Today I swam in a small, clear lake surrounded by forest, huge trees of different species and an understory of wildflowers and huckleberries. I’d like to return every summer and bring my grandchildren when they are a bit older. But I was there to say goodbye.
If Forest Service plans go ahead, the lake will be next to miles of clear-cut forest: the Flat Country timber sale. More than 3,115 acres out of the 4,400-acre sale is mature and old-growth forest. This year President Joe Biden ordered his administration to save older forests for their crucial carbon storage. The importance of these forests in protecting wildlife and water is also widely acknowledged, along with their resistance to wildfire. And Flat Country’s watershed, the McKenzie, is only beginning to recover from the 230,000-acre Holiday Farm fire two years ago. So why is this Trump-era sale going ahead? More loss and devastation, damage that will last for generations, just to make money for timber companies.
There is some hope. Congressman Peter DeFazio has spoken out against the Flat Country timber sale. Ask Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden to be courageous and join him; ask the Biden administration to withdraw the sale.
Kate Gessert
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.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
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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