Illinois Valley news., June 29, 2005, Page 19, Image 19

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Rare plants, distinctive landscapes
hallmarks of Kalmiopsis Wilderness
The Darlingtonia , also known as Cobra Lily, is among
rare and unusual plants in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness.
(Photo by Dale Sandberg)
Among widely known fea-
tures linked to Illinois Valley is
the 180,000-acre Kalmiopsis Wil-
derness, a distinctive landscape of
rare beauty with fast-moving
streams and rivers, eye-catching
rock ridges, and deep canyons.
Elevations range from 400 to
5,100 feet. The area is named for
an exceptional shrub, the
Kalmiopsis leachiana, a relic of
the pre-Ice Age.
It is one of the oldest members
of the Heath (Ericaceae) family,
according to the U.S. Forest Ser-
vice (USFS).
The agency notes that travel-
ing and camping in the
Kalmiopsis Wilderness is more
difficult and potentially dangerous
now due to the 2002 Biscuit Fire,
which raged through some
500,000 acres of the Wilderness.
However, opportunities for
solitude and primitive recreation
remain one of the most out-
standing features of the
Kalmiopsis, said USFS.
“The Kalmiopsis Wilderness
Trip Planner and Resource Infor-
mation Brochure” is available free
from USFS offices and the I.V.
Visitor Center. It provides more
detailed information on how to
plan a trip. It covers topics includ-
ing botany, geology, cultural val-
ues, Wild and Scenic rivers, and
the role of natural fire.
For more information about
the Kalmiopsis, contact the I.V.
Visitor Center at 592-4076; the
USFS office in Cave Junction at
592-4000; or the I.V. Chamber of
Commerce at 592-3326.
Or contact Rene Casteran,
USFS wilderness technician in
Brookings at (541) 412-6062; or
use rcasteran@fs.fed.us.
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