Oswald West SP campground to stay closed?

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Grannyhiker
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Oswald West SP campground to stay closed?

Post by Grannyhiker » March 12th, 2009, 4:17 pm

http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard ... _oswa.html
Posted by Terry Richard, The Oregonian March 11, 2009 10:34AM

Continuing the camping ban at Oswald West State Park is the preferred option, but the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department says it wants to hear from the public before making a final decision for the walk-in tent campground north of Manzanita.

The collapse of a giant spruce tree prompted the state to close the campground last summer. No one was injured in the incident.

Park managers and natural resource specialists studied the campground during the winter and determined another 49 trees could fall.

The department says it can cut the aging trees and reopen the campground, or leave the trees alone and allow only day use in the area. Trails through the campground lead to Cape Falcon and to the popular surfing spot off Short Sand Beach.

State parks is accepting comments until March 31.
[Emphasis mine]

nyxlily
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Re: Oswald West SP campground to stay closed?

Post by nyxlily » March 13th, 2009, 6:27 pm

Arrrgh. Shame on me for having never used that campground. I was always pushing camping at that site to "next week" in favor of other activities (most of which was sadly non-outdoors). And have been waiting for months for news of it reopening.. now this? :( Can't I just sneak in?

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Grannyhiker
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Re: Oswald West SP campground to stay closed?

Post by Grannyhiker » March 23rd, 2009, 4:30 pm

Just got an email from Oregon Wild saying that we should commend the state parks folks for keeping this campground closed. Sorry, I have to disagree. There are so few places to camp on the north coast!

Well, I suppose they could have closed the park altogether as is happening in Washington.

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Jane
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Re: Oswald West SP campground to stay closed?

Post by Jane » March 23rd, 2009, 7:26 pm

Grannyhiker wrote:Just got an email from Oregon Wild saying that we should commend the state parks folks for keeping this campground closed. Sorry, I have to disagree. There are so few places to camp on the north coast!

Well, I suppose they could have closed the park altogether as is happening in Washington.
Here is the Oregon Wild link for info and to comment: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/17 ... 1134613&t=

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Stevefromdodge
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Re: Oswald West SP campground to stay closed?

Post by Stevefromdodge » March 24th, 2009, 4:42 am

As much as I applaud Oregon Wild in general, I too think they missed the boat on this one.

The goal isn't to stop the cutting of all trees, no matter what. The goal, as stated on their website, is "keeping Oregon a special place to live, work and play".

In Oregon, "playing" includes public use of natural areas. That's was one of Oswald West's most important personal beliefs which is why he's honored in this park. He championed the public use of the Oregon Coast and is remembered for keeping natural areas open to public use. Oregon Wild should be encouraging the preservation of the trees, but they should also be pushing for a viable alternative for people to enjoy those woods. The north Oregon Coast desperately needs camping areas.

This is a prime example "yes or no", black and white thinking. The real question isn't "do we log or do we close?". Since both choices are wrong, accepting that as the question guarantees that you'll wind up losing. Like Cape Horn, this is another one of those decisions being made more by attorneys worried about lawsuits than scientists worried about the environment. Guaranteed safety is never possible. There have got to be more people killed very year in traffic accidents on the way to the coast than are killed by falling trees.

The real question should be "how do we make the safest camping area among these trees?" That might call for moving camping areas. It might call for temporary closures during storms. It might call for some money. It certainly calls for some creative thinking and a real scientific opinion of which trees will fall, rather than a list of almost half of the trees in the forest.

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Grannyhiker
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Re: Oswald West SP campground to stay closed?

Post by Grannyhiker » March 24th, 2009, 1:01 pm

Steve, I couldn't agree with you more! There has to be a happy medium here! Closing the only campground on that section of coast, and the only one the north coast outside of Fort Stevens is, IMHO, not an option.

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