Document text
Saturday rally will back wilderness Group wants to expand protection for Mount Ashland roadless section By PAUL FATTIG ASHLAND -- A rally supporting creation of a wilderness area to preserve a roadless section atop Mount Ashland will be held Saturday. Organized by Ashland Creek First!, the rally begins at 2 p.m. at the bandshell in Lithia Park. Speakers will include herbalist and botanist Tom Ward, naturalist Pepper Trail of the Audubon Society and Charlotte Holzkamper of the Rogue Group Sierra Club. A new group calling itself the Ashland Wilderness Coalition has proposed that the 9,500-acre McDonald Peak roadless area be congressionally designated a wilderness. Although environmental activists long have discussed the possibility of such a wilderness area, this marks the first time it has reached the proposal stage. Environmental groups are supporting the idea. "Most definitely we would support the wilderness area," said Jay Lininger, spokesman for the Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center. "We're behind any effort that would gain wilderness status for the McDonald Peak area." But one major point of discussion would be the level of recreation allowed in the area, he said. "It would be good to establish special use for mountain bikers, but totally restricting commercial use is right on," Lininger said. Holzkamper agreed there is support for the wilderness area. The Rogue Group has opposed a proposed expansion of Ski Ashland because it would include a portion of the area. "It's an idea whose time has come," she said. "A lot of us have been talking about it. We're excited about it." With Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck expressing interest in creating more wilderness out of roadless areas, environmentalists are encouraged that it could happen, she said. "We've been working on the same thing," she said. "We believe that McDonald Peak should be viewed as a wilderness area." The area had been considered for wilderness during the 1980s, but "there has never been a formal proposal for a wilderness that I'm aware of," said Steve Johnson, spokesman for the Ashland Ranger District. If the entire area were designated, the proposed expansion plans by Ski Ashland would not occur, he said, noting that Congress could make adjustments in the wilderness area to allow for the expansion. Although mechanical devices such as bicycles usually are prohibited in wilderness areas, Congress could make an exception on Mount Ashland, Johnson noted. "Headwaters supports protecting the area, although I'd use it (definition) a little broader than wilderness," said Robert Lonsdorf, spokesman for the Ashland-based Headwaters environmental coalition. "Whether or not Ski Ashland expansion happens, we think it (protection) is a good idea," Lonsdorf said. "It has excellent habitat with many rare plants and some rare animals. We would like to see the recreation potential -- sensitive recreation -- maximized." A hike into the proposed wilderness area will begin at 8 a.m. Sunday with participants meeting at the Lithia Park bandshell. Call Ashland Creek First! at 770-4423 for information. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA