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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 15, 2005 Lone bidder buys Biscuit-salvage timber By PARIS ACHEN Mail Tribune Two million board feet of fire-killed old-growth timber along the Illinois River in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest sold for about $80,000 Tuesday to Merlin-based Silver Creek Timber Co. The 133-acre McGuire timber package is the 12th sale of the Biscuit fire salvage project. The sale is one of the most contentious because of its location near a segment of the Illinois River designated as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. "It is uncomfortably close to that corridor," said Josh Laughlin of Cascadia Wildland Project, a nonprofit conservation group in Eugene. "People come from all over the world to see the salmon and hike the old-growth forest, not to see clearcut." The U.S. Forest Service selected the McGuire tract for salvage because it "can provide an economic opportunity and do it in a way that does not harm fisheries or water quality," said Patty Burel, public affairs officer. Advertisement Environmental groups dispute that point, contending that erosion from removing trees could affect nearby waterways. Logging is expected to begin this summer and will likely cause delays for those traveling along Illinois River Road, one of the two main routes into the Illinois Valley. The other main route, Eight Dollar Mountain Road, was closed after protesters blocked access to another Biscuit salvage project six miles northwest of Kerby, delaying medical attention for two injured loggers. "If the same kind of concerns happen on Illinois River Road, we could consider closing the road," Burel said. The McGuire timber package sold for the minimum bid set by the Forest Service. Silver Creek Timber was the sole bidder. The logging company’s owner, John W. West, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. It was unknown whether the McGuire project would create more timber jobs in the area or how long the logging is expected to last. Environmental groups and some residents said they expect the logging project to hurt tourism. "It’s going to keep people who want to be in nature from coming here because they’re going to meet trucks, helicopters and noise," said Ronnie Chittim, owner of a rental cabin about 10 miles west of Selma on Illinois River Road. The lightning-sparked Biscuit fire in summer 2002 burned about 500,000 acres, much of it in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. The Forest Service’s salvage plans call for harvesting about 370 million board feet of dead timber on about 19,400 acres. So far, about 16.5 million board feet of timber has been harvested, and about 65 million board feet has been sold, Burel said. Meanwhile, a lawsuit by three environmental groups to stop logging of fire-killed old-growth trees is pending before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. U.S. District Magistrate John P. Cooney in Medford is considering the merits of a similar lawsuit by other environmental groups. Reach reporter Paris Achen at 776-4496 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations Casinos Canada dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s Advertisement