Oregonians speak out about Mt. Hood

Agency misuses mountain
Wednesday, August 15, 2007

While Mount Hood's road infrastructure continues to deteriorate due to lack of funds, the Forest Service has somehow found the money to begin a new round of taxpayer-subsidized logging and road-building projects, including one in my beloved Eightmile Meadow, where trees started falling this week. The "categorical exclusion" rule is intended to fast-track tiny projects like building a picnic table without environmental review, but the agency has abused this rule to allow commercial logging in sensitive areas like Eightmile, one of Mount Hood's most diverse places where elderly stands of ponderosa, larch and kinickinick grow side-by-side with fir and mountain hemlock.

I would find solace at Ramona Falls, but the bridge is washed out, the river is full of silt, and the agency doesn't have money for repairs. Calling this handout of public money to commercial interests a "misallocation" is an understatement. MARTIN C. EVANS Southeast Portland


Wednesday, August 15, 2007

I just learned of the appproval of a 222-acre clearcut near Eightmile trail on Mount Hood. How sad! One of my proudest memories is my first 50-mile ultramarathon at the Mount Hood Pacific Crest Trail.

The recreational use of our accessible forests is better for our hearts and our overall Oregon economy. TERESA HOGAN Medford


Managing forests: For recreation, jobs?
Monday, August 13, 2007

It takes a particularly perverted logic to justify increasing taxpayer spending on logging projects that generate private profits at a time when some of the most popular trailheads in Mount Hood National Forest are inaccessible and roads from old logging projects are eroding into our drinking water because the Forest Service does not have enough funds for basic maintenance ("Cash infusion accelerates NW logging," Aug. 9).

But perhaps it's not surprising, given that President Bush has twice been the top recipient of campaign contributions from the timber industry, receiving $629,962 in 2004 (www.opensecrets.org/).

Increased logging will only further jeopardize the clean water, clean air and world-class recreation opportunities Oregonians value. Real public benefit would come from increasing spending on recreation, road removal and maintenance.

Now the question is, will our congressional delegation show some backbone and stop this special-interest sell-out of our public lands?

AMANDA WINTERS Southeast Portland


Monday, August 13, 2007

You are absolutely right that Northwesterners do not want old-growth logging on our public forests ("The spotted owl leaves the stage," Aug. 5). And you are correct that we want forests managed for clean water, wildlife habitat, recreation and solitude.

Anyone can see the difference between a lush, native and diverse mature forest and a tree plantation; but luckily our "overgrown" second-growth forests will return to their magnificent natural state if given time and most important, left undisturbed. In other words, many of us want something for our forests that is not at all complicated: zero cut on public land.

BASEL BANKS Northeast Portland