Illinois Valley News

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Various concerns
From Shannon Wilson
Selma

The best way to save lives on Hwy. 199 is to implement a public safety corridor similar to other areas starting at the Applegate River bridge to the California border.

Those caught speeding more than 55 mph would be given a ticket three times that of a typical speeding fine.

Josephine County, timber interests, and firewood exporters seem to be on an oak and madrone tree eradication program. We need to save oak trees and other hardwoods for wildlife, for their drought tolerance, and local fuel wood. These hardwoods provide the bulk of the food for birds and certain wildlife in Southern Oregon.

The former Deer Creek Ranch run by Siskiyou Field Institute (SFI) is grazing too many “organic“ cows on once wetlands and allowing the run-off to pollute Deer Creek. This is not to mention the water resources used to support too many cows.

SFI should be a responsible steward and reduce the number of cows on those pastures.

This last week I noticed entire riverbanks, roadsides and new clear cuts covered in bright yellow blossoms of the exotic, invasive Scotch Broom. If folks don“t start eradicating this invader now it may take decades to reverse the damage.

Lastly, I heard that Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife is allowing fishermen to keep wild spring Chinook salmon on the Rogue River this year. They estimate that 15,000 spring Chinook may run this year while 47,000 spring Chinook were counted in 2002.

I would ask fishermen to not take wild Chinook until we really know that the salmon are truly recovered and here to stay.

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