Interesting on their own, it was the juxtaposition of three articles in your March 2 issue that I found especially insightful. It was great to get directions and encouragement to visit Eugene’s nearest significant patch of old-growth forest. But 18 miles from downtown, it left me again sickened, knowing the nearest hundred or more square miles were all slicked off for timber company profits.
Likewise, it was useful to have an article summarize all the various passes necessary to visit our public lands in Oregon. But that information, plus the fact that many favorite wilderness trailheads in the Cascades now require permits to enter, are reminders of just how badly the public would rather recreate on the scant portion of public land still intact than have the rights of the last bits (c’mon, Bureau of Land Management!) sold off to loggers.
But then you gave us hope, too, with the return of hundreds of environmental attorneys and other activists gathering at the University of Oregon Law School to strategize how to protect and restore the wildness we crave so badly.
I was especially struck by Maddie Reese, a young woman simultaneously plowing through her second year of law school while also organizing the largest environmental law conference on the planet, and who interned with Cascadia Wildlands last year and will work with the Civil Liberties Defense Center next. The Earth is in a rough place in 2023, but it helps to be reminded of those still fighting so hard to protect Her.
Tim Ream
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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