OPINION
Wallowa.com
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
A5
The county as a living space
OTHER VIEWS
Mark Webb
Forest
collaboratives
are working
I
n a recent opinion piece, Rob Klavins of
Oregon Wild cites five different restoration
projects as evidence that collaborative
efforts across eastern Oregon are eroding envi-
ronmental protections, decimating forests, and
silencing environmental dissent as “extractive
interests” take over collaborative groups.
Klavins is not telling the truth about forests
or collaborative groups.
Klavins claims the Wallowa-Whitman
National Forest “invoked collaboration to
get away with logging centuries-old trees in
the Lostine ‘safety’ project” that resulted in
“lawsuits and an increased fire risk.” But this
project does exactly what years of scientific
research in eastern Oregon has shown to be
effective in reducing fire risk: reduce stand
density and shift species composition from fire
intolerant grand fir to fire tolerant larch and
ponderosa pine.
Moreover, the harvest prescription retains
all trees 21” in diameter and larger. The Wal-
lowa-Whitman is not logging “centuries-old
trees.”
This project did result in a lawsuit filed by
Oregon Wild. But the 9th Circuit U.S. Court
of Appeals upheld the lower court’s ruling that
the Wallowa-Whitman developed the proj-
ect in accordance with federal law and that its
public and collaborative engagement process
was open, inclusive, and transparent.
Klavins claims the Wallowa-Whitman is
now “doubling down with the Morgan Nes-
bit Project which would nearly clear-cut virgin
forests from the edge of the Eagle Cap Wil-
derness into the Hells Canyon National Rec-
reation Area.” But this project is in the early
stages of development and no decisions have
been made about what management actions
will occur in the Morgan Nesbit area.
Next, Klavins claims the Umatilla National
Forest has “proposed logging over 27,000
acres of pristine forests and some of the big-
gest trees in eastern Oregon on the Ellis Proj-
ect.” Again, he misrepresents the facts. No
decision has been made about what manage-
ment actions will occur as part of this project.
A draft environmental impact statement which
analyzes five alternatives has been released for
public comment. But no alternative does what
Klavins claims.
Klavins also claims the Umatilla is, with-
out any “environmental analysis…develop-
ing Parkers Mill, which would allow more
logging of roadless forests than has occurred
across the lower 48 in the last two decades
combined.” But the Forest Forest cannot
undertake any kind of action that will have
environmental impacts unless it performs an
environmental analysis. There is no environ-
mental analysis for Parkers Mill because for-
mal development of the project hasn’t started
yet.
Next, Klavins claims the Big Mosquito
Project on the Malheur National Forest was
supposed “to thin small trees to protect old
growth from fire.” But “once the logging
equipment rolled in, the big old trees were
considered a danger, splashed with blue paint,
and cut down.” His tacit claim here is that log-
gers ignored unit prescriptions and treated
“big old trees” as danger trees simply to log
them.
His claim is misleading. The unit he refer-
ences is a unit for steep-slope logging which
uses a mechanical tower anchored by cables
to nearby trees for stability as it pulls cut
trees uphill to the landing. Anchor trees and
trees near the landing are treated as work haz-
ards and cut down per Oregon’s Occupational
Safety & Health Administration regulations.
Apart from these trees, you won’t find “big
old trees splashed with blue paint and cut
down” inside Big Mosquito units. In fact, this
project was designed to increase survivabil-
ity of old-growth trees in the face of fire and
drought by thinning young trees. The “big old
trees” are still standing throughout this proj-
ect area
Finally, Klavins claims that “long-stand-
ing protections for big and old trees called ‘the
[Eastside] Screens’ were eliminated” during
the Trump administration. This is utterly false.
The Eastside Screens were amended to better
reflect current science and prioritize the pro-
tection of old trees, facilitate the recruitment
of old and large fire tolerant species like larch
and ponderosa pine, and adaptively monitor
this effort in the face of climate change.
All of Klavins’ claims are part of a larger
pattern: ignore important details and misrepre-
sent the facts as needed to support his view.
Collaborative efforts across eastern Oregon
have enriched public engagement, improved
environmental protections, and enhanced for-
est health. They embody the best way forward
for those who truly care about fire adapted
landscapes and rural communities in eastern
Oregon.
———
Mark Webb believes that strong, vibrant
communities and healthy landscapes are
inseparably linked. He is currently executive
director for Blue Mountains Forest Partners, a
diverse group of stakeholders who utilize best
available science and work collaboratively to
increase the pace and scale of restoration on
the Malheur National Forest. He is a former
Grant County judge.
OTHER
VIEWS
Lyman Gettlep
he rhythms of summer are finally
settling upon our beloved valley.
The scent of apple blossoms punc-
tuate the call of warblers around town,
and the chorus of frogs calling at night
injects a placid sense of calm and right-
ness into our pastoral world. This har-
mony, this virtue, is not known in 10,000
cities across our land. We are luckier than
most.
Yet in the hovels of Portland and in
the fetid streets of Frisco, people have
found their own kind of peace. The bro-
ken city is built upon the pursuit of ava-
rice, and the rot that eats the foundation
of these communities feeds upon irre-
sponsible individual choices. For many
in these places peace is found in a bottle
of brandy, and serenity comes at the tip
of a needle. There is no hope there that
gives the same sense of a freshly cut field
of alfalfa basking in the sun; there is only
desperation and lack of dignity.
The seeds of the contagion that ruined
these cities are coming to our own fields
if we don’t soon act. Wallowa County
truly is one of the last, best places. It is
our collective responsibility to chart a
path different from the one that so many
promised lands before us have taken.
If you’re paying attention, you know
that there is a severe housing short-
age here in Wallowa County. While the
causes are many and the solutions are
debatable, we know with certainty that
this dilemma is not unique to us. America
as an ideal is being tested and weighed
by a new generation.
Extremist groups are rising like a king
tide in this country, and many of them
plant seeds of doubt about American-
ism into the minds of our youth. If we
fail this test our children will live in a
very different place. Make no mistake,
our country is ailing. Much of the hope
for our collective resurrection as a bright
beacon to the world lies in the founda-
T
tions of rural America. It is only our val-
ues which can restore stability to the rot-
ting walls within our society, and if we
fail to make the American dream attain-
able it is these values that will be strewn
into the ditches of history.
Affordable housing is not only the
foundation of the American dream, but
also the lifeblood that feeds the rest of
our idealism. All prosperity, all peace,
all justice, stems from this source which
allows Americans to keep believing in
the dream. It is this stability which keeps
society and its many players functioning
as if they were healthy body parts of an
interconnected being. Many of us seem
to have forgotten our own role in that
system, how fortunate we are, and the
responsibility we hold to help keep the
rest of its parts healthy.
Advocating for free or subsidized
housing is not the answer. Let’s be hon-
est; Section 8 is a poverty trap in this
county. However, if you’re in real estate,
a politician or just a concerned citizen,
ask yourself how you’re affecting hous-
ing availability here. Do you really need
to continue playing the mark-it-up mid-
dle man just so that you can own another
rental house? Do our values dictate that
we increase rent just because we can get
away with it? Inflation is affecting us
all, but those who don’t own a home are
often hit the hardest.
If you’re among the most unfortu-
nate in our community, remember this ...
nobody owes you a damn thing. How-
ever, if you can be counted among the
fortunate, you damned well ought to be
giving back. The society that nurtured
your success is dependent on more than
just a fair market based economy. More
than anything, it is dependent on func-
tioning communities and good neighbors.
Let us be clear: If you’ve already entered
the American dream of home ownership,
you are among the fortunate. If you’re on
your third or fourth rental property, rec-
ognize you’re creating a supply side issue
for those who can’t enter the market.
We live in a small town. We are
dependent on each other for food, ser-
vices, security, health care and so much
more. The day is quickly coming when
folks in this community are going to suf-
fer because nurses, police officers, gro-
cery workers, and firefighters can no lon-
ger afford to live here. Heck, there are
already local restaurants that can’t stay
open because they don’t have enough
employees.
I have faith that the people of this
county won’t sell out like so many
other communities across the West have
before. I have faith in the wholesome-
ness that lives in our dark, rich earth, and
in the whispers of spirits that reside in
the old Bowlby stone foundations of our
community. There’s plenty of room here
to ensure we allow access to the Ameri-
can dream for all the participants needed
for a whole community.
We owe it to our neighbors who are
struggling to take a hard look at zon-
ing laws. Additionally, we should elect
pro-growth leaders regardless of party
affiliation, and start the work of recruit-
ing developers to build the right kind of
housing by offering appropriate incen-
tives. Perhaps our best option is to let
the markets work ... for everybody. We
can remove government intrusion into
the real estate markets, and support peo-
ple working to own a home by repealing
or rewriting Senate Bill 100. This archaic
Oregon law restricts parcel develop-
ment on plots less than 160 acres. Email
your legislators. We can have responsi-
ble development in this county which
protects our views and natural resources
while adding some badly needed
housing.
I’ll leave you with this thought. If
you’re a landlord in this county cur-
rently asking for $1,500 for rent, and you
weren’t asking that much a year ago you
should be ashamed of yourself. The mar-
ket may allow you to kick people while
they’re down and times are hard, but that
doesn’t mean you should.
That extra money you’re making isn’t
going to buy a competent emergency
room nurse on the night your baby has
a rollover on the North Highway. How-
ever, if you hadn’t marked up the rent
so much perhaps that nurse would have
stayed in your rental house. Most impor-
tantly, we’d all have a long-term valuable
addition to our functioning and healthy
community.
———
Lyman Gettlep is an avocational
writer, purveyor of valuable things and
multiyear resident of the county.
