestock grazing checked the spread of shrubs and trees. Since the early nineteen sixties, in the absence of these disturbances, rose, hawthorn and ash have rapidly invaded the prairie.
Providing a diverse, wet, green island in the developing urban Willamette Valley landscape, Jackson- Frazier gives refuge to more than 70 bird species, including mallard, red-tailed hawk, Virginia rail, sora, black-capped chickadee, and marsh wren. Common mammals include deer, beaver and nutria.
Preservation of Jackson-Frazier is one of the more dramatic conservation battles in western Oregon. In the late nineteen seventies, as the result of the establishment of statewide land use planning, counties were required to develop land use plans. At the same time, the special value of the wetland was identified by several NPSO members who sought its protection through the state's land use laws. The tract was privately owned but its zoning was in question. A developer was intent on housmg! The county and the Land Conservation and Development Commission, hoping to avoid conflict with the developer and the conservation community, favored farm use, assuming no farmer in his right mind would want to farm the area. NPSO, Portland Audubon Society and other public-minded citizens opted for outright protection required by Oregon's land use law. The dispute went to court where the conservation community won a favorable decision.
Not the end! Angered by the turn of events, the irate developer (now owner) attempted to destroy the Deschampsia prairie known to support Bradshaw's lomatium by scraping 20 acres with a bulldozer-mounted blade. Ironically, as documented by Jimmy Kagan's monitoring, the lomatium thrived with the disturbance. After the damage, the Division of State Lands and the Army Corps required the developer to restore some of the praine by filling ditches. Shortly afterward, the developer, not having paid his taxes. left the community. Benton County subsequently acquired the wetland by foreclosure in 1990.
In 1992, the county established the Jackson-Frazier Wetland as a park unit to protect its natural features and promote educational use, research and public use. Much of the 147 acre wetland is now administered by County Parks with the assistance of the Jackson- Frazier Wefland Advisory Committee.
Heavy wet-season use in 1994 was causing damage to this fragile wetland forcing its closing. Winter and spring use is now temporarily regulated. Because the real excitement and beauty of Jackson-Frazier is when it is the wettest, Benton County Parks planned and designed a wooden boardwalk to protect the wetland yet allow year-round access, including access for disabled folk.
Two EPA Region 10 grants in 1996 and 1997 funded materials for about two-thirds of the boardwalk. Community volunteers, youths from the Community Services Consortium and the Oregon National Guard all are all pitching in to build the boardwalk. Last summer, 900 of the 3500 feet were completed. This summer, 1200 feet are planned for construction. Besides the walkway, there will be several observation areas and interpretive displays. But the entire project depends on you.
Volunteers are welcome. A NPSO work trip is being scheduled for late summer. If you want to volunteer at any time, or contribute money toward the boardwalk project, please call Bob Frenkel at 541-754-6790. Please visit the wetland (turn east off 99W on Conifer Blvd., north of Corvallis, and go one half mile north on Lancaster St. to the culde-sac.)
Bob Frenkel, Chair Wetland Advisory CommitteeThe illustration below is the Jackson-Frazier logo.
The Siskiyou National Forest in southwest Oregon has issued formal notice that they will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed NICORE Mine in the Rough and Ready Creek Watershed. The Forest Service is requesting that the public submit issues and concerns they would like addressed in the NICORE EIS by May 31, 1997. If you're not able to meet this date, please submit your issues and concerns as soon afterward as possible (see April, 1997 NPSO Bulletin for background information).
This period, prior to the release of the draft EIS in September, is known as "scoping" and is the first part of the important public participation process mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for all major federal actions that will "significantly affect the environment." NPSO members are urged to participate fully throughout the NEPA process.
The Siskiyou National Forest's April 21, 1997 notice on the NICORE Mine Project fails to disclose important facts about the Rough and Ready Creek Watershed and its nationally significant ecological values. The notice further attempts to minimize the potential impacts of the NICORE Mine Project. The notice states that "existing low standard Forest Service roads" would be used; that the "haul road would cross Rough and Ready four times;" and that the "total area of disturbance durmg extraction is approximately 35 acres."
It is left to the public to be advocates for this very special watershed and to disclose the true extent of the threats facing it from the NIC ORE Mine and its associated mineral patents. Following are issues that must be addressed in the NICORE EIS:
All four of the initially proposed mine sites and miles of haul road are in the South Kalmiopsis Roadless Area.
The proposed NICORE haul roads go through the Rough and Ready Botanical Area (Forest Service), and parts of the Rough and Ready Area of Critical Environmental Concern (BLM) where the ore would be stockpiled and possible smelter construction is contemplated. The haul route is in the corridor of Rough and Ready Creek, a potential National Wild and Scenic River.
