Ask DSL to mow and not spray the roads in the Elliott!
West Fork Millicoma River (photo M Farinacci)
The Oregon Department of State Lands recently published a notification of a plan to do Roadside Herbicide Treatment in the Elliott State Forest. The notification was published through the Oregon Department of Forestry’s online Notification System. You can learn more about how to use FERNS on the Spray Free Coast website.
Across resource objectives, mechanical roadside treatment is a better alternative for public forest management. The use of herbicides is not necessary nor is it the best option for maintaining roadsides on public lands. The stream network in the Elliott is extensive and crosses the road network often, and the potential for herbicides to enter waterways and negatively impact endangered salmon and other species makes this option both undesirable and indefensible when there are other viable alternatives. The current plan for Elliott roadside spraying proposes to follow the OFPA requirements, which only leaves a 10 ft buffer around fishbearing streams and large wetlands – and no buffer along non-fishbearing streams (and the Elliott has many!). In addition to the risk of herbicides negatively impacting fish and wildlife, there is risk to the community as the Elliott is used frequently by the public for recreation and foraging of wild foods (often at easy-access locations, like roadsides). We are requesting that ODF treat roadside vegetation in the Elliott mechanically (e.g. with a mower/roadside brush cutter) instead of spraying herbicides.
Please weigh in! If you have an account on FERNS, visit the notification page and add a comment to the written plan that is attached. If you do not have a FERNS account or cannot create one (or if you’d like to contact DSL directly in addition to your FERNS comment), please send an email to Department of State Lands asking them to mow instead of spraying herbicides in the Elliott State Forest.
Ryan Singleton – Forester
(541) 388-6289
ryan.singleton@dsl.state.or.us
Amber McKernan – Property Manager
541-388-6345
Amber.McKernan@dsl.state.or.us
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Thank you for the years of support for the Elliott and our coastal rain forests,
Coast Range Forest Watch volunteers
Coast Range Forest Watch 