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GUEST OPINION Guest Opinion: Walden works against our public lands By Dave Strahan MailTribune.com By Dave Strahan Posted Jan. 17, 2016 @ 12:01 am By Dave Strahan Posted Jan. 17, 2016 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> I could not be more disappointed in Congressman Greg Walden’s response to the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge by anti-government militants. He states that he “understands their passion,” of taking over public buildings, tearing down wildlife fences and threatening public employees. It is apparent Walden is missing the point here. Our shared heritage of public land belongs to all Americans, including many of his constituents throughout rural Oregon who depend upon those lands for hunting, fishing and camping, as well as our livelihoods. I am a fourth-generation resident of Southern Oregon. I have been fortunate for the past 35 years to support my family working as a distributor of fishing, camping, marine and shooting sports merchandise, while servicing retailers in rural Southern Oregon and northern California. I got into the business, in large part, as a result my own passion for fishing, hunting, camping and boating, as did most of my customers — small, independent mom-and-pop retailers throughout Walden's district. Rather than standing up for Oregonians and law enforcement officers, Walden has renewed his push against public lands and resources and enacted the very goals espoused by those who have taken over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. While Congressman Walden has been outspoken about his anger concerning public lands management, he has been curiously silent about the estimated $15 million that visitors to the Malheur Wildlife Refuge provide to local economies annually. For a county with just over 7,000 people, the Malheur Refuge brings in tens of thousands of visitors. I carry many fond memories of successful upland game hunts in Harney County, as well as the unforgettable vision of huge herds of antelope foraging the desert flora along with skies full of migrating waterfowl. Public lands are where we in the West can live free and have access for all, not just special interests that want to take what is ours and make it theirs. Congressman Walden doesn't speak to the hundreds of retailers in our great state that depend on access to our public lands to support their businesses. He has focused on events that he hopes will facilitate the slippery slope of surrendering our parks, refuges and other public lands to private interests. While the armed takeover of the beloved Malheur Refuge has attracted media coverage, the real threat to public lands comes from Congress and Rep. Walden. He is currently proposing bills that would limit public input in public lands management or simply give away public lands to logging interests. Most people agree with Walden’s recent statement that to find solutions to public lands management controversies, we need to create a more cooperative spirit and establish partnerships. So it is hard to understand why the congressman is pushing a bill (HR 2647) that would reduce collaboration in advisory committees and lessen public involvement in public lands. Similarly, Walden is sponsoring legislation that would remove over a million acres of forests in Western Oregon from public management and place them in a timber trust to be logged for the benefit of timber corporations. Also, Walden released draft legislation to give over a quarter million acres of national forests in Southern Oregon and northern California to political allies. Handing over public lands is not stewardship, it is simply a form of political patronage. President Teddy Roosevelt established the wildlife refuges and national forests for all Americans and for all those who come after us. Another Republican, Oregon Gov. Tom McCall, worked tirelessly to leave us a legacy of collaboration and conservation. In the face of armed threats to our public lands and the thousands of outdoors people that rely on them, and the thousands of jobs they currently support, Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District could use a statesman of their stature now. Dave Strahan lives in Grants Pass. By Dave Strahan MailTribune.com By Dave Strahan Posted Jan. 17, 2016 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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