The proposed haul roads cross Rough and Ready Creek 7 times (not four times as the Forest Service states) and its tributaries 4 times. To put this in perspective, imagine several 25 ton ore trucks, fuel trucks and the heavy equipment needed for road work and mining crossing the Creek up to 40 times per day (15 to 20 "round trips") in 11 potential stream crossings (all of the stream crossings would not be used each day). If you want to do the math on that and make a modest estimate of five out of 11 stream crossings used per day and times 90 work days in the four month work period, there is a conservative potential of 18,000 stream crossings per year. These stream crossings, constructed by dumping tons of rock in Rough and Ready Creek would have to be reconstructed each year.
The Forest Service's term "existing road" is open to interpretation. Most of the haul route is a com- bination of faint traces, tracks bulldozed by the mining claimant and power line rights of way. Much of the haul route is not travelable with normal clearance vehicles and parts of it with any vehicle.
The Freeman mineral patent application, associated with the NICORE Mine, states that the 4,360 acres of mining claims in the Rough and Ready Watershed contain a valuable mineral that can be mined profitably. If the claimant only plans to extract ore from 35 acres as implied by the Forest Service's notice, then the rest of the mining claims are unnecessary to the operation. The claims and the patents on the other claims should be relinquished and the Forest Service should recommend that the watershed be withdrawn from mineral entry in order to protect its nationally important botanical and Wild and Scenic River values and Rough and Ready Creek's outstanding water quality.
With the introduction of Port Orford cedar root disease into the adjacent Kalmiopsis Wilderness, the disease free South Kalmiopsis Roadless Area is one of the best hopes of preserving an uninfected Port Orford cedar refuge in the Siskiyou National Forest. The cedar in Rough and Ready Creek is often associated with rare plants and wetlands in the upper watershed with rare plant associations. The virulent, non-native Port Orford cedar root disease is spread primarily by vehicles and heavy equipment.
Submit your scoping letter to Mary Zuschlag, District Ranger, Illinois Valley Ranger District,
26568 Redwood Highway,
Cave Junction, Oregon
97523.
It also helps to send a copy of this correspondence to your Congressional representative with a brief handwritten note.
The draft environmental impact statement for the Alleman Special Use Permit (NPSO Bulletin, March, 1997) is available for public comment. It is now titled "Motorized Vehicular Access to Private Property Within the Kalmiopsis Wilderness." The Siskiyou National Forest's preferred alternative is to allow two round trips per week with motorized vehicles and mechanical maintenance of an old mining road, through miles of Wilderness, to reach a proposed resort on the Little Chetco River. This preference of alternatives is not surprising for an agency that has historically either failed to follow their own regulations regarding motorized use of the Kalmiopsis or allowed individuals to violate the regulations and the Wilderness with impunity.
The road in contention is actually trails #1124 and 1129, from Onion Camp to the Little Chetco River. The applicant wants to drive tourists and logging trucks through the Wilderness on it. The road was constructed, without authorization, in 1952 in what was then the Kalmiopsis Wild Area and it has been maintained, without authorization, by heavy equipment even after Congressional Wilderness designation.
In 1990, Jimmy Kagan documented that blading of this road killed over 200 Lupinus tracyi, a Region 6 sensitive species. In 1994, it was documented that the Port Orford cedar root disease had been introduced into the Wilderness in the area of the Little Chetco mining claims. Now the Forest Service, the agency entrusted with protecting the ecological and other Wilderness values of the Kalmiopsis, is saying that motorized use is historic and customary and is rewarding the special use permit applicant with more motorized access than has ever been granted before.
Comments on the DEIS must be postmarked by July 7, 1997. NPSO members are urged to write either a brief letter in support of the No Action Alternative or a more detailed analysis of the DEIS. The No Action Alternative would still provide access to the patented Little Chetco mining claims. The applicant would just have to use the same methods of travel as other citizens (hiking, horse packing, etc.).
The Forest Service has tried to create a red herring in their environmental analysis of the No Action Alternative. The DEIS states that this Wilderness-friendly alternative to the proposed action has the highest risk of spreading the non-native Port Or-ford cedar root disease into the uninfected parts of the Wilderness because no mechanical maintenance and upgrade of the road would be allowed.
The excuse for this convoluted reasoning is that another mining claimant also has motorized use of the road, thereby creating the "highest" risk even if the special use permit were to be denied. The maintenance is supposed to lessen the risk of disease introduction and spread. So rather than directly addressing the risk to Port Orford cedar and its habitat by eliminating all motorized access to the Wilderness (the most effective disease control measure), the DEIS extols the virtue of culverts, french drains and road maintenance with heavy equipment as mitigation to the proposed motorized tourism in the Kalmiopsis.
Send your comments to, or request the DEIS from: Mary Zuschlag, District Ranger, Illinois Valley Ranger District, 26568 Redwood Highway, Cave Junction, Oregon 97523.
For a more detailed alert on the DEIS for Motorized Use of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness, write to the Siskiyou Project, P.O. Box 220, Cave Junction, Oregon 97523.
Barbara Ullian Siskiyou Chapter
Call Carolyn Ver Linden, 541-752-7132
Webmistress@NPSOregon.org
© Copyright 1996 Native Plant Society of Oregon, All Rights Reserved
Last Modified April 6, 1996