Prized Cascade forestland about size of Tacoma to be preserved

[Midwest_Cat]

Read between the lines in this article and tell me what you really think.....

in part:

"A conservation group will buy almost 48,000 acres of forestland along Interstate 90 between Snoqualmie Pass and Cle Elum, Kittitas County, to protect wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation and the headwaters of the Yakima River.

The Nature Conservancy announced Monday in Seattle that it would purchase the land from timber company Plum Creek for about $49 million. The group said the 75 square miles of Cascade Mountains forestland was its largest acquisition ever in Washington state..."

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2024888209_landacquisitionxml.html

 

[Midwest_Cat]

The Nature Conservancy 2013 Financial Report:

http://www.nature.org/media/annualreport/2013-annual-report.pdf

 

[MikeMetzger]

Man, this could be a big bummer huh

 

[Chadly]

This acquisition has been in the making for quite some time and comes as no surprise. Time to trade your sled in for some snow shoes. I'm sure your goggles are good for snow showing too

 

[line8]

Ugly. Property and biz owners in Cle elum, Easton, Roslyn, Ronald, Teanaway, even Elunsberg and Yakima better be thinking of some plans. This could hurt.

 

[MikeMetzger]

Hopefully hippies like goggles too.........

 

[line8]

I envision gates, private property and no trespassing signs.

Or best case...Please stay on designated TRAIL.

 

[Powderboy]

My cabin's in Easton so Im guessing that's a direct hit. From early to mid season I can ride from my door to Gold Creek, Stampede, Cabin Creek, East Kachess, French Cabin Creek.


Brutal.

 

[Braapist]

I envision gates, private property and no trespassing signs.

Or best case...Please stay on designated TRAIL.

I agree with you......nothing much they can do when snow covers the gate.... and signs are just signs

they did a similar thing like this in teanaway and nothing big really came about.....other than some restrictions when it comes to dirt biking and such activities.....but then again this could become a bigger issue.


And if it does come to be a big deal..... IM STILL GONNA RIDE THERE!!!!!!!

 

[line8]

Speaking of the Teanaway. That has
another bullseye on it, probably a piggy back to this.

But yeah, those yellow gates disappear and those absolutely no motorized vehicle signs blend........but still! Pretty irritating to me that I have to be put in a situation to even think about making decisions like that in an environment that provides enjoyment. I do have concern for the possible negative impact to some friends who own businesses that could be impacted by fewer winter and summer recreationalists.

 

[Braapist]

well said!

 

[Midwest_Cat]

From the cascade drift skippers FB page..

 

[line8]

I was wondering how it might even affect Greenwater and/or naches areas. This map shows a bit. Maybe it's a non issue right now but it sure looks like some puzzle pieces to me.

 

[winter brew]

I didn't know our National Forest was for sale? What am I missing here?

 

[Braapist]

I didn't know our National Forest was for sale? What am I missing here?

my exact thought

 

[line8]

If you do a quick google search of national forest for sale. There's a lot of reading. It's not a new thing in other areas. Sure seems that it goes under the radar though until it's done. That part is what is strange. How such a huge chunk of land gets purchased and it goes un-noticed. I didn't see the for sale sign.

Which local politicians were aware of it and what is the reason to approve? Which state politicians were aware and approved and why and the same for national?

 

[beans]

This was primarily Plumb Creek Timber land.

From today forward our sport will be effected. I thought the Teannaway Community Forest purchase by the DNR was bad. This is not good.

 

[biggdaddy]

Lost land

So from what I see here we are going to have lost all of our riding from gold creek east to teanaway thorp area. Wow I hope that I'm wrong that will make the areas remaining available to ride very busy or alot of road trips.

 

[line8]

There's an interesting read over at the neighbors site.(bcr)

 

[MikeMetzger]

Hahaha