Central Cascades Wilderness Strategies Update

[cunningkeith]

While you're at it, send an email to Wyden, Merkley, and your U.S. Rep. (mine is Blumenauer) (see below for links). I agree that we should object directly to the proposal to the Forest Service, but an equally (more?) effective means will come from political pressure.

I don't like having to choose between the Forest Service's terrible proposals. Alternative 1 is the status quo and I think that's the best result that we should encourage. Agencies are told all the time to "try again," and that's obviously what needs to happen here.

For me, Alternative 2 is the least worst of the remaining options. All the other ones, including Alternative 3, will make you get two permits--one permit to meet a trailhead quota and then a second permit if you want to enter one of five so-called "wilderness zones." With Alternative 2 once you have a single permit you can go anywhere.

But this is all such over-kill. And even dayhikers have to register and pay for a permit! Wow. No more Oregon summer "let's go for a hike gang."

Contact reps by going to their webpage and using “Contact” or “Connect” form
Senator Ron Wyden, Website: https://www.wyden.senate.gov
Senator Jeff Merkley, Website: https://www.merkley.senate.gov Webform
District 1 – Suzanne Bonamici, Website: https://bonamici.house.gov.
District 2 - Greg Walden, Website: https://walden.house.gov
District 3 - Earl Blumenauer, Website: https://blumenauer.house.gov
District 4 - Peter A. DeFazio, Website: https://defazio.house.gov
District 5 – Kurt Schrader, Website: https://schrader.house.gov

[cunningkeith]

Here's what I wrote to my reps. Feel free to borrow:

Dear

You represent me in Congress and I wanted to call you attention to a terrible plan that our local Forest Service offices are proposing. The plan, called the “Central Cascades Wilderness Strategies,” will severely restrict access to many of our most beloved wilderness locations in Oregon, such as Mt. Jefferson and the Three Sisters.

Oregonians will no longer be able to simply “go for a hike” on a hot summer day. Rather, they will be required to log in to a system (operated by a private concessionaire), check availability, and pay for a permit. Currently, people can simply drive to their favorite trailhead, register at the trailhead, and fill out a free permit. But under this new plan, the fun and spontaneity that comes with living in Oregon and going to your favorite forest will be gone.

In addition, because this plan will require a fee that will go to a private concessionaire, this plan will severely restrict access to under-resourced and under-represented groups. This is exactly the opposite of what the Forest Service should be doing.

The Forest Service is understandably concerned with overuse and trail damage. But there are much less restrictive ways to do this. They currently have listed five plans for consideration, but only one plan (“Alternative 1”) preserves the status quo. All the other proposals will require Oregonians to go through this cumbersome online permit system that will restrict access and use.

I hope that you will investigate the Forest Service’s actions and encourage them to scrap this plan and come up with a sensible alternative that is much more narrowly focused.

[retired jerry]

Thanks Keith

I think calling them on the phone is the most effective. Contacting them electronically is so easy they get floods of. Maybe they don't regard them so much.

Tell them you are in their district and will consider this when you decide who to vote for.

[jessbee]

While you're at it, send an email to Wyden, Merkley, and your U.S. Rep. (mine is Blumenauer) (see below for links). I agree that we should object directly to the proposal to the Forest Service, but an equally (more?) effective means will come from political pressure.

I don't like having to choose between the Forest Service's terrible proposals. Alternative 1 is the status quo and I think that's the best result that we should encourage. Agencies are told all the time to "try again," and that's obviously what needs to happen here.

So here's what I understood from talking with people familiar with the process last night:

Step 1: FS makes a decision locally (Deschutes and Willamette NF supervisors)
Step 2: the people who commented have a period to appeal the decision, at which point the decision goes to the regional FS supervisor.
Step 3: if the people are still not satisfied they sue the FS and the decision goes into the courts.

What role our reps could play is unclear to me but it certainly couldn't hurt to voice your concerns to as many people as possible. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll add that to my list, too.

It was also suggested to me by someone who knows how the system works that if the FS gets enough public pressure they WILL go back to the drawing board. I can't stress enough how important it is to make a stink. We all have a stake here.

What's proposed here is unprecedented. No other land management agency is acting this way. It shouldn't be too hard to get them to revise these proposals.

[retired jerry]

Don't follow the FS rules that you have to vote for alternative #1 through #5. And they're not going to consider #1.

If they get lots of people arguing for another alternative, make trailheads bigger and build new trails (like Don said), they will consider that also.

[retired jerry]

'What role our reps could play is unclear to me but it certainly couldn't hurt to voice your concerns to as many people as possible."

If congressmen get lots of voters complaining they will let the FS know of their displeasure.

The congress oversees the FS. Determines their budget and so forth. It's political. There's nothing they hate more than throngs of angry voters.

[cunningkeith]

There's also the effect that this will have on local business (mostly Bend).

Page 40 of the report estimates the number of people who will be denied permits (proposed quota numbers versus current use).

Assuming people stick to the same trails, there are 7 different dates where 200+ people will be denied day-use permits to enter Three Sisters. Of those, there is one date where 400+ people will be denied permits and another where 600+ people will be denied. Good luck Bend tourism!

[Bosterson]

Thanks for all your research, Jess and Keith!

TKO and other Oregon groups like Bark and Oregon Wild should really be mobilizing their members to speak out against these severe access restrictions. It's surprising there is not more of a campaign about this, so hopefully people here will share their opinions with the FS.

[Guy]

I sent them my 2 cents worth. Actually it was more like a buck fifty!

[Guy]

Thanks for all your research, Jess and Keith!

TKO and other Oregon groups like Bark and Oregon Wild should really be mobilizing their members to speak out against these severe access restrictions. It's surprising there is not more of a campaign about this, so hopefully people here will share their opinions with the FS.

Does TKO have a position on this? If so I'd be interested in hearing it.