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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 2017)
Wednesday, December 20, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon USFS closer to permit proposal By Stephen Hamway The Bulletin BEND (AP) — After eight months and more than 500 comments from Oregonians, the U.S. Forest Service is clos- ing in on a proposal that could protect Central Oregon’s most scenic areas from overuse. The Forest Service kicked off the project in the spring by holding public meetings to gauge interest in changing the way trails and campgrounds in five popular wilderness areas, spanning up to 530,000 acres in the Deschutes and Willamette national forests, are managed. Today, officials are optimistic a decision for the project — known as the Central Cascade Wilderness Strategies Project — will be released by summer. “Folks understand and agree that there’s a need to fig- ure something else out,” said Matt Peterson, project leader for the Willamette National Forest. As Central Oregon and its tourism sector have grown in recent years, the number of visitors to nearby public lands has increased as well. The region’s wilderness areas — lands governed by the federal Wilderness Act of 1964, which are held to stricter standards for protection and enhancement than the rest of the forest — have not been insulated from the growth. According to a document released in May, visitation to the five most-used trails in the Three Sisters Wilderness Area increased by between 249 and 878 percent between 1991 and 2016. The increase has led to additional trash, tree damage and soil erosion in the wilder- ness areas. “Current trends suggest that the character and condi- tion of these wilderness areas are being negatively affected to the degree that changes to visitor management area (are) warranted,” the document reads. Around a year ago, the Forest Service began look- ing at visitor use across seven wilderness areas with an eye toward preserving those areas for future generations. Two public meetings held in Bend during March each drew around 100 people, according to Beth Peer, special project coordinator for the Deschutes National Forest. At the end of May, the Forest Service released a pro- posal for the affected wilder- ness areas, which discussed creating a limited entry per- mit system for certain day-use areas and all overnight camp- ers in wilderness areas, along with imposing restrictions on campfires above certain elevations. Peer said the proposal drew more than 500 comments, from approval to refusal to support any new regulations. In a November newsletter, the Forest Service noted that many of those commenting were concerned the proposal was too broad and supported restrictions on only the busiest trails in the wilderness areas. Peer added that a number of comments expressed concerns about the loss of spontaneity that would result from a more advanced permit system, but noted that the current system MATTER OF BALANCE Jan. 10 – Feb. 28 | 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. | Sisters Fire Hall | $10 Do you have a fear of falling? Have you stopped activities that once brought you joy? This community workshop will teach practical coping strategies to reduce the fear of falling. This workshop will be held for 8 weeks, every Wed. for 2 hours. This is an evidence-based program taught by Shannon Rackowski, certifi ed instructor. View SPRD activities & classes classes, and register online at www.SistersRecreation.com 1750 W. Mckinney Butte Rd. | 541-549-2091 SNO CAP MINI STORAGE Sisters Industrial Park 157 Sisters Park Dr. • 541-549-3575 www.SistersStorage.com • State-of-the-art Security Technology • Sizes from 5x5 to 12x40 • Individual Gate Codes • Long-term Discounts • On-site Manager has required a free self-issue permit at all wilderness trail- heads for around 20 years. “We feel like we’re build- ing the work done in the 1990s,” Peer said. Dana Hendricks, regional representative for the Pacific Crest Trail Association, said the organization met with Forest Service officials early in the summer to talk about the project. Hendricks said hikers coming through Oregon on the Pacific Crest Trail have to deal with a confusing mix of permits in wilderness areas along the trail. Going to one standard permit could simplify the process, Hendricks said. “These systems have been put in place piecemeal over the last few decades,” she said. The Forest Service will incorporate public comment to come up with specific alter- natives, and draft an environ- mental assessment by next spring. A separate, paral- lel public planning process, focused on the logistics of a fee and permit structure in wil- derness areas, will begin in the spring, according to Peterson. 17 Support for FAN... PHOTO PROVIDED The East of the Cascades Quilters (EOCQ) identified the “Weekend Delights Backpack Program” facilitated by Sisters Family Access Network (FAN) as the organization to support at their annual Christmas Potluck held December 13. The quilters donated healthy, nonperishable snacks to the program. Fundraiser organizer Sally Blust, and EOCQ members Pamela Ake and Caroline Lincoln, are pictured left to right. Wishing you a safe & happy HOLIDAY SEASON Designate a driver! DAVIS TIRE 541-549-1026 Serving Sisters Since 1962 188 W. Sisters Park Dr. In Sisters Industrial Park across from SnoCap Mini Storage Come Warm Up With Us SPORTS INJURIES We can help you get back in the game. Three Sisters Chiropractic & Pain Management Dr. Inice Gough, DC, CCT, CCST 541.549.3583 SPECIAL CONCERT Thurs., Dec. 21, 6 to 9 p.m. Benefi ting Sisters Cold Weather Shelter Live Music Sat., Dec. 23, 7-9 p.m. - Free! Melanie Dyer & Daniel Cooper Open O Op pen en T Tuesday-Saturday ue sd sday d ay S aturd t day d a y 12 12-8 8 p pm m 391 W. Cascade Ave. | 541-549-2675 corkcellarswinebistro.com
