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It starts here, because from that we, as a community can build upon, market and take advantage of the many other resources we have here. This is also currently our biggest draw to the area and one that I feel has been under-recognized by our own community for its potential not only as a draw, but also as a place to invite future residents and businesses alike for the natural appeal our area of Oregon can provide.

This can also include a timber based economy that can really define the value in sustainability and not be dependent on logging the remaining tracts of native old growth trees from our valued public lands

            In closing, I want to visit the idea of how do we, (or can we) come together as a community to market ourselves as a desirable place for people to locate to that provides the requisite services for a healthy, diverse economy.

                        Thank you,

                                    Greg

posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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Hello my name is Greg and my wife and I are small business owners here in Cave Junction.

I want to thank you for coming down to our community to get a detailed picture of what our town is going through is this economic downturn and to provide some insight to what our future may hold.

Your online article begins with the downturn in our lumber industry , which is not only here but western Oregon also. This is not a new thought. There have been several articles and information available that point to our having a “recessed” economy here over the past 30 + years. This also has played out in any region wholly dependent on resource extractive industries. In the short term these provide a fairly robust economy, but the long term affects are seen by having an economy largely dependent on a host welfare programs and government subsidies. Additionally, this pushes our high school graduates and our youth to leave the area for better opportunities in an increasingly competitive marketplace

 Many communities have slowly overcome this by diversifying their economy and recognizing any and all assets the region can provide. This is important because people may wonder why we, as a community have not come together and are locked in these polarizing debates on how best to utilize our surrounding landscape that makes our area appealing to both visitors and residents, new and old. It is very difficult to find a balance in this given the area having been heavily mined and cut over, yet we still seem to have some level of intact ecosystems that both can provide clean water and natural beauty to the region. This also provides insight on why the environmental community feels that there is not a lot of room for compromise given what has occurred here in the past sixty plus years of resource extractive practices.

The vexing issue I personally see here is our ability as a community to come together and market ourselves as a desirable place to visit as a junction to our Oregon Caves National Monument and all of the possibilities that this major draw to the area can do for us.

 To be cont.

posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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