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--> --> Sierra Club video pans ski expansion By Vickie Aldous Ashland Daily Tidings Rogue Group Sierra Club members are offering free copies of a video they say reveals the negative environmental consequences of a proposal to expand the Mt. Ashland Ski Area. The video focuses on alleged impacts of expansion into the middle branch of the east fork of Ashland Creek. "I've seen folks hike in the middle branch area and their reaction when they see the stunning beauty of the area," said Tom Dimitre, chairman of the group. "The area is replete with wetlands, springs, seeps, natural underground water piping, and an extremely rare virgin old growth forest that has never been grazed." "We knew that most people would never get the chance to see the magnificent area, so we decided to bring the wilderness to them. We believe that once folks see the awesome beauty of this area, they will say, `No,' to the ski expansion here," he said. The Rogue Group is concerned about an expansion intruding on Englemann spruce groves, old growth forest, rare plant and animal habitat, riparian areas and the McDonald Peak Roadless Area. Dimitre said the Rogue Group is not opposed to all expansion efforts, and could support improvements within the existing use area. The Ashland Ranger District is preparing a new draft environmental impact statement analyzing a range of alternatives for expansion, which would occur on U.S. Forest Service land. The document could be released later this winter, and replaces a previous draft EIS that analyzed fewer alternatives. At least one new expansion alternative is expected to avoid the middle branch area. Ski officials contend their expansion proposal is environmentally sound, with ski runs designed to minimize impacts to trees, wetland areas, wildlife and rare plants. They say expanding the ski area, known for its challenging slopes, is critical for providing gentle terrain needed for beginners, and to provide space for the many ski and snowboard programs held on the mountain. The expansion would not harm the municipal water supply, which originates in the Ashland Watershed, ski officials have said. In the video, a range of local residents with expertise in natural resource issues dispute the idea that expansion effects would be negligible. People featured on the video include James Duncan of the Native Plant Society, Jay Lininger of the Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center, wildlife educator Laurel Reuben, Rogue Group botanist John Sully and George Badura, a retired Forest Service soils scientist. Although the video is free, donations are accepted, Rogue Group members said. For more information, call 488-0887. 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