Even horses say, “Save the Metolius from destination resorts”

It was a quiet day on the Metolius River in central Oregon yesterday. Well, all the days are. Cell phone reception is blessedly non-existent. The Bend Bulletin was way late in being delivered to the Camp Sherman store, so I biked two miles from our cabin for nothing.

Which was just fine with me. "Nothing" on the Metolius is far, far better than the everything that clutters the mind and heart out in the unnatural world.

We biked down to the end of the road in the afternoon. I stood for quite a while tuning into this horse standing in a beautiful Ponderosa filled pasture. Eventually I got the message: "Save the Metolius from destination resorts."

My sentiments exactly.

Senate Bill 30 is still alive and kicking in the Oregon legislature. It would prohibit destination resorts within three miles of the Metolius basin. Save the Metolius.org has the details. Including how to tell legislators that some special places absolutely have to be off limits to greed-based development.

As Sen. Ben Westlund says so eloquently, the Metolius is one of those places. If you don't believe him, browse some of the 213 letters (and counting) sent to a Central Oregon Landwatch blog in support of Senate Bill 30.

They're passionate about keeping thousands of homes and tens of thousands of people from wrecking the fragile ecosystem of one of the most beautiful places on Earth. One posting on the blog is from me.

I've got a month-old granddaughter. She's growing up in Hollywood. A fine place, with beauties of its own. But I'm really looking forward to walking with her along the Metolius. An unspoiled Metolius.

A Metolius where the big entertainment of the afternoon is watching another horse scratch its butt against a tree trunk. We've got to preserve places like this for our children and grandchildren. We have to.

Take a moment, scroll down this page, and find email addresses for Oregon state senators. Tell the leadership, and your senator if you live in Oregon, to pass Senate Bill 30.

You could mention that even the horses on the Metolius are saying, "We won't take naaayyyy for an answer."

Comments

[Rain]

I love the Metolius and have been going there since I was in my teens. I definitely want it saved but have you ever thought that to truly save the Metolius, to keep it natural, perhaps camping should be moved back from the river and all cabins on government forest land should be removed? That's been done in a few natural areas where the government decided that they were damaging the water with septic tanks, with run off and the owners of the cabins had so long to remove them. I have a feeling at that price, you'd not want it saved at all.

[Brian]

Rain, what you suggest seemingly is akin to removing dams on what once was a free-flowing river. Like restoring the Hetch Hetchy valley in California.

But it's not quite the same on the Metolius. And I'm not saying that just because we're part owners of a forest service cabin.

Those cabins have been along stretches of the Metolius since early in the last century. Many are wonderfully charming. Strict rules govern their use and look.

I don't find that they take away much from the natural feel of the river. Certainly no more so than the many campgrounds along the river, some of which are filled with large white motor homes that look much less natural than a log cabin.

The forest service recently re-negotiated lease terms for the cabins. This included a septic tank inspection. If a septic system wasn't up to snuff, it had to be replaced or fixed.

You're right--some of the older cabins had pretty decrepit septic systems. Until recently, there even were some outhouses along the river. But no more.

So the forest service cabins are pretty darn respectful of the river.

[Rain]

Perhaps and I don't mind how they look either, but if we are talking natural, they'd have to go. In Arizona there have been places where the Forest Service did just that-- told the owners they had so long to get them off. Their place along the river can be reevaluated at any time-- likewise where campgrounds are placed. I have enjoyed camping along the river, like the sound of the river from staying there but it's not natural; and if we go pushing natural, the real natural is move everything back from the river. Those cabins haven't been there any longer than some in the Santa Ritas in Arizona had been. They are a lease, not an ownership. At one time they planted fish in the Metolius too which they no longer do to give the wild fish more chance to grow. At one time you could walk right down to where the Metolius comes right out of the ground-- I'm old enough to remember doing that. Things can change if someone wants total back to the nature. and if your real concern is for the river, you'd be open to that, right? *s*

[Kirscha]

What's the connection with the proposed destination resort and the metelious River. It is too far to have any impact except more visitors.

It's interesting how as long as someone has what they want they are happy with keeping everyone else away.

Yes it is a beautiful place, but to try to keep everyone else out is unfair. They should allow it to a managable size.

[answer to kirscha]

One connection between the destination resorts with their thousansds of homes and golf courses is the water. If you visit Senator Westