Photo hy Paul Erlelt
Controversy over the Oregon Wilderness Bill continued Monday, as members of Cathedral Forest
Action Croup held a Memorial Day "wake" for lost wilderness near Pyramid Creek.
Protesters chant, sing in forest
for weekend 'wilderness wake'
By Paul Ertelt
Of the Emerald
A Memorial Day outing made by members of
Cathedral Forest Actibn Group also served as a
political statement as the group protested cutting
of old growth timber near Pyramid Creek in the
Willamette National Forest.
About 50 protesters stood on a stack of
recently logged timber, chanting and singing of
their concern about lost wilderness and "cor
porate greed." The "wilderness wake," as they
called it, was held under the bright afternoon sun
shine and the watchful eye of security guards
hired by Willamette Industries.
The recently formed coalition of environmen
talists from Eugene, Corvallis and other parts of
the state is concerned that the Oregon
Wilderness Bill now pending in Congress only
protects 7,500 acres of old growth forests in the
Middle Santiam region. A House bill sponsored
by Rep. )im Weaver had proposed setting aside
19,000 acres.
The compromise acreage is not enough, the
protesters said, because wilderness is quickly
disappearing and cannot be replaced.
"This is our land," University student Doug
Norlen told the group, accusing the forest service
of mismanaging public lands.
"We pay taxes for people to take care of state
forests, but everyone knows they work for the
timber companies," said Dave Zupan of Eugene.
Despite the group's strong stance, its
members claimed they are committed to non
-Tr- Vt
violence toward persons and property. Company
officials fear their equipment may be sabotaged,
but there were no reports of sabotage Monday.
The Oregon wilderness bill, which set aside
943,000 acres for protection, is a "travesty," says
Mike Roselle from Jackson, Wyo. Most of that
acreage includes high altitude areas, lava flows,
desert, and other areas where "no commercial
conflict" exists, he says.
The issue is not acreage, Roselle says, but the
quality of the areas set aside for wilderness. The
present bill betrays the spirit of the Wilderness
Act of 1964, which says endangered ecosystems
should be protected, he says.
Roselle blames pressure from Oregon's
timber industry for the exclusion of many old
growth areas from the bill.
"The Forest Service and politicians in this
state are afraid of the timber industry," he says.
"And we're paying for their spinelessness."
But to many who make their living in the
woods, the issue is jobs. Placing more of the area
into the wilderness would mean immediate
layoffs for 20 to 25 people, says Willamette In
dustries firewarden FHomer Pack.
Cathedral Forest Action Group members said
their frustration with legal attempts to protect
wilderness areas has led them to consider civil
disobedience. Though they were not specific
about their plans, they said they will continue ac
tion throughout the summer.
"I can't sit idly by and let this happen,"
Norlen said. "It's not like losing an election; when
you lose, you lose for good."
Oregon Daily Emerald
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