Class 1 Electric bikes are a constantly growing category of the bicycle industry. As Oregon, the NFS, and many other states evaluates Class 1 emtb's and allow them in more and more places, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. Choosing to be on the side of when sooner than later will only encourage people to find more value of the trail areas they have locally, encouraging them to be more active and participant in maintaining and caring for those spaces.
Brandon C.
01/13/2023
I would like to see more miles of trails connecting the different parts of the forest together, with also some more technical trails, as well as more trail name signage. It wouldn’t hurt to add in some more Trail run races also, like a 50 or 100 mile race. Thank you in advance! :)
Carolyn S. Powers
11/07/2022
It is extremely frustrating to be trying to make my words reach someone and have an impact! No matter what is said or done, no matter the truth of research or studies, your forestry management does not change.
Time after time, in the 18 years I've lived here, the results of a "new study" would be publicized, saying that selective cutting is more economical and far more ecologically sound. But nothing changes. The clear cutting goes on, without regard to the age of the trees being mowed down.
Our University is a place where young people come to be prepared for learned and responsible jobs in the greater world. Our forestry department has a lineage of worthy names, with Starker leading the list. How ignoble that the behaviour of today is unworthy of those names. How chilling that the students are being trained in acts and behavior that belies the latest science. We can expect no turning away from the old, take-what-you-can-get actions of the past.
Or words mean nothing, our protests are not heard or honored. What will it take to have an HONESTLY open public hearing? This is OUR university, therefore, OUR forest and we have a right to be heard.
Cary Stephens
02/23/2023
A primary focus should be given to trails that complete a network so that users can avoid logging roads as much as possible. A handful of trails should be dedicated to more advanced users. These trails could be more primitive in nature and would require less maintenance. Making a connection across the sheep farm to allow users to gain access to Oak Creek without driving to the Oak Creek trailhead would lessen trailhead congestion and conflicts with area residents.
Colleen Llewellyn
10/25/2024
I have been an avid trail runner, hiker, and mountain biker in the McDonald and Dunn forests for many years. I am opposed to the use of e-bikes in the forest. In the past year I have personally seen e-bikes in the Mac/Dunn forest on several occasions. I'm sure it is difficult to enforce the current rules. What has happened as a result of the e-bikes and an increase in mountain biking overall is an increase to the damage to the trail surfaces, even during dry periods. Many of the trails, especially the steeper trails, the tread surface has loosened as a result of bike wheels sliding downhill. This has made them slick to navigate both up and down while hiking/running. The use of e-bikes has and will further exaggerate this damage as it will take less effort and will be less time consuming to make multiple runs. Additionally, e-biking has added to negative trail interactions between hikers/runners and bikers. Full head helmets and screaming downhill speed combined with the ability to make many runs each trip has already contributed to scary trail interactions and this will get worse if restrictions are lifted. If enforcing current restrictions is difficult, creating and enforcing a set of complex rules that restrict e-bike power levels and styles will be impossible. Those challenges essentially mean that reduced restrictions to e-bikes is the same as allowing the use of motorcycles on the trails (just quieter ones that can sneak up on unsuspecting wildlife and people at breakneck speeds) The Mac/Dunn Forest is my favorite resource in Corvallis. Thank you for making this resource available to all of us. And please keep it a peaceful, happy place for people and wildlife by maintaining restrictions on motorized bikes. If you have any questions or want people to participate in public forums on this topic, I'd be happy to help. Kind regards, Colleen Llewellyn
Dave Taylor
01/13/2023
I enjoy hiking and running in these forests, and have volunteered to help do trail maintenance. Please allow people to enjoy these trails in the forest.
Deborah Carey
11/07/2022
For so long now, the business as usual model for Oregon forestry was the "working forest”. It provided jobs, and targeted actively managing our Douglas Fir habitat. It also denuded the state of 90% of our old growth. Now we are inside our earth’s climate crisis. Making the needed paradigm shift is painful and unnerving, it goes against the prevailing invested economy. Nevertheless, the film Elemental which I just saw at the Darkside, highlights that old growth forests sequester more carbon than any other approach. Scientists studied and proved this fact in our own Oregon forests. And the current extreme forest fire danger exacerbates our forest loss. Will your policies follow Oregon science? Now is past time to prioritize ecological values, research, and education. We have so little time left to make a difference, even a small one. You are a large and scientific educational institution. OSU could lead in this approach. It should. It must.
Delores Porch
11/06/2022
The Community Listening Sessions on management planning for the McDonald and Dunn Research Forests is so discouraging. I thought I would get to hear from a wide range of people, but instead I was to be delegated to a zoom group. If it's a listening session then everyone should get to listen to all available people.
