‘Oregon Treasures’ Seeks More Wilderness Protections
By Susan Palmer, The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore.
Apr. 2–Environmentalists hailed a proposal floated on Tuesday by Oregon Congressmen Peter DeFazio and Earl Blumenauer that would increase wilderness and wild and scenic river designations in Oregon.
The “Oregon Treasures” proposal would have an impact on the Mount Hood National Forest, adding 6,500 acres of wilderness designation, 79.6 miles of wild and scenic rivers and 34,550 acres of national recreation area.
It would increase drinking water protection and public recreation opportunities at the Oregon Caves National Monument with a 4,000-acre boundary adjustment.
It calls for 142 miles of Rogue River tributaries to be designated as wild and scenic, a move
environmentalists have long lobbied for.
“The Rogue hosts one of the best remaining salmon fisheries on the Pacific Coast,” said Jay Lininger, executive director of Cascadia Wildlands Project, a Eugene-based nonprofit agency. “The outfitting, river-guiding and recreation economy there is dependent on a healthy fishery and protecting the fishery means protecting the headwaters,” he said.
Those areas are still threatened by timber sales, he said.
A representative from the industry group the American Forest Resources Council was unavailable for comment Tuesday.
To qualify for wild and scenic designation, a river must be free-flowing and must have one or more outstanding scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar values.
According to American Rivers, a nonprofit environmental group focused on the health of rivers, Oregon has more wild and scenic designated rivers than any other state.
“Our wild rivers and streams are threatened by the impacts of global warming, along with population growth and harmful development. The protections proposed today will ensure that these rivers stay clean and healthy and can sustain our communities for generations to come,” David Moryc, American Rivers program director, said.
Adding the protections provides a natural legacy for the next generation, DeFazio said in a statement. He and Blumenauer called on the Senate to consider their proposal as they make a decision on the pending Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act, which includes similar protections in Mount Hood and other areas along the Columbia Gorge.
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