Conservation Groups Halt Olympic National Forest Road Project


The general public has been fed a tall-tale regarding the rebuilding of the Dosewallips River Road. The spin by certain anti-rebuilding eco-groups is

"It's old forest. The proposed re-route would have been close to a mile of new road, through old growth, and across a steep and potentially unstable hillside. The river has taken over the original alignment."

Is this the truth?

The area to be used for the bypass has been logged in the past. There are stumps scattered throughout. While there are some landmark trees there, the NFS have promised to bypass the best specimens. Also, the FNS have completed their geotech data collection without finding any "surprises." In other words: unstable conditions claimed by the road opponents have not been verified.

The state of the Dosewallips River Road is of concern to all citizens who desire to access the natural resources set aside by our Nation for the enjoyment of the general public. For instance, the repair of the road is directly relevant to hikers & climbers. This road used access a well-used trail head, and the 2 campgrounds on the Dosewallips River Road, beyond the washout, used to be full. Where do you think these folks have gone? There are more hikers every year, so they are crowding onto the other trails that hikers and climbers use!

We are being shut down over here, in Brinnon. Prosperity is now a pipe dream. Folks would like to just get back to where we were ten years ago. Take a look at the current events in King County, with the Land Grab attempt by the seven Democrats. What happens in King County is very relevant to all rural Washington, as it will set an example. We simply cannot afford any more restrictions on rural folks and their lands, nor on the access to our Natural Resources that have been guaranteed to us.

NW Ecosystems has been cited as a responsible protector of natural lands. No doubt some folks support them financially. I want you to know that they have OPPOSED rebuilding the Dosewallips Road from the very beginning. Before any studies were done, or an EA issued, Regan Smith wrote to the NFS recommending the closure of this road, downgrading the two beautiful campgrounds to "back country," and closure of the Dosewallips Ranger station. (I have this letter.)

This section of the website is presented to raise the level of awareness about what is actually going on with these Wilderness groups. I believe they get most of their support from folks who mean well, but don't know how they are harming rural communities. They don't know how these groups are taking public access away from more and more National treasures.

Look at how NWEA gloats over stopping road repair.

There is not one shred of good science in what these people are doing. We have 1.5 million acres of federal forest here, most protected as National Park and Wilderness. The 4 acres of "old growth" they are focussed on has stumps from previous logging throughout. The bypass repair would remove the road from the CMZ (channel migration zone) and a small wetland area previously traversed. They have not got a shred of proof that the 70 year existance of this seasonal road has caused any measurable damage to wildlife or wilderness. Congress specifically designated this access corridor when the Buckhorn and Brothers wilderness areas were created, and this would never be removed but the functioning of Democracy! The NW Forest Plan that these people are using to keep us out was not a function of Democracy, it was imposed by Clinton as an Executive order. This is an example of Eco-extremists influence and empowerment over our lives, plain and simple.

They are taking credit for stopping the repair of the road, a road that in previous publications they make clear they oppose for philosophical reasons. The news release is full of distortions of fact:

"The Forest Service has withdrawn their plans to build a new road through a tract of old-growth forest located on unstable slopes above the Dosewallips River on the Olympic National Forest. Conservationist groups administratively appealed the road building project because it was expected to harm endangered salmon and trout populations in the Dosewallips River, and destroy an ancient forest grove. The Olympic National Forest agreed to reconsider its decision after the Regional Office in Portland, Oregon reviewed the appeals."

1. The "old growth" area is dotted with stumps from previous harvest.

2. The "unstable" slope is covered in trees and older stumps that are standing vertically, demonstrating stable ground (see their picture).

3. Moving the 3/4 mile repair out of the CMZ is good for fish habitat

4. The NFS allowed flexibility in routing the repair to save the larger trees.

"Building a new road over unstable slopes poses a huge risk to imperiled salmon and trout," said Regan Smith, Conservation Associate for the Northwest Ecosystem Alliance. "The government has to understand these risks and make decisions that would prevent the road from sliding into the Dosewallips River and smothering spawning grounds with dirt. They admitted that they have not done that."

1. The repair does NOT pose a "huge" risk to Salmon

2. Notice the mention of Trout, no doubt in anticipation of the Dosewallips being listed as a Bull Trout habitat (it was not).

3. Please note from the second picture that a huge amount of material has already gone into the river. This material creates habitat, and the same people oppose riprap because it prevents the river "harvesting" materials. This terminology suggesting "smothering" is intended to raise support from the uninformed!

"The Dosewallips River Road runs through the Olympic National Forest, and provides access to the Olympic National Park. Thousands of visitors recreate in this drainage each year, kayaking the river, hiking the trails and camping at one of the three campgrounds along the length of the road. Restoring car access to the Dosewallips and Elkhorn Campgrounds was the sole reason for rebuilding this road after it was washed out in heavy flooding in 2002."

1. This is the ONLY access road to the East side of Olympic Park. Thousands USED to recreate in this valley when there was a road.

2. Kayakers can no longer get their equipment to the Class A measured Whitewater course on the Upper Dosewallips.

3. The Elkhorn and Dose Trailhead campgrounds are practically deserted now.

4. Car access to the campgrounds is NOT the only reason for restoring the road.

Reasons include:

A. Maintenance of substantial existing facilities.

B. Maintenance of trails and bridges.

C. Search and rescue (the Dose station has a hydro plant with. radio telephone).

D. Fire fighting and emergency vehicle access.

E. The only high-country Handicapped facilities.

F. Access to day hike facilities.

G. Providing ready access for trans-Olympic treks.

Regan Smith is only a few years out of University, and utilizing administrative rules imposed by Clinton, to micro manage our Forest and Park service professionals. She and Bonnie Phillips, of Olympic Forest Coalition pretend that there is no adverse economic consequence to Jefferson County. This is absolutely false! They are responsible for removing the last hopes for economic viability in our area, and with no scientific basis. The seals eat more Salmon in one day than a road repair could effect in a year! In the case of OFC, they operate by holding out the threat of litigation continuously, in their effort to control our use of our Public Lands.

We have approximately 1 million acres in the ONP and approximately 1/2 million acres in the ONF, including significant Wilderness. These are public areas where reasonable access is an obligation under National Park policies. Each year roads are damaged by erosion, and there are always groups opposed to repairs. It is not much of a stretch to foresee that these public areas will be less and less accessible over time unless repairs are made. For hikers and outdoors folks, this means more crowded conditions in the remaining access areas.

It will require a careful clearing of about 4 acres of forest land to reroute the road. The repair is being started well back from the washout, so that an unnamed salmon stream which presently crosses under the old road through a culvert, would be restored.

I had been an environmentalist since the early 70's, but not any more. I am a conservationist now and very careful about which groups I support.

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+ About the effort to rebuild the historic Dosewallips River Trail.

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