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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend July 2, 2005 Road closure renewed to Fiddler project area By PARIS ACHEN Mail Tribune Citing safety concerns, the U.S. Forest Service renewed orders to close public access to the Fiddler fire salvage logging project on 700 acres in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. The orders closing Eight Dollar Road and the area around the project were set to expire Thursday. The road is scheduled to reopen Aug. 1. "At one point the logging work was supposed to be done at the end of June," said Patty Burel, forest spokeswoman. "It’s taking longer than initially estimated." The project is in an old-growth forest reserve in the half-million-acre area burned by the 2002 Biscuit fire. It is located about six miles northwest of Kerby in the Illinois Valley. Merlin-based Silver Creek Logging Co. bought the 14.4 million-board-feet project for about $1.1 million. Advertisement During the first week of the project, between March 7 and 14, opponents of roadless and old-growth logging staged protests in the area and blocked roads, prompting about 40 arrests. The road was first closed March 14, two days after protesters blockaded it with a vehicle without an engine and tires. The blockade delayed medical care for two injured loggers because the vehicle could not be moved without a tow truck, Burel said. "We had hoped people could coexist and off to the side do what they wanted to do to express themselves," Burel said. "It’s when it becomes a safety issue we close the road." Environmental groups argue it is unconstitutional to close public lands, especially on the basis of a past incident. "The Forest Service is using taxpayer money to log and extract value from public lands," said Laurel Sutherlin of the Ashland-based Oxygen Collective environmental group. "Now they are denying the public access to witness what has happened." About 60 protesters marched on the Forest Service’s Medford office Friday to demonstrate their opposition to old-growth logging and the road closure. Opponents argue roadless areas and old-growth trees should be left alone to protect watersheds and wildlife habitat. Sutherlin placed a tree stump, called the Golden Stump Award, at the entrance of the Medford office. The stump was addressed to forest supervisor Scott Conroy for signing off on the Biscuit fire salvage sale and the road closure. Conroy was unavailable for comment. Burel, however, defended Conroy’s actions. "Through the Biscuit fire sales, the Forest Service is providing reasonable and modest salvage logging activities and trying to do it in a way that doesn’t affect the environment," Burel said. Less than 4 percent of the area burned by the Biscuit fire has been designated for logging, Burel said. Proceeds from the salvage timber sales go toward reforestation efforts, she said. Reach reporter Paris Achen at 776-4496 or e-mail Road closure renewed to Fiddler project area ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztechmedia Website Hosting Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy online casino Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Reservationstogo Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Natto Kinase Nattokinase Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Advertisement s