///; , By Dout. - - ~ - = s ^ ¿dH^ ,. h 1 Among all of the historical figures who have loomed large in Oregon's past, few have made such a lasting imprint as Samuel Boardman. Superintendent of Oregon's State Parks from 1929 to 1950, Boardman was an enthusiastic and strong-willed visionary, a tireless public servant. With dogged determination, often funding land acquisitions out of his own pocket, Boardman built the State Park system we have today. Piece by piece, he built a handful of tiny parks into a vast collection of amazing places. Ecola, Oswald West, Saddle Mountain. Cape Arago, Cape Lookout, Silver Falls. Gifts to the people, to generations not yet bom. Boardman was instrumental in the acquisition of them all. I feel a tremendous sense of gratitude, a profound indebtedness to Boardman. Every day, on the northern Oregon coast, we live in and around these places, inheritors of Boardman's legacy. If justice were served, he would require no introduction. We would name schools after him. Pageants would be held in his honor. The northern Oregon coast was of particular interest to Samuel Boardman. Few other places in Oregon possessed such dramatic scenery, such tremendous recreational potential, such easy access for the people of Portland and the northern Willamette Valley — places which, Boardman and his colleagues knew all too well, would soon be transformed by explosive population growth. During his tenure with State Parks, Boardman performed a number of small miracles on the northern Oregon coast, acquiring lands, building Parks. His work here, however, remains unfinished. The pinnacle of the Oregon State Park system, the crown jewel, was to be Oswald West State Park. This Park was not to be confined to its current boundaries. Through a number of small acquisitions, piece by piece, Oswald West was to become a park of awesome dimensions. It was to include the high peaks to its immediate northeast - Angora Peak, Onion Peak, Sugarloaf Mountain -- all of those high mountains, all of that spectacular scenery visible from Cannon Beach or Ecola State Park. Connected, unbroken, linked to the sea at Short Sand Beach. It was to link these high peaks with an access road, with public lookout areas providing sweeping views from Washington State to die Cascade Mountains, to well beyond Tillamook Bay. It was to be criss-crossed with a scries of trails, to rugged mountain tops, down into deep canyons, along the banks of tumbling streams, through the towering columns of old growth trees. It was to be to die northern Oregon coast what Redwood National Park is to the northern California coast or Olympic National Park is to the northern Washington coast. It was to be a place of unparalleled scenic beauty, of rare recreational value, of great environmental ini|>ortance. It was to be an amazing place. It was to belong to the people of Oregon, forever. During Boardman's tenure. State Parks would labor long and hard to realize tliis vision, purchasing a few parcels here, trading for a few parcels diere. But State Parks did not succeed. Boardman retired. Budget priorities changed, both within State Parks, and among the people of Oregon. The plan for Oswald West, still on the books at State Parks, was stabled indefinitely. The awesome mountains to its Casually Tdegant Dining Located in the Cannon 'Beach Motel 1116 S. MemlocL northeast were sold or traded — as 'assets', as interchangeable conunodilies — by a succession of timber companies, passing from Crown Zellerbach to Cavenliain to Hanson to Willamette Most of the lands were logged. Private property, all, gates and No Trespassing signs have often blocked public access. In the next two years, the last of the old growth groves along Oswald West's eastern edge are scheduled to be logged. This is not what Boardman bad in mind. Perhaps it is time to revisit Boardman's vision for this distinctive comer of Oregon. As predicted, the Northwest's population has boomed. On sunny weekends, Oswald West and other north coast Parks are more than full, their parking lots overflowing while many potential visitors see the crowds and just keep driving The future of the mountains behind Oswald West remains uncertain, subject to the rise and fall of timber markets, lagging proceeds apace, and remnant old growth is now slated for harvesting People imagine: if only Boardman had succeeded before his retirement. If only tliis land had become a national park when national parks were being created throughout the West. If only. In response to this impending harv est of old growth, and inspired by Boardman's vision, a small north coast non-profit organization has initiated negotiations to acquire the threatened old growth groves, for incorporation into Oswald West State Park. In recent years, this non-profit, the Ecola Creek Awareness Project (or "ECAP" - yes, donations are tax deductible) has served as a watchdog organization on many such environmental issues along tliis stretch of the northern Oregon coast. learning of plans to log this old growth, ECAP entered into a period of intensive reconnaissance, gathering information on the threatened parcels and contacting a number of organizations and officials to let them know what was happening. They presented their findings to State Parks. They presented their findings to The Nature Conservancy and other environmental organizations. They discussed their concerns with U.S. Congressman, David Wu. (I include a slightly edited copy of their one-page fact sheet on the two parcels of greatest concern, below.) In late July, in response to the efforts of ECAP, The Nature Conservancy entered into direct negotiations with the CEO of Willamette regarding these parcels. Although no agreements have been reached, meetings continue. It now looks as if these negotiations could yield results. These two small groves of old growth forest, these few acres, might yet be incoqxirated into Oswald West State Park. Arguably, this could just be the beginning. Willamette's top executives, apparently, are eager to negotiate, with an enthusiasm unprecedented among die land's previous owners. Seeking the timber industry's "green certification," they seek ways of unloading huids of particular biological, recreational, or scenic significance, that might create public