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| Watershed closure a disappointing outcome |
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News that portions of McKay Creek are now indefinitely closed has come to some as a shock.
This is quite unfortunate. Basically, the actions of some off-road vehicle enthusiasts, intent on tearing up more land, has meant that the area is now closed. Forest Service officials have said that what areas remain open will be posted.
Once again, this goes back to a discussion that has been occurring for decades, and that is a balanced use of public lands.
Areas for hikers.
Areas for wildlife.
Areas for hunters.
Areas for picnics and camping.
And yes, areas for all-terrain vehicle use.
"It is our responsibility to maintain habitat for fish and wildlife on National Forest system lands," said Ochoco National Forest Supervisor Jeff Walter. "This rather sensitive area is not fully recovering from the rapidly increasing motor vehicle use it has been receiving in recent years. We can see extensive damage on the ground from last year's open season. If we open the area up now, we can only expect to see additional natural resource impacts. A year-round closure makes sense at this point in time."
For now, much of the area is closed until further notice so that the land can heal. Perhaps at some point it will reopen.
We believe an answer to this is to use more federal, state and county law enforcement personnel to educate all users - but especially ATV users - on what's allowed in the McKay Creek area and what is not. Forest Service personnel are on the right track with strict enforcement of the closure order. Violation of the order can be punished by a fine of up to $5,000 and/or imprisonment for up to six months. Yet continued enforcement for a matter of years may become necessary because of the damage which has been done to the land.
We understand the problem of not having enough law enforcement personnel to patrol thousands of acres, but without more of a law enforcement presence, more acreage is likely to be closed.
Essentially, because of one group of users, now the area is closed indefinitely. That's unfortunate. Oregonians have prided themselves on a balanced use of the land for all uses, thus respecting the land and environment. |
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