For over a decade I’ve kept my mouth shut about the increasing damage done to Willamette National Forest trails by rampant mountain biking. Over those years I’ve proposed better maintenance and winter closures with little result.
However, once I learned the Middle Fork District of the Willamette National Forest has proposed building miles of new trails just to accommodate mountain biking into wild road-less areas while simultaneously closing equal miles of hiking trails, I can’t remain silent.
The Willamette National Forest is doing this under its new “Zero Net New Miles Trail” policy.
One such trail proposal will expedite access to very wild pristine lakes in the Oregon Cascade Recreation Area near Diamond Peak with a new 2.5-mile trail. Currently a mountain biker can ride about 6 miles to access these same lakes, but apparently that’s not quick enough. Another proposal is to build a 15-mile new downhill “fat tire” track into a Late Successional Ancient Forest Reserve above Oakridge adjoining the Larison Ridge trail, which is dominated by mountain bike traffic.
I suggest the Willamette National Forest get out of the business of promoting another land-damaging industry like mountain biking, converting our national forests into a Disneyland theme park, and protect our national forests as a legacy for threatened wildlife and future generations.
Shannon Wilson
Eugene
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
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None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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