relations headaches down the road. Few places would seem as appropriate a staging ground for highly visible goodwill gestures, for land donations or discounted land sales, as the perimeter of Oswald West State Park. The Nature Conservancy, meanwhile, is eager to expand their small reserve on the top of Onion Peak, in order to incorporate more of the scenic and biologically sensitive mountaintops nearby — mountaintops with plants so rare that they are endemic to each individual Peak, and are found nowhere else on Earth. (Dig up a copy of the January 1998 Ecola Ilaliee for more information on these areas.) And, with a small amount of additional funding available as a result of Measure 66, State Parks might be able to contribute money to the effort. Things seem to be falling into place. It is a time of rare opportunity. Certainly, it would be a shame to miss out on tliis opportunity. Yet there is much left to be done, if ever Samuel Boardman's vision is to be realized, in whole or in part. Plans must be formulated. Important people must be convinced. Much work lies ahead, but the rewards could be great — for the people who live on the northern Oregon coast, for all the people of Oregon. For everyone. People with diverse talents are now coming together to discuss the idea, to get a sense of public sentiment, to chart out a course of action. And you are invited. Anyone who is willing to volunteer any effort to this cause, or merely wishes to express their enthusiasm for die idea of an expanded Oswald West State Park, should contact the Ecola Creek (503)436-0908 Old Growth Parcels Adjacent to Oswald West State Park ~ These two small parcels represent some of the last privately owned old-growth forest on the northern Oregon coast. They are located within Clatsop County, occupying portions of tax lots 4-10-30-622 and 4-10-31-623 and totaling roughly 14 acres. They sit immediately adjacent to Oswald West Slate Park, in the watershed of Dichter Creek, a tributary of Arch Cape Creek. ~ Both parcels are currently owned by Willamette Industries. Willamette Industries has indicated that they plan to harvest these parcels in the next 1 to 2 years. Willamette Industries has initiated field surveys of timber on, and roadway access to, the site. ~ L-ocatcd on northeast-facing slopes, these parcels have been more protected from fire and wind disturbance tlian has much of Oswald West State Park. For tliis reason, they contain rare examples of Northwest coastal 'climax' forest, with large-diameter Western Hemlock and Red Cedar, in addition to large-diameter Sitka Spruce. ~ While some timber was hand-logged from the edge of the northeastern parcel in the 1890s, both parcels contain large, intact stands of old growth timber with multiple canopy structure. The northeastern parcel also contains unharvested riparian bottomland. ~ Representatives of both State Parks and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) suggest that these parcels probably abut or contain Marbled Munclet nesting areas, and may also be part of a larger nesting area used by Northern Spotted Owls. However, no known formal surveys of these two birds have been conducted in the immediate area ~ ODFW records identify the segment of Dichter Creek that flows through the southern end of the northeastern parcel as anadromous fish habitat. The small tributary that flows through the middle of this parcel is also identified as probable anadromous fish habitat. ODFW field surveys are planned for this area but are not yet complete. ~ This contiguous area of old growth timber — including both parcels, and Park lands immediately adjacent - has been identified as being of particularly high biological diversity by amateur north coast naturalists, containing amphibians, bryophytes, and vascular plants that are rare in the north coast's managed forests. No formal survey has been conducted. ~ Tillamook Indian oral history mentions characters gathering bark from Western Red Cedars in the approximate vicinity of the north­ eastern parcel, for use in clothing and ceremonial objects. Some possibly scarred trees have been reported in the area. No formal survey has yet been conducted to identify cultural resources of this type. ~ Samuel Boardman - longtime Superintendent of Oregon State Parks - originally had plaimed to acquire these two parcels, as part of a larger plan to expand Oswald West beyond its present eastern boundary. This plan was never realized, but never formally abandoned by Oregon State Parks. ~ The two parcels are located in a place where they could easily be incorporated into Oswald West, as well as the existing State Park trail network. ‘Jfyservations Suggested Light Lunch 12 :0 0 -4 :0 0 fo r n i1 (Homemade soups, chowders, bread and deligh tfu l desserts Dinner S a v e d 4:00 - 9:00 Award winning chowders, unique salads pasta, seafood, steals and chicken (Monday - QreekSpecials Wednesday ■ ‘Pasta Specials Closed Sunday Awareness Project. They can be reached at P.O. Box 181 Cannon Beach, Oregon 97110. They would love to hear from you. There is a very good chance that the future dimensions of Oswald West State Park will be decided in the year ahead. Many groups will influence this decision: Willamette Industries, Oregon State Parks, The Nature Conservancy, the Ecola Creek Awareness Project, and several others. Let them know if the public still supports Samuel Boardman's vision for the northern Oregon coast. Let them know, clearly and repeatedly, what you think. IN AN UNJUST WORLD...JUSTICE. Personal Injury Lawyer GREGORYKAFOlRY SW 202 Oregon Pioneer Building 320 S.W. Stark Street Portland. OR 97204 I Phone: (503) 224-2647 «nD iLSIGM , Owner«: Jeff 6 Gladys Womack «UÄWDmWH I H&MDWRnTECi BKA&K HMD WHITE ART 1238 S. Hemlock P.O. Box 988 Cannon Beach, OR 97110 (503) 436-2000 Pax (503) 43 6-0746 Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives. John Stuart Mill A TM N O W BUSINESS CARDS SIGNS & BANNERS LAMINATING/FLYERS BROCHURES / FORMS OFFICE SUPPLIES FAST U P S SERVICE COMPUTER SUPPORT INTERNET ACCESS NOTARY SERVICE ■L' A V A IL A B L E ! THE. (DON'T BB A VICTIM CP INFERIOR FRAMING) BIGGEST AWARNING L IT T L E . CONVENIENCE! STORE. 1287 Commercial S».. Aitone, OR 97103 • Phone (5tU) 325-5221 W in * Bee* < rAMlLWftRKET City >> 7? « A