Kanipe Comments on Logging

 For what it is worth, these are my comments to ODF for the Notification to salvage log on Mildred Kanipe Park.   You are receiving this, in addition to members of the Friends of Kanipe Park board because of your past involvement and interest in this park.   There is a legitimate need to remove some trees damaged from the recent storm to protect park infrastructure, improvements and park users.   Many of us fear it is a green light to go beyond what is necessary to satisfy the BOC and their cronies, and recent activities at Whistler's Bend is an example.  

You are encouraged to send your own comments to ODF and the county parks department (note email addresses on the following).   Comments are due by 3/28/19.

There are 29 other parks that the county plans some sort of salvage operation on in addition to Kanipe. 

The following are my comments to the Notification of Operation submitted to ODF by Douglas County for salvage logging on Mildred Kanipe Memorial Park.  These comments are based on my observations of the recent storm damage while walking through the park on 3/16/19.

The oak savanna area of the park has scattered oak trees and branches that have fallen.  The Underwood Hill road/trail is blocked with oak and maple trees just beyond the Bachelor Creek bridge.  There is also a slump on this road where half the road bed has dropped down toward the creek.   Bachelor Creek has a fair amount of oaks and maples that have fallen into or across the creek.  This may enhance fish habitat and ODF&W needs be consulted prior to any operations in this riparian area.  The Fernwood road/trail has oak trees across it east of the bridge up to the clearing toward the open ridge top.   Much of the hardwoods blocking roads can be cut up as firewood or decked for firewood cutting by permit.

 Except for one large green fir tree in a side creek and a few pole size firs west of the bridge, I did not notice any large Douglas fir trees, dead or green that had fallen.  Most of the standing dead fir trees have died within the last 5 to 6 years from drought and/or insects.  Most have little merchantability, except maybe in the bottom log (12 to 34 foot).  The average height of these trees range between 60 to 80 feet.  Many are now serving the needs of wildlife.  There will be excessive breakage if these trees are felled due to rot creating much slash and fuel loading and in some areas creating a 1 to 2 acre patch cut (small clearcuts), since many smaller trees will be damaged from falling operations.  Most the trails in the coniferous forests have fir branches and small trees across them that can be cleared by hand or ATV.  In conclusion, I saw more damage in the day use area than the back country of the park.

Prior to any operations a logging plan either for a timber sale contract or a service contract needs to be made available to the public with the county's written criteria for what constitute a hazard tree and how they will designate such trees for cutting along with an estimated volume that might be removed as saw logs or decked for later removal or as firewood.   A slash treatment plan is necessary and a map showing how extensive the skid trail system will be along with location of spur roads and landings. 

History has proven that the public must be informed and involved when dealing with this park and others in Douglas County.

Sincerely,

Mike Burke

USFS-Ret.

Timber Sale Contract Admin.

Oakland, OR 

Storm Damage

 Could take a day or two to clean this up.  Picture taken on lower 10 acres below the road to cabin.

Snowmeggeden week

 A week ago clearing 16 inches of heavy snow from roof rated at 25lbs/sq ft. and not losing more sleep thinking of the unthinkable.  Me and Kasey Hovik.

Snowmageddon Week

 It took two days to plow the driveway open with my 4 foot blade attached to the DR 15 hp unit in order to get to Wildflower Lane where a neighbor with his tractor opened it up to the highway.   At this point there was not much to go to since the local towns had lost power too and most businesses were closed, including gas stations, restaurants, fast food joints, banks, ATM machines, etc.   The Shop Smart grocery store was open in Sutherlin where one had to shop with a flash light, write the price of the product on each item as the scanners did not work and no diary, meat or perishable products were available due to the loss of refrigeration and pay in cash only.

This all started the night of February 24th with the flickering of our lights.  In the 12 years we have lived here power outages only lasted 1 to 2 hours, so we thought everything would be up and going by morning.   The next morning we woke to no power, a cold house, six inches of heavy wet snow as it continued to fall and the sound of crack, snapple and pop of tree branches breaking from the weight of the heavy snow.  My first fear was how would I grind my morning coffee beans.  My old used $50 generator saved the day.   The wood stove was fired up and operated 24/7 until the power was restored at 8 pm March 4th putting a good dent in our dry wood supply.   It became our center of life in addition to cooking some of our meals and boiling water.  My old Coleman camp stove was also put to use on our back deck.   After talking to neighbors and friends on the cell phone we started to realize the extent of the damage.  Miles of power lines had been damaged or destroyed and many roads were closed from falling trees throughout southern Oregon.  It was declared a disaster area by the state and help was on the way by utility crews, tree service companies and loggers to clear trees from roads and restore power lines.   Another storm hit us on February 27th dumping another 6 inches of snow giving us a total of 16 to 20 inches.   Our manufactured home is only designed to take 25 pounds per square foot on the roof, so I starting to lose sleep thinking the unthinkable.  Two of our friends, Janice and Kasey came to our rescue and helped clear the snow off the roof, they also brought us a care package of Costco goodies.   Our utility company, Douglas Electric CoOp informed us it could be another two week before power was restored and my old generator was not doing the job.  A call to a friend in Oakland, landed us with a generator from a man living there and he let us borrow it.  

Safety was our first concern, one slip on the snow which would freeze during the night and would be over with it.  I did suffer burned finger tips when I slipped while refueling the DR and catching myself on the hot muffler.  The snow saved me from much pain throughout the day, and the tips of those finger on my left hand are like leather now.  

All this makes me think of how our ancestors survived in the "good old days" cooking on woods stoves, oil lanterns, candles, no stores to go to, etc.  The only features we did have to deal with was the outside outhouse in the dead of winter as our water supply did gravity flow into the house and would refill the toilet tanks.  

A word to the wise--Be Prepared!

Celia & Mike