Questions about Bentz’s gun violence solutions
OTHER
VIEWS
Evelyn Swart
epresentative Cliff Bentz recently
put out his newsletter explain-
ing his votes on recent legisla-
tion including his votes on gun violence
legislation. He also offered his recom-
mendations for solving America’s gun
problems. Following are his recommen-
dations and questions that I have regard-
ing them.
Prosecute individuals who lie on
background checks.
Questions: Would this be done before
or after the buyer uses the gun to commit
a crime? Would it be a preventive mea-
sure or a punitive after-the-fact activity?
Prosecute those who engage in straw
firearm purchases.
Questions: Would this be done before
or after the gun is used to commit a crime?
Is this a preventive measure or punitive
measure after a crime has been committed
and the criminal is apprehended?
R
Require more detailed comprehensive
background checks.
Questions: Who would monitor the
background checks? Who would make
the decision about the background
checks and sales? Who would be lia-
ble for improperly approved background
checks and sales? Have you previously
been opposed to background checks?
Enhance the capabilities of law
enforcement agencies gathering back-
ground information.
Questions: How would this be done?
Would law enforcement be tasked to
approve or disapprove all gun purchases?
Would these enhancements involve law
enforcement responsibility before or after
a crime has been committed?
Crackdown on the selling of “per-
sonal” firearms when they are not really
personal firearms.
Questions: Would this prohibit selling
“personal” guns at gun shows? Would
you also prevent private individuals sell-
ing their guns in private transactions?
What about guns given as door prizes at
NRA banquets?
Address the root cause of gun
violence.
Questions: Who would identify and leg-
islate the cause of gun violence? How many
cases of gun violence are not connected to
guns? Who is responsible for influencing
Americans to think they need guns?
Harden the nation’s schools.
Questions: Specifically, how would
you “harden schools”? Arm teach-
ers? Surround schools with rock walls?
Locked gates? Towers and gun turrets?
More resource officers and mental
health counselors.
Questions: How many resource offi-
cers would you recommend and what
would be the cost? Who would pay for
them? How would you overcome your
party’s objections to funding mental
health services? Who would be served by
mental health professionals? People in
the school environment or potential crim-
inals with guns?
Train school administrators to keep
schools safe.
Questions: Children and adults are
being killed by people with guns in gro-
cery stores, rock concerts, shopping
malls and on the streets and in homes.
Do not our elected representatives of the
United States bear responsibility for the
safety of the citizens? Do our elected rep-
resentatives need training to keep the
country safe?
———
Evelyn Swart resides in Joseph and is a
retired teacher and school administrator.
Summer allows a different kind of learning
OTHER
VIEWS
Scott Smith
I
t is summer! School is out for the sum-
mer. Some children have the opportu-
nity to attend summer school but oth-
ers are home. This doesn’t mean learning
has stopped. Summer can be a great time
where not only educational learning can
take place but life learning too.
Technology is fully part of our culture
and we need to help our children embrace
it in a positive way. Have your children
make short videos for you. Have them do
a video of retelling a story or book review.
The only evaluation words you need to
use when you watch the video back are,
“Wow, that’s great, what do you think?”
The “what do you think” places any
evaluation back on the child and will
begin to develop their own self-evalua-
tion process on their own work. If they
say it’s great, go with it, there will be a
turning point when they may do it over
or create a different video. The objective
is self-evaluation and it will become an
innate evaluation process you are help-
ing them refine. It’s hard not to assist
them with ideas and have them produce
a perfect video. Learning and develop-
ment comes from within and self evalua-
tion and self satisfaction. You can always
point out great things you see.
Grandparents, aunts and uncles ask-
ing children you know to send you a
short video of what they are doing is a
great activity for everyone. This is engag-
ing their ability of comprehension along
with being a point of connection with the
child. The video can be about an activ-
ity they did, a story they read or that was
read to them, or just how their day was.
Any of these skills helps the student build
the ability to communicate, evaluate, and
learn. Watch over just a short period of
time how their short videos will improve.
To get started do a quick check on You-
Tube of kids doing explanation videos and
watch a couple with the child. Ask them
if they would like to make a video about
something they are currently experienc-
ing. Chances are strong they will. You’ll
have them hooked. It may take a cou-
ple of times asking but once they feel this
is important to you they will most likely
take an interest.
In most cases, children want two things
— to please you and to be in control. If
they say no, just tell them to let you know
when and allow them to go off on their
own. Chances are high they will want to
take on making a video. Don’t think that
these videos have to be posted on any
social media, you can share with friends if
you choose and as a parent you still need
to control posting on social media.
All these activities build the child’s
ability to expand their understanding and
explain in their own words their perspec-
tive. These skills are key in school. Have
fun and watch the learning take place
before your eyes.
———
Scott Smith is a 40-plus year Umatilla
County educator and serves on the Decod-
ing Dyslexia Oregon board as its parent/
teacher liaison.