Don Kuhns
11/07/2022
I am a 24 year Corvallis resident who enjoys hiking in Mac Forest and appreciate the many trails available to the public. I also care for the health of this planet and in particular the amazing diverse and carbon capturing forests of the NW. Given the immense danger of the climate crisis and the steep decline of biodiversity, the ability of the forests of the NW for capturing vast amounts of carbon and slowing the loss of biodiversity becomes critically important. Your seemly lack of interest to hear the intelligent and diverse voices of this community, including the OSU community, is disheartening and disappointing. I urge you to prioritize carbon capture, ecological values, research, and education in your forest plan that has taken a back seat to managing the forest for profit. You have an immense opportunity to lead on this and become a model for forest management that takes into account the holistic value of Forests that changes the paradigm for managing for profit.
Ellie Cates
06/05/2024
I am writing to express my concern regarding the detrimental impact that clearcutting and industrial forestry has had and continues to have on the mental health and wellbeing of our community. There is a critically tight bond between the responsible preservation of our old-growth forests and the economic health and mental wellbeing of our community members which I am uniquely able to observe as a mental health counselor. As a clinician working in this town, I can tell you that I am actively seeing this impacting my clients to a significant degree, and my colleagues in this community are observing these same trends. More clients are reaching out, distressed over heat waves and fires, questioning what the future will hold and what the world will look like with fewer trees and untouched green spaces. Our community is struggling to find a way forward that enables them to imagine a survivable and meaningful future, and the impact of OSU’s profit-oriented forest management and visible forest degradation only furthers this distress by threatening our home and wellbeing. We have to strongly consider the debilitating effects that environmental destruction - such as your 2019 old growth cutting- has on human health and wellness. Morbidity and mortality trends correlated to loss of forest land are not only deeply disturbing and harmful, they are also financially burdensome to communities. According to a study conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, In 2002, 100 million trees throughout the Midwest and Northeast were decimated by emerald ash borer. The counties that were hit by this suffered an additional 15,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease and 6,000 from lower respiratory diseases. As we can see with this example, the mental and physical health benefits we gain in immersing ourselves in undisturbed forests are astounding and awe-inspiring, and the negative effects of destruction of these green spaces will be just as vast. That you are actively engaging in this destructive forest management plan when you could so easily be a part of a mindful solution is absolutely shameful to me. You are choosing greed over community wellness and the worst part is, you have all the education, information, and resources to make a better choice and instead you choose ignorance. If you move forward with this plan and ignore the advocates who seek to protect these spaces, your legacy will be remembered as one of pride and community destruction rather than humility, innovation, and hope. I urge you to pause logging operations and incorporate a less problematic task force to focus on ecological sustainability and preservation within the McDonald-Dunn forest. Stop and consider that you have a choice here, one that can shift from causing harm and destruction to one which fosters hope and community wellness for current and future generations. I hope you will choose the right path. It is not too late, but soon it will be.
Eric Thompson
09/23/2022
Please increase your active forest management of the Mac/Dunn forest. As a neighboring timberland owner and active forester I am concerned that with all of the public multiple use you are allowing it is increasing the long term risks to our community.. As a research and demonstration forest active management and harvesting trees to support our school please continue to clear cut and actively lower fuels on your forests.OSU should aggressively engage in profitable harvest and fuel reduction work to keep our communities fire safe. As a user of the forest for recreation I see the number of community members that use the forest for recreation and applaud you for your multiuse efforts. Please don’t let your the community use get in the way of active management. I am hopeful through education and demonstration you can increase revenue to OSU, provide community recreation opportunities and make a fire safe neighbor to Corvallis and your rural neighbors.
Thank you for your leadership in forestry worldwide, please use the forest as the lab to drive new ideas and forest management for our nation.
Howard Bruner
11/07/2022
I appreciate the opportunity to voice my opinion concerning the fate of McDonald and Dunn Forests.
The planning and implementation of management of these forests is at a very critical juncture.
For decades Oregon State University has been in the vanguard of professional Forest Science. Both in performing far-ranging research and in applications of those results in forest management science. Some of the research findings have dealt with the importance of collaborative and thorough planning in order to meet with successful implementation of forest management goals.
What I am witnessing is an unfortunate throw-back to the days of cut-and-run, the model that resulted in catastrophic wildlife habitat destruction, slope destabilization, and non-sustainable yield goals. It seems to me that the current farce of inclusive participation in planning the future of McDonald and Dunn Forests will result in not only a flawed process but will jeopardize OSU's status as a forest management science leader.
This unfortunate them-vs-us reaction does nothing to strengthen the resilience of the McDonald and Dunn Forests which, with all voices heard, will be given every chance to thrive as the green jewel to the north.
Jasper Pollock
01/20/2023
As a trail runner, I would greatly enjoy more steep and technical trails. While the recent trails have been nice, they have way too many switchbacks and are not as fun to run or ride. Trails that are more direct and extreme would be a welcome addition.
My other request is to stop doing so many clear-cuts! You guys have been doing so many more than normal in recent years, and you are really destroying the forest for future generations. I am an OSU student and a young person, and witnessing firsthand the destruction of the forest that I love so much is heartbreaking. This is a research forest, and it was given to be preserved, not logged for profit. What you are doing is shameful and does not make me proud to be an OSU student.
Jukka Naukkarinen
11/07/2022
I am an Oregon forest owner and local tax payer. Please evaluate the following request:
Please conduct a long term research study of the environmental effects of pesticide/herbicide usage of forest. Presently EPA has not done any adequate long term study of the common approved chemicals used for spraying after logging operations. Hence your efforts would be beneficial nationwide. Also consider applying for state/federal grants for the said research.
Furthermore please do not cut down any further old growth forest. All your actions should have accountability and transparency and be a role model for your students, the future guardians of the forest.
Finally, State of Oregon is behind California and State of Washington in protecting its forest. Consequently, please make a list of improvements and modifications of law to better protect the forests of Orgon and provide the said list to appropriate law makers and Board of Forestry
Kyler
01/05/2023
I am a frequent recreational user of the Mac forest (i.e. 4-5x/week) and am extremely thankful to have it as a community resource. Thank you! I am also very involved with Team Dirt as a lead trail builder. I applaud the management plan committee for including "diverse recreational experiences" within the charter. The mountain biking, hiking, and trail running communities are extremely thankful for the trail creation projects we've been able to do the past ~5yrs (No Secret, Playtime, and now Login). These compliment well the other authorized trails in the trail network (which also includes some trails in the adjoining Starker forest, such as Word to Your Mother, As You Wish, and Narnia). All of these authorized trails are classified as either Green (Easy) or Blue (Intermediate). To improve upon the forest experience, and also be consistent with the charter for diverse experiences, it would be great to have more advanced trails. This could include adoption of legacy "unauthorized" trails, as well as new trail development.
I would suggest that the creation and/or adoption of advanced trails be trusted to Team Dirt to lead, with OSU oversight. OSU and Team Dirt have an excellent working relationship. Team Dirt has also established good relations with local running and hiking clubs, such as Heart of the Valley Runners, and we recruit from the same community for organized volunteer trail work days. We can establish goals, criteria, and timelines for creation and/or adoption of advanced trails, and add it to the fold of Team Dirt's current charter and mission.
As far as trail proximity to trailheads... for my community of Forest Users, Oak Creek Trailhead is by far the most popular due to amount and proximity to the lengthy downhill trails that we enjoy riding. Trail development around the Soap Creek trailhead would also be a great way to spread users out across more trailheads. It is clear that OSU does not desire the MacDunn to become a recreational "hot spot" attracting massive amounts of visitors. I think this is okay - it is nice to not have crowded trails and/or trailheads - but we can improve user experience by intentional trail development at multiple trailhead sites. This too would support well the diverse recreational experience charter.
Your consideration and continued support of recreation in the McDonald Dunn Forest are greatly appreciated. Thank you to the committee members for your leadership and service.
Lynn
05/12/2025
Hello! I formerly lived in WA state right up against the forest. We walked and rode horses through the forest regularly. We now live up against the forest in Oregon, which we greatly appreciate! I have noticed that in Oregon the forest has very few deciduous trees. The property we bought has a very small portion in forestry and was planted 40 years ago by the previous owner. It appears that they did not plant any deciduous trees within this little forest plot. Here is my observation as a forest lover, observer, and daily gardener: There are less birds and wildlife in the forest when there aren't any deciduous trees. There isn't any poop from the animals to add nutrients to the soil, which leaves nutrient deficient soil, which appears very dried out. In the last two years we limbed up all the forest trees (on our property) and let our horses graze throughout our little forest plot. This is also a practice within the forests in Canada where they have wild horses in the forest. I am not suggesting you add horses, but I do believe that adding deciduous trees, wildflowers or some other species would be beneficial to the forest and animals. Being a gardener and studying landscaping I was taught that having all of one species makes trees more susceptible to disease and we all have heard of companion planting for successful gardening. Anyhow-there is my observation from living amongst the forest for decades. Thank you for sharing and allowing us to enjoy the forest!
Marsha Swanson
11/06/2022
It is very important to stop managing the forest to maximize revenue. Combine the incredible research, knowledge and expertise of the many schools at the university to become a leader in forest management and preserving our planet.
