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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 2013)
CONSERVATIONISTS SEEK SOLUTIONS TO SALE OF ELLIOTT STATE FOREST LAND Can small sea birds save a forest? Conservation groups like Cascadia Wildlands hope so. Next month the State Land Board decides whether or not to dispose of three par- cels of the Elliott State Forest by selling to private buyers, which include interested parties from the timber industry. In a Nov. 10 letter, Cascadia Wildlands and other conser- vation groups asked the State Land Board, which includes Gov. John Kitzhaber, Secretary of State Kate Brown and Treasurer Ted Wheeler, to reject the proposal to sell 2,714 acres of Oregon forestland and wildlife habitat in Coos and Douglas counties. In August, surveyors discovered marbled murrelets, a species of federally and state-protected sea bird that nests in coastal forests, on the largest of the three parcels (see EW’s coverage at wkly.ws/1mj). Money from the land sale would go to the Common School Fund, helping to bolster ‘We’re losing money on the management of the Elliott State Forest to the tune of about $2 million a year.’ sell these lands to private industry fl agging public schools, but Cas- because the same liability the state cadia Wildlands campaign direc- was facing would now be assumed tor Josh Laughlin says that the by private industry, which is all the State Land Board can still fund more reason to see these lands con- public education by using long- served for the values they provide to term revenue from conserving Oregonians,” Laughlin says. the land instead of logging it. State Land Board asset analyst With the discovery of marbled Clara Taylor says that after conserva- murrelet activity in the Adams C LA R A TAYLO R , tion groups fi led a lawsuit that halted Ridge parcel, the assessed value STATE LAND BOA R D A S S E T A N A LY S T timber land sales last year, the state of the land plummeted. Accord- cannot afford to continue managing the land. “We’re losing ing to timber appraisal reports, the Adams Ridge parcel money on the management of the Elliott State Forest to the under private ownership had an estimated timber market tune of about $2 million a year,” she says. “We just cannot value of $13.4 million, but under the Endangered Species lose money on land that is supposed to be providing money Act, the presence of the murrelets limits habitat destruction for the school fund.” through logging, causing the value to fall to $1.7 million, The deadline for public comments on the land sale has greatly reducing projected revenue. passed, but Lorna Stafford, secretary for the Land Board, A Nov. 19 revision to the report found that the murrelet- says that the Dec. 10 meeting will include a public com- occupied site was even greater than originally stated, span- ment period. Cascadia Wildlands is also staging a rally ning a continuous 240 acres. at the meeting to show support for conservation efforts. “The state knows there’s murrelet activity in this Ad- — Amy Schneider ams tract, and the state can’t pass the buck and knowingly th v. 29 thing Day - Friday, No International Buy No y a id r F le c y ic B d e Clos ]Ê i`Ã]ÊÌÊVvvii]ÊÕV >ÛiÊvÕÊÀ`}ÊÌÊÛÃÌÊvÀ }°Ê °Ê Û Ã} >Þ > V ÕÞÊ iÀÊ/ Ê >vÌ Ã «¶ 7i½ÀiÊVÃi`ÊÌ iÊ`>ÞÊ V}Ê`Ü°Ê>ÛiÊÌÊ ÛiÀÊÃÀÌÊvÊÃÕà iÊÃÊ LÕÞ}t ÃiÊ «Õ ÀÊÕÃÌÊÌÊÃ>ÊÊÜ >Ìi iÊ ÌÊÌ `Ê ÀiiÛiÊÃÌÀiÃÃÊ> Ã`iÀÊL}ÊÌ iÀiÊÌÊ ‘Willamette St. Holiday Swarm’ on bikes - Dec. 14th ÓÇäxÊ7>iÌÌiÊ-ÌÊUÊx{£°{n{°x{£ä °qÀ°Ê££qÇ]Ê->Ì°Ê£äqÈ]Ê-Õ°Ê£Óqx Thanksgiving Holiday Hours Wednesday, 11/27: 8am-10pm Thanksgiving Day: 8am-2pm Thanksgiving 2013 ORDER YOUR TURKEY NOW! Call 541-345-1014 and ask for our Meat Department to place your reservation for a fresh, vegetarian-fed, range-grown Diestel Thanksgiving turkey. TRADITIONAL SIDE DISHES Our Deli is offering ready-to-heat Thanksgiving side dishes. Order forms are available at the Deli counter. Side dishes include: Stuffed Delicata Squash, Mashed Potatoes, Candied Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans & Chanterelles, Cornbread & Chestnut Stuffing, Sourdough & Sausage Stuffing, Cranberry Chutney, Mushroom Gravy, and Poultry Gravy. We’re celebrating you! From all of us at SELCO, thank you for your membership. During this season of appreciation and giving, we’re celebrating with weekly prize drawings—just a small expression of our gratitude for you. Giving back to our communities. For every “like” we receive on Facebook between now and December 29, we’ll donate $1 to local charities. Go to facebook.com/SELCOCCU and “like” us today! Visit our website for more information: selco.org/thankyou • 541-686-8000 Several locations in Eugene and Springfield TURKEYS AVAILABLE STARTING NOV. 25 SIDE DISHES AVAILABLE STARTING NOV. 26 25th & Willamette • Daily 8am-10pm 541-345-1014 • capellamarket.com *Membership qualifications apply. Drawing and Facebook donation period from 11/13/13 to 12/29/13. No purchase necessary. See selco.org for full rules and details. Banking | Mortgages | Insurance | Retirement | Business Lending eugeneweekly.com • November 21, 2013 9
