Josephine County has a pattern of clearcutting the lands they manage for us. We have worked with multiple organizations to Save Pipe Fork from clearcutting. Josephine County has a history of clearcutting our land. For instance, I found aerial views of five large parcels totaling over 600 acres owned by Josephine County have been either partially or completely clearcut. Visually comparing these parcels with surrounding BLM-managed land clearly shows that clearcutting is Josephine County’s pattern. This policy would be detrimental to the unique parcel of land that includes Pipe Fork, with its fresh water and headwaters from Larkspur Spring, located on land identified as a BLM Research Natural Area. Logging is not, by definition, clearcutting. Logging can include selective, hazard, fuels reduction, and other less destructive methods. BLM does not conduct destructive clearcutting like Josephine County consistently does.
On July 10th, after four years of coordination with The Conservation Fund, the BLM, and negotiations with Josephine County Commissioners, John West and Herman Baertschiger Jr. failed to second a motion to sell Pipe Fork to The Conservation Fund for $2.02 Million plus an additional $300,000 raised by the Williams Community. Pipe Fork is not just about a local community advocating for a forest. The BLM must gain approval from a Congressional budgetary committee to participate in negotiations. Members of Congress at State and Federal levels that represent far more than the 88K citizens in Josephine County, voted on Pipe Fork as treasure worth saving. Our commissioners ignored these facts.
This letter was published to the Daily Courier on August 2nd, 2024. It did not include the attached photos.
Respectfully,
Kelli Sue Klein
