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--> --> Monument: Honor the people's will By Wendy Resnick Ashland Dear Gail Norton, On June 20, 2001, I attended a hearing in Ashland regarding the Cascade-Siskiyou Monument. I understand that you asked the Jackson County Commissioners to hold further public hearings to determine local sentiment about the monument, and that you and the commissioners favor shrinking current boundaries. The commissioners appointed the Jackson County Natural Resource Committee to attend these hearing and make a recommendation based on public sentiment. These hearings raised more questions than answers, and propelled me to speak to many local officials and community members to clarify questions and concerns. Let met start out by saying that I strongly support keeping the current monument boundaries or enlarging them. This area has very unique ecological and biological features and deserves vigorous protection. Also, it is a small vestige of what once existed, a beautiful area to visit and explore. Here you can contemplate the vastness and diversity of our little corner of the planet while enjoying peace and quiet. I wonder why our wilderness is expected to turn a profit and serve our needs for natural resources. I fear we have lost so much of our habitat that once served as an environment for bear and lion and elk to roam and many other species of plants and animals to exist. We have usurped their homes. It is our responsibility to save a fraction of the area they once existed upon. Let us preserve and consider expanding this habitat. I have been pondering grazing rights. I always knew that extractive endeavors have been subsidized by taxpayers. However, I had not thought too much about it until the issue presented itself in my backyard. Currently, there are seven ranchers who hold grazing leases in the monument area. They pay approximately $1.35 AUM to feed them. If they had to buy or produce feed on their own property, I am not sure they would find ranching profitable. Why should I as a taxpayer subsidize this activity at all, and especially in this precious Monument area? Several opponents of the Monument have purported that grazing helps prevent fires. In conversations with government officials and through my own personal research, I have not found evidence to support this claim. They do not eat trees, and therefore do not decrease the major fuel load. I have heard the suggestion that there was not adequate public input into this ecological are prior to declaring its Monument status. This area's current and future uses have in fact been considered for quite a long time, formally since at least 1994. During this process, government agencies, concerned individuals, businesses, and organizations had opportunities to offer their input. In addition, there were three months of public comment prior to designation of the Monument. And now we have had three hearings post-designation in which sentiment was overwhelmingly in support of the monument. I am concerned that the JCNRC and the JC Commissioners will not make an accurate report of local sentiment expressed at the hearings. At the hearing in White City, 63 registered pro-monument and 20 against it. Everyone who wished to testify was permitted to do so. In Medford, 51 registered pro and 20 against. In Ashland, 145 registered pro and 75 against. At this hearing, only 35 people on each side had the opportunity to speak due to time constraints. I myself was signed up to speak but had to leave at 10:15 p.m. These hearings identified 264 people who wanted to keep the boundaries as is or enlarge them, and 105 people wished to reduce the boundaries or eliminate the Monument. It is clear there is overwhelmingly strong support for our Monument. I urge you to respect and honor the will of the people. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing