Groups still blocking crews from working
This July 6, 2009 photo shows an environmental activist looking out from a suspended platform in the Elliott State Forest east of Reedsport, Ore. Oregon Department of Forestry spokesman Kevin Weeks said Tuesday that authorities have met with the protesters, but no move has been made to arrest them. (AP Photo/The News-Review, Robin Loznak) By Dan Bain KPIC NewsDOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. -- Protesters continue to block a timber sale on the Elliott State Forest east of Reedsport near Loon Lake. MultimediaThe protestors, reportedly from the group Earth First!, posted a video on YouTube, where they have apparently turned over a van to block the roadway to keep loggers out of the site. Oregon Department of Forestry Spokesman Kevin Weeks said Tuesday that authorities have met with the protesters but no move has been made to arrest them. Department of Forestry officials and police officers met Monday with protesters several hours after they turned back loggers with the blockade. Weeks said protesters had two requests: that they be notified in advance of any arrests, and anyone choosing to leave the area be allowed to do so. Members of Earth First! and Cascadia Rising Tide say they want to protect native forest that provides fish and wildlife habitat and helps prevent global warming. Timber officials are obviously disappointed in the protest. Bob Ragon of the Douglas Timber Operators says the frustrating thing is that the timber company followed the laws, went through the entire process, environmental regulations were followed and a lot of public input was taken from the public and all the agencies involved, to come up with this timber sale. "They did follow all the hoops, the Endangered Species Act, the environmental requirements of notification and all that stuff," Ragon said. "These folks were probably nowhere to be seen when all this was taking place." Ragon said they have basically put the loggers out of work with their protest. "But really what they've done is that logging crew is now out of work and it's kind of disappointing to me that here in Douglas County, where we have unemployment rates of close to 18 percent, and we're putting people who do have jobs and well paying jobs out of work." he said. The sale belongs to Roseburg Forest Products, and a contractor will log the site if they can get into the area. The Elliott State Forest is the prime asset in the Common School Fund, and it's mandated by the constitution to provide revenue for schools from timber produced off the lands. The Associated Press contributed to this report |
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February 9, 2012
- Roseburg, Oregon
