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Biomass is cleaner than coal, it's renewable, it's sustainable, it produces energy, creates jobs, and perhaps best of all promises to improve habitat by thinning forests. How green is that? 

posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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The USFS is very close to finalizing and drawing maps in preparation for its "Travel Management Rule" to take effect. The rule, issued in 2005 would prohibit motorized travel on National Forest lands, except on designated routes only. This is a 180 degree shift from what is currently allowed, and will dramatically alter how people recreate on FS lands.

Motorized travel on public lands is an emotional and contorversial issue, and would make a very entertaining, and informative show. It's doubful that the majority of Oregonians are aware that the rules governing where they can and cannot take their ATVs are about to change, in spite of the fact that the FS has had nearly five years of public meetings on the issue. A high profile show like TOL would not only go a long way toward informing them, but would help to answer some confusing questions about road closures, and access to campsites.

Information on the Travel Management Rule can be found on the USFS website.

Ed. 

posted 3 years, 3 months ago
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I'm curious about this topic as well, but perhaps from a slightly different perspective. We have quite a few birds that are invasive to North America. How are these birds impacting the songbird population? Are domestic cats preying on the invasive species as well, or do they show a preference for the native songbirds? When predation becomes detrimental to an ecosystem, then surely steps should be taken to manage the predator, whether wild or domestic. But it would be a mistake to discriminate against a predator just because it doesn't fit our image of what is either wild or natural, especially in a tame place like Bend.

Ed Putnam

posted 3 years, 4 months ago
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