Martha Truninger
11/06/2022
I have been a resident of Corvallis since 1981. Being a frequent visitor, I've loved and continue to love the McDonald-Dunn forest. Over the years the forest has been degraded mainly by logging. Many beautiful tracts have been ruined by clear cutting. I've been concerned about this degradation for years. Mary McDonald donated the forest with the intentions of research of which I have seen little of in the last decade. I'm concerned about OSU's use of the forest. There does not appear to be a prioritization of ecological values which should seek to maintain as much of an intact forest as possible. It appears with the continued pressure from logging that issues related to climate change are non-existent in the forest planning process.
These forests belong to the public. They are NOT a for profit asset to generate revenue. Therefore OSU needs to manage these forests with public and additional scientific input. OSU needs to become much more collaborative with other stakeholders, seeking their input and concerns.
Mike McKibbin
09/21/2022
My name is Mike Mckibbin and I graduated from the college of Forestry in 1995. I now work as the Director of Western Resources for Stimson Lumber Company. The McDonald Dunn Forest is an important part of the forestry program at OSU serving as a living laboratory to enhance the experience of the student body. Recently there has been a lot of concern around active management of the area from surrounding landowners and the environmental movement. I would encourage the College of Forestry to continue to grow and harvest trees on the forest in a sustainable way to enhance the learning opportunities of the students. That has always been the mission and vision of this land. Harvesting timber is an important part of the learning process and was a critical part of my experience at Oregon State. Please do not underestimate the importance of this to the forestry program or the role it plays in our industry. For many students, like me, this is the first opportunity they have to see and learn about the virtues of intensive forest management.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Peter Hewitt
02/24/2023
To whom it may concern, I moved to Corvallis 19 months ago to retire. I chose Corvallis, and I have not been disappointed, not in the least. If I were to wish, which we often do despite ourselves, I would wish for the correlate of a running track in the woods, for cyclists. This would be a loop that is both particularly well surfaced for bicycling, as smooth as Lower Dan’s, and wide enough to allow one cyclist to pass another at least every 100 meters, if not continuously. This would provide a social infrastructure for people who might like to see more cyclists, and to give cyclists a space in which to go fast without risk of offending pedestrians, equestrians, other cyclists. I imagine a loop of about 4km, with a suggested direction of travel, and perhaps 100 meters of vertical. I might just hang out there, watching those training go by. This would not be a loop for advanced mountain bikers but rather for low-skilled and/or road riders who want to train hard in the woods, away from vehicles. Thank you for reading, for your interest. Respectfully, Peter Hewitt, Corvallis
Reed Wilson
10/25/2024
Committee Members: Re: Red Tree Voles - Katie Moriarty of NCASI supplied a link to a graduate thesis by Jason T. Piasecki titled ""Red Tree Voles in Fragmented Forests"": The following quotation is from the Abstract. "The probability of tree vole nest persistence was highest 0.98 (95% CI 0.81, 0.99) in old forests where nests were more cryptic and often associated with stable microsites (e.g., cavities). Persistence was lower 0.90 (95% CI 0.79, 0.95) and more variable in young forest and was positively correlated to nest volume... I did not detect any recently occupied tree vole nests more than 1,649m from the nearest patch of old forest.... I recorded interspecific tree vole nest use by other arboreal species at a higher frequency in young forest than in old forest suggesting possible competition for nesting space in young forests." Jason concluded that ""young stands within 1,425m of old forest patches contributed to tree vole occupancy and modest levels of tree vole nest density. Given the results of my research, I conclude that young forest can augment, expand, and/or connect habitat for red tree voles in the Oregon Coast Range."" Here, the word ""connect"" is essential. Although tree voles can occupy young stands, the chances of persistence are greater in old forest. In order for tree vole populations to adapt to changing climate conditions by exchanging genetics, corridors maintaining canopy connection should be plotted through younger forest between adjacent older stands, and special consideration should be given to managing for nest substrates in younger forests. Reed Wilson
Reed Wilson
10/30/2022
In the minutes of a 2022 OSU Board of Trustees meeting. the topic was the acquisition of the Elliott State Forest as research forest for OSU's College of Forestry. I noted a statement that no commercial logging occurred in the Elliott State Forest after 2013.
This is why: the Endangered Species Act. A group of concerned citizens were certified as surveyors for marbled murrelets, a fish-eating seabird that flies inland to nest on the wide mossy limbs of old growth trees. Marbled murrelets are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act due to habitat fragmentation caused by commercial logging. At the time, the Oregon Department of Forestry had some two dozen timber sales planned in the Elliott. The citizen surveyors conducted pre-dawn surveys in and near proposed timber sales in the Elliott and sighted numerous marbled murrelets exhibiting nesting behavior.
