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Residents balk at forest purchase in Eastern Oregon

By Joshua Dillen, Baker City Herald, Ore. (TNS)
Published: September 10, 2016, 4:21pm

Several Baker County residents voiced their opposition Wednesday to the Forest Service buying forest land near Eagle Creek.

About 15 people attended a coordination meeting between county commissioners and Forest Service officials.

The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest hopes to buy 388 acres from Collins Pine Company.

The property, along Eagle and East Eagle creeks north of Richland, is surrounded by national forest land and is within the Eagle Creek National Scenic and Wild River corridor.

Laura Livingston, a realty specialist for the Forest Service, said the Wallowa-Whitman is seeking money from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund to buy the Collins property.

“What we’re looking at are pieces of property that will enhance the Forest Service within congressionally designated areas, sensitive areas (and) key critical in-holding pieces that we think are important for the Forest to try to manage with our surrounding Forest Service land,” Livingston said.

She said the Wallowa-Whitman won’t know until 2018 whether it will get the money.

Livingston said Forest Service officials have been talking with Collins Pine for a number years about possibly buying the land.

Paul Harlan, vice president of resources for Collins Pine said his company will sell the property to the Forest Service if and when they are able, but has also been in negotiations with other potential buyers in the past.

Livingston said the land falls under a recreational designation, which means motor vehicles, recreation, timber harvest and prescribed burning are all allowed.

“It’s not a hands-off piece,” Livingston said. “It’s kind of how we are managing the rest of the national forest in that boundary.”

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She said there is high recreation use in the area and the Forest Service wants to see the Collins land protected.

Commission Chairman Bill Harvey said the private lands are already well protected in that area, including the Collins property.

“On East Eagle (Creek), I’ve seen good evidence of landowners taking good care of their land,” he said. “I think it is protected.”

The Forest Service has asked county commissioners for a letter supporting the proposed purchase.

“At the end of the day I’m not sure (the commissioners) really have a veto power ability,” said Commissioner Mark Bennett. “But you’re asking us to write a letter of support.”

Harvey said he is concerned about the possibility of the Collins property transitioning to public ownership.

Ron Edge of Baker City said it was his understanding that federal agencies can’t directly buy private property.

“The Wild and Scenic River Act as directed by Congress does give the federal government the authority to purchase private inholdings where it makes sense to manage that designation,” Montoya said.

Several people who also own land in the Eagle Creek area also said they oppose the Forest Service buying the Collins property.

Chary Mires, who owns property along East Eagle Creek, said she doesn’t understand why the Forest Service needs more land to manage.

“They have more right now than they can possibly take care of,” she said.

Rusti and Mike Lattin, who also own land in the area, said there were numerous maintenance issues on Forest Service land in the area

“It’s been years since anybody from the Forest Service has spent any time cleaning, maintaining or bettering any of that property along there,” Rusti Lattin said. “They drive by trees down on the road all the time. The Forest Service doesn’t even pick up the trash that they drive by.”

She also said that hiking trails in the area have not been maintained for more than a decade.

“I really struggle with your comment that you are going to maintain (the Collins property) and make it better,” Rusti Lattin said. “As far as recreation, you guys don’t maintain the campgrounds.”

Montoya said he understands Lattin’s concerns.

“We work very diligently to do the best we can with the funding we have,” he said. “I have employees who work really hard to do the best job they can with the funding we have. We have to prioritize things at times which means that some things don’t get done.”

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