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Letters to the Editor
(Editor’s Note: Views and commentary, including statements made as fact, are strictly those of the letter-writers.)
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Typed, double-spaced letters written solely to this newspaper and/or Website are considered for publication. Hand-written letters that are double-spaced and legible also can be considered.
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* * *Demise of salvage logging predicted
From Tim Norman
Cave JunctionLet me begin by apologizing for not submitting this for last week’s issue. We are entering a very busy time, and unfortunately this rebuttal took a back seat to other issues. This is in response to Lynne Vanderlinden’s letter, (“Whose study, research ya’ gonna’ believe?” -- March 1, “Illinois Valley News”).
What does she suppose happened to our national forests 2,000 years ago when “logging” (let alone “salvage” logging) wasn’t even in the human vocabulary yet? When lightning would strike these hills and start a fire, and there was no one around here to put it out.
There were people here, but they were smart enough to understand that this was a natural progression. The American Indian believed in living with the land, not off it. Fires burned, and trees and plants died.
You know, the circle of life. The issue is, what happened from that point? The trees and shrubs died, decomposed and went back into the soil, giving much-needed nutrients that benefited the trees and other natural species that survived the initial fire.
The fire also cleared the underbrush competing with the trees for these resources, making the trees that survived even stronger. The rich soil also made an ideal bed for seedlings to thrive. The forest did just fine all by itself.
When the term “salvage logging” is used, I ask what is it that is actually being salvaged? Is it the forest that has no need for human intervention, or the timber industry which acknowledges the steady decline of this much-needed natural resource, fearful of the steady decline of its annual profits?
Let me define this resource as a living thing that puts oxygen in the air, absorbs carbon dioxide, creates watersheds that keep the mountains from sliding down into the streams, creates an environment that sustains many living creatures (not just arrogant humans), not to mention a living thing that has the potential to survive on this planet for thousands of years.
As far as the “moonscape” in the Biscuit Complex is concerned, the actual fire burned hot in some spots, but most of the canopy survived. Don’t take my word for it. Go up to Babyfoot and see for yourself. The only “moonscape” you will see is the result of the 6 miles of back-burn created by the forestry firefighters.
Having worked with the California Dept. of Forestry as a firefighter, I remember containing a 150,000-acre fire with a back-burn of 500 feet. So the question arises, why the need to backfire 6 miles? I think the answer is obvious. The burn-and-log practice is starting to become a precedent. It will soon become a common practice. At this time, there is no legal recourse for a “salvage” operation. We’re working on that, though.
Does Vanderlinden want to see a “moonscape?” Take a look around Coos Bay. Look around Reedsport and see the miles of stumps created by the timber industry of that time. We need to wake up and hold life in higher regard than money.
I think people are intelligent enough to find another way to earn a living that isn’t destroying our planet. They just have to open their eyes and think for themselves rather than let an industry based in Texas do their thinking for them.
If the timber industry is confident that its motives are justified and that the salvage practices are legitimate, why does it feel the need to pull the wool over the public eye? Why does it feel the need to harvest these trees in such a manner as to do it before the case can be brought up in a public court for investigation?
Why does it refuse to address the concerns of many of the local citizens with a viable answer? If these practices are backed by unbiased scientific studies, why not address the issue with these “facts” rather than try to just sweep it under the rug by lying to the public?
Vanderlinden is correct. Here we go again. We will keep going until people wake up and realize what is truly going on. People need to ask themselves what it is that is motivating “their” scientists to reach the conclusions that they are.
‘Blood of Jesus’ banner should’ve stayed up
From Larry Cook
SelmaCave Junction is an economically depressed area high in drug and alcohol abuses, crime (for its population), and teen-age pregnancy for starters.
And city of Cave Junction Mayor Tony Paulson is worried about offending someone with a banner promoting something positive in this area. God forbid that some youth get a touch of morality at such an event.
The banner, as he said, can cause unnecessary division in our community, and it doesn’t take a genius to realize that so does taking it down. Paulson said that he believes in its message, but I don't believe him.
Instead, let’s support zero discipline, then watch our kids in a few years. Let’s allow beer parties, and wonder why there’s an alcohol problem; give the kids nothing to do, and wonder why they are dropping out of school, doing drugs, getting pregnant, and causing vandalism all over town.
Correct me if I am wrong, but these events do not promote drug abuse, disrespect of parents or law, promiscuous sexual behavior, meth lab biology or anything that would offend anyone with moral values.
I actually enjoyed coming through town and seeing something positive hanging up. It would at least give the kids something to do, as almost everything else for them has disappeared.
How about a little advice: Spend more time finding productive activities for
the youth and less time worrying about a sign. And as for city Resolution 615,
it only applies when the agency or municipality so chooses.I have seen signs many times that I don’t like. Like “Slow Children Crossing.” How do you people know the children are slow?
Guess I could complain about that, couldn’t I? Thank God, I have better things to do.
Welcome to the city of meth, marijuana
From Barbara Ashinhurst
Cave JunctionI appreciate Mayor Tony Paulson for protecting our community from that horrible banner announcing a church meeting, and of all things, quoting Scripture.
God forbid -- sorry can’t use that name -- that visitors to our community should have the impression that there are people of faith who embrace the principles this country was founded on, living in Cave Junction.
I really don’t want folks thinking that citizens of Cave Junction celebrate that obnoxious, choking weed, the “blackberry.” That banner should also be banned.
Perhaps a better banner to hang across our main street should read something like this: “Welcome to Cave Junction! Meth and Pot Capital of Southern Oregon.”
ODOT road plan affects fairgrounds
From Edith Martin
Cave JunctionWe need to save our Josephine County Fairgrounds. If the frontage road becomes a reality we will lose the Ag. Bldg. with the 4-H, the Craft Bldg., the midway, part of the race track and part of the Floral Bldg.
The fairgrounds are self-supporting; one of the only ones in Oregon that can say that. A petition has been circulating asking ODOT to find another route.
Many people I have talked to think that Josephine County will build a new one, and that is not true. Where do they think the county will get the money? Where would it be able to afford land at the current prices?
No, if the fairgrounds are closed we will see more houses, bringing more traffic to an already-congested area. The fairgrounds are a unique part of our area and give our county a country flavor.
By eliminating the fairgrounds, we will become just another mundane area.
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