Subsequently conservation groups banded together and filed an ESA lawsuit against the state. The lawsuit was successful, and the state was forced to withdraw all timber sales in the Elliott.
This was the beginning of a years long process that culminated in the OSU College of Forestry acquiring management of the Elliott as a research forest, after numerous meetings of the State Land Board, and the testimony of hundreds of citizens advocating conservation of older forests.
Red tree voles are one of nearly three hundred old growth associated species whose habitat has been severely fragmented by commercial logging, and are listed under the Survey and Manage program of the Northwest Forest Plan for federal lands as a Category C, requiring ten acre buffers for documented nest sites.
Red tree voles and flying squirrels are arboreal mammals that live and nest in the forest canopy, and are primary food sources for northern spotted owls. US Fish and Wildlife has issued a statement that red tree voles are on the candidate list for consideration as threatened or endangered in the North Coast Region, which includes McDonald-Dunn. If the north coast population of tree voles is listed under the Endangered Species Act, it will be essential for the College of Forestry to take steps to protect populations. Without pre-disturbance surveys, this would be impossible. Surveys would be required to protocol in or near harvest stands before logging could proceed.
Red tree vole populations may exist in the few remaining stands of old growth forest in McDonald-Dunn. To satisfy the requirement of the ESA that agencies take steps not only for the protection of listed species, but to aid in their recovery, it would be prudent of the College of Forestry not only to conduct surveys for red tree voles, but to conserve corridors between existing islands of suitable habitat, and allow red tree voles to exchange genetics and adapt to changing climate conditions. This would have the side benefit of connecting old forest reserves in Mcdonald-Dunn for all old growth associated species, and allowing existing stands to continue absorbing greenhouse gases to mitigate climate change.
Commercial logging is the single greatest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon. In the Oregon Legislature, Senate Bill 1534 was introduced in the 2022 short session, which "Establishes state policy to increase net carbon sequestration and storage in natural and working lands and waters." In 2022, SB 1534 was relegated to the Ways and Means Committee before adjournment with a recommendation by the Senate President "Do pass, with amendments". If SB 1534 passes in the 2023 session, OSU, as a state entity, should have a complete carbon inventory and analysis of the capacity for carbon storage of the research forests in place beforehand, and taylor new management plans to increase sequestration.
Reed Wilson
10/18/2024
Having listened to a segment of the SAC meeting on Sept. 25, I heard an indication that red tree vole populations can persist in 30 to 50 year old forests, and a reference to a certain "red tree vole expert". Please email me with the name of the expert referred to. Red tree voles rely on closed canopy condition for dispersal. They avoid predation by traveling from limb to limb through the canopy. The reproductive rates of red tree voles are dependent on the presence of suitable nest substrates - old growth trees with large limbs, cavities, brokentops, hollow limbs, forked tops and other defects. Red tree voles can disperse from mature and old growth stands into adjacent stands, if suitable defects are present in younger trees to serve as nest platforms, but population density and the success of persistence is inversely proportional to distance from older forest. In addition, the edge effect created by harvest exposes tree voles to a higher incidence of predation by raptors. Red tree voles are a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act in the North Coast Range, including McDonald Dunn. The destructive impacts of commercial logging on red tree vole populations have been the basis for successful lawsuits by environmental groups, including a legal challenge to the BLM's North Fork Overlook project on Mary's Peak. It would be prudent of the COF to protect habitat for red tree voles in McDonald Dunn, rather than rely on patented misinformation to facilitate increased harvest levels. Reed Wilson Benton Forest Coalition Northwest Ecosystem Survey Team
Sandy Kuhns
11/08/2022
I am a 24 year Corvallis resident who enjoys hiking in Mac Forest and appreciate the many trails available to the public. I also care for the health of this planet and in particular the amazing diverse and carbon capturing forests of the NW. Given the immense danger of the climate crisis and the steep decline of biodiversity, the ability of the forests of the NW for capturing vast amounts of carbon and slowing the loss of biodiversity becomes critically important. It seems to me that Oregon State would want to be a leader in the fight against climate change. What I see is a lack of interest,desire,hope,to your community. One person cannot fight this climate battle alone,but having the backing of an educational institution fighting for climate awareness is very helpful. Your seemly lack of interest to hear the intelligent and diverse voices of this community, including the OSU community, is disheartening and disappointing. I urge you to prioritize carbon capture, ecological values, research, and education in your forest plan that has taken a back seat to managing the forest for profit. You have an immense opportunity to lead on this and become a model for forest management that takes into account the holistic value of Forests that changes the paradigm for managing for profit.
Tim Martin
09/21/2022
My name is Tim Martin. I am both a proud OSU COF Alum ('14) and the forester/ log buyer for Murphy Company's Foster Veneer Plant in Sweet Home, Oregon. I've
spent time in the McDonald Dunn Research Forest since 2009 as a student, as a recreating Corvallis resident, and as professional forester bidding on timber. The
McDonald Dunn is special because it's able to provide research opportunities, educational opportunities, recreation, and fantastic timber. It is a Research Forest. It is not a State Park, nor is it an industrial tree farm. This forest is where I learned how to be a forester, where I mountain biked, where I hike with my family, and most importantly, the McDonald Dunn has been a source of timber for the mill that employs me, jobs for local loggers that I personally care about, and a source revenue for the forest and school that I love.
It is not news that the forest industry in Oregon is facing a major challenge with labor and timber supply going forward. The industry is struggling to attract young leaders and the Private Forest Accord, ODF HCP, and the catastrophic effects of the Labor Day 2020 fires are combining to create a major timber supply problem for local mills, particularly mills that require an older log to create engineered products such as laminated veneer lumber, cross laminated timber beams, and stress tested lumber. The McDonald Dunn's timber program has been a reliable source of timber for local mills that desperately need it. I arrived at OSU not knowing the difference between a Doug-fir and a pine tree. The timber management and logging done on the McDonald Dunn showed me not only what sustainable forestry was, but that a career in sustainable forestry is exciting, challenging, and rewarding. I urge you to keep timber production as a main objective for the McDonald Dunn Research Forest because the local economy relies on the high quality timber and the industry needs the forest to continue inspiring young students to pursue careers in forestry. The students need to see logging first hand. They need to see the engineering, silviculture, and science that goes into making the wood products that Oregonians love and use everyday in their homes and hobbies. OSU is a leader in forestry and it's vital that the students and members of the Corvallis community see timber management done correctly. They need to see the whole process, from seedling to harvest, in order to understand that sustainable forestry is part of Oregon's future, not its past.
Class 1 Electric bikes are a constantly growing category of the bicycle industry. As Oregon, the NFS, and many other states evaluates Class 1 emtb's and allow them in more and more places, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. Choosing to be on the side of when sooner than later will only encourage people to find more value of the trail areas they have locally, encouraging them to be more active and participant in maintaining and caring for those spaces.
I would like to see more miles of trails connecting the different parts of the forest together, with also some more technical trails, as well as more trail name signage. It wouldn’t hurt to add in some more Trail run races also, like a 50 or 100 mile race. Thank you in advance! :)
A primary focus should be given to trails that complete a network so that users can avoid logging roads as much as possible. A handful of trails should be dedicated to more advanced users. These trails could be more primitive in nature and would require less maintenance. Making a connection across the sheep farm to allow users to gain access to Oak Creek without driving to the Oak Creek trailhead would lessen trailhead congestion and conflicts with area residents.
I have been an avid trail runner, hiker, and mountain biker in the McDonald and Dunn forests for many years. I am opposed to the use of e-bikes in the forest. In the past year I have personally seen e-bikes in the Mac/Dunn forest on several occasions. I'm sure it is difficult to enforce the current rules. What has happened as a result of the e-bikes and an increase in mountain biking overall is an increase to the damage to the trail surfaces, even during dry periods. Many of the trails, especially the steeper trails, the tread surface has loosened as a result of bike wheels sliding downhill. This has made them slick to navigate both up and down while hiking/running. The use of e-bikes has and will further exaggerate this damage as it will take less effort and will be less time consuming to make multiple runs.
Additionally, e-biking has added to negative trail interactions between hikers/runners and bikers. Full head helmets and screaming downhill speed combined with the ability to make many runs each trip has already contributed to scary trail interactions and this will get worse if restrictions are lifted. If enforcing current restrictions is difficult, creating and enforcing a set of complex rules that restrict e-bike power levels and styles will be impossible. Those challenges essentially mean that reduced restrictions to e-bikes is the same as allowing the use of motorcycles on the trails (just quieter ones that can sneak up on unsuspecting wildlife and people at breakneck speeds)
The Mac/Dunn Forest is my favorite resource in Corvallis. Thank you for making this resource available to all of us. And please keep it a peaceful, happy place for people and wildlife by maintaining restrictions on motorized bikes. If you have any questions or want people to participate in public forums on this topic, I'd be happy to help. Kind regards, Colleen Llewellyn
I enjoy hiking and running in these forests, and have volunteered to help do trail maintenance. Please allow people to enjoy these trails in the forest.
For so long now, the business as usual model for Oregon forestry was the "working forest”. It provided jobs, and targeted actively managing our Douglas Fir habitat. It also denuded the state of 90% of our old growth. Now we are inside our earth’s climate crisis. Making the needed paradigm shift is painful and unnerving, it goes against the prevailing invested economy. Nevertheless, the film Elemental which I just saw at the Darkside, highlights that old growth forests sequester more carbon than any other approach. Scientists studied and proved this fact in our own Oregon forests. And the current extreme forest fire danger exacerbates our forest loss. Will your policies follow Oregon science? Now is past time to prioritize ecological values, research, and education. We have so little time left to make a difference, even a small one. You are a large and scientific educational institution. OSU could lead in this approach. It should. It must.
The Community Listening Sessions on management planning for the McDonald and Dunn Research Forests is so discouraging. I thought I would get to hear from a wide range of people, but instead I was to be delegated to a zoom group. If it's a listening session then everyone should get to listen to all available people.
I am a 24 year Corvallis resident who enjoys hiking in Mac Forest and appreciate the many trails available to the public. I also care for the health of this planet and in particular the amazing diverse and carbon capturing forests of the NW. Given the immense danger of the climate crisis and the steep decline of biodiversity, the ability of the forests of the NW for capturing vast amounts of carbon and slowing the loss of biodiversity becomes critically important. Your seemly lack of interest to hear the intelligent and diverse voices of this community, including the OSU community, is disheartening and disappointing. I urge you to prioritize carbon capture, ecological values, research, and education in your forest plan that has taken a back seat to managing the forest for profit. You have an immense opportunity to lead on this and become a model for forest management that takes into account the holistic value of Forests that changes the paradigm for managing for profit.
I am writing to express my concern regarding the detrimental impact that clearcutting and industrial forestry has had and continues to have on the mental health and wellbeing of our community. There is a critically tight bond between the responsible preservation of our old-growth forests and the economic health and mental wellbeing of our community members which I am uniquely able to observe as a mental health counselor. As a clinician working in this town, I can tell you that I am actively seeing this impacting my clients to a significant degree, and my colleagues in this community are observing these same trends. More clients are reaching out, distressed over heat waves and fires, questioning what the future will hold and what the world will look like with fewer trees and untouched green spaces. Our community is struggling to find a way forward that enables them to imagine a survivable and meaningful future, and the impact of OSU’s profit-oriented forest management and visible forest degradation only furthers this distress by threatening our home and wellbeing. We have to strongly consider the debilitating effects that environmental destruction - such as your 2019 old growth cutting- has on human health and wellness. Morbidity and mortality trends correlated to loss of forest land are not only deeply disturbing and harmful, they are also financially burdensome to communities. According to a study conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, In 2002, 100 million trees throughout the Midwest and Northeast were decimated by emerald ash borer. The counties that were hit by this suffered an additional 15,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease and 6,000 from lower respiratory diseases. As we can see with this example, the mental and physical health benefits we gain in immersing ourselves in undisturbed forests are astounding and awe-inspiring, and the negative effects of destruction of these green spaces will be just as vast. That you are actively engaging in this destructive forest management plan when you could so easily be a part of a mindful solution is absolutely shameful to me. You are choosing greed over community wellness and the worst part is, you have all the education, information, and resources to make a better choice and instead you choose ignorance. If you move forward with this plan and ignore the advocates who seek to protect these spaces, your legacy will be remembered as one of pride and community destruction rather than humility, innovation, and hope. I urge you to pause logging operations and incorporate a less problematic task force to focus on ecological sustainability and preservation within the McDonald-Dunn forest. Stop and consider that you have a choice here, one that can shift from causing harm and destruction to one which fosters hope and community wellness for current and future generations. I hope you will choose the right path. It is not too late, but soon it will be.
Hello! I formerly lived in WA state right up against the forest. We walked and rode horses through the forest regularly. We now live up against the forest in Oregon, which we greatly appreciate! I have noticed that in Oregon the forest has very few deciduous trees. The property we bought has a very small portion in forestry and was planted 40 years ago by the previous owner. It appears that they did not plant any deciduous trees within this little forest plot. Here is my observation as a forest lover, observer, and daily gardener: There are less birds and wildlife in the forest when there aren't any deciduous trees. There isn't any poop from the animals to add nutrients to the soil, which leaves nutrient deficient soil, which appears very dried out. In the last two years we limbed up all the forest trees (on our property) and let our horses graze throughout our little forest plot. This is also a practice within the forests in Canada where they have wild horses in the forest. I am not suggesting you add horses, but I do believe that adding deciduous trees, wildflowers or some other species would be beneficial to the forest and animals. Being a gardener and studying landscaping I was taught that having all of one species makes trees more susceptible to disease and we all have heard of companion planting for successful gardening. Anyhow-there is my observation from living amongst the forest for decades. Thank you for sharing and allowing us to enjoy the forest!
It is very important to stop managing the forest to maximize revenue. Combine the incredible research, knowledge and expertise of the many schools at the university to become a leader in forest management and preserving our planet.
To whom it may concern, I moved to Corvallis 19 months ago to retire. I chose Corvallis, and I have not been disappointed, not in the least. If I were to wish, which we often do despite ourselves, I would wish for the correlate of a running track in the woods, for cyclists. This would be a loop that is both particularly well surfaced for bicycling, as smooth as Lower Dan’s, and wide enough to allow one cyclist to pass another at least every 100 meters, if not continuously. This would provide a social infrastructure for people who might like to see more cyclists, and to give cyclists a space in which to go fast without risk of offending pedestrians, equestrians, other cyclists. I imagine a loop of about 4km, with a suggested direction of travel, and perhaps 100 meters of vertical. I might just hang out there, watching those training go by. This would not be a loop for advanced mountain bikers but rather for low-skilled and/or road riders who want to train hard in the woods, away from vehicles. Thank you for reading, for your interest. Respectfully, Peter Hewitt, Corvallis
Committee Members: Re: Red Tree Voles - Katie Moriarty of NCASI supplied a link to a graduate thesis by Jason T. Piasecki titled ""Red Tree Voles in Fragmented Forests"":
The following quotation is from the Abstract.
"The probability of tree vole nest persistence was highest 0.98 (95% CI 0.81, 0.99) in old forests where nests were more cryptic and often associated with stable microsites (e.g., cavities). Persistence was lower 0.90 (95% CI 0.79, 0.95) and more variable in young forest and was positively correlated to nest volume... I did not detect any recently occupied tree vole nests more than 1,649m from the nearest patch of old forest.... I recorded interspecific tree vole nest use by other arboreal species at a higher frequency in young forest than in old forest suggesting possible competition for nesting space in young forests."
Jason concluded that ""young stands within 1,425m of old forest patches contributed to tree vole occupancy and modest levels of tree vole nest density. Given the results of my research, I conclude that young forest can augment, expand, and/or connect habitat for red tree voles in the Oregon Coast Range."" Here, the word ""connect"" is essential. Although tree voles can occupy young stands, the chances of persistence are greater in old forest. In order for tree vole populations to adapt to changing climate conditions by exchanging genetics, corridors maintaining canopy connection should be plotted through younger forest between adjacent older stands, and special consideration should be given to managing for nest substrates in younger forests.
Reed Wilson
Having listened to a segment of the SAC meeting on Sept. 25, I heard an indication that red tree vole populations can persist in 30 to 50 year old forests, and a reference to a certain "red tree vole expert". Please email me with the name of the expert referred to.
Red tree voles rely on closed canopy condition for dispersal. They avoid predation by traveling from limb to limb through the canopy. The reproductive rates of red tree voles are dependent on the presence of suitable nest substrates - old growth trees with large limbs, cavities, brokentops, hollow limbs, forked tops and other defects. Red tree voles can disperse from mature and old growth stands into adjacent stands, if suitable defects are present in younger trees to serve as nest platforms, but population density and the success of persistence is inversely proportional to distance from older forest. In addition, the edge effect created by harvest exposes tree voles to a higher incidence of predation by raptors.
Red tree voles are a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act in the North Coast Range, including McDonald Dunn. The destructive impacts of commercial logging on red tree vole populations have been the basis for successful lawsuits by environmental groups, including a legal challenge to the BLM's North Fork Overlook project on Mary's Peak. It would be prudent of the COF to protect habitat for red tree voles in McDonald Dunn, rather than rely on patented misinformation to facilitate increased harvest levels.
Reed Wilson
Benton Forest Coalition
Northwest Ecosystem Survey Team
I am a 24 year Corvallis resident who enjoys hiking in Mac Forest and appreciate the many trails available to the public. I also care for the health of this planet and in particular the amazing diverse and carbon capturing forests of the NW. Given the immense danger of the climate crisis and the steep decline of biodiversity, the ability of the forests of the NW for capturing vast amounts of carbon and slowing the loss of biodiversity becomes critically important. It seems to me that Oregon State would want to be a leader in the fight against climate change. What I see is a lack of interest,desire,hope,to your community. One person cannot fight this climate battle alone,but having the backing of an educational institution fighting for climate awareness is very helpful. Your seemly lack of interest to hear the intelligent and diverse voices of this community, including the OSU community, is disheartening and disappointing. I urge you to prioritize carbon capture, ecological values, research, and education in your forest plan that has taken a back seat to managing the forest for profit. You have an immense opportunity to lead on this and become a model for forest management that takes into account the holistic value of Forests that changes the paradigm for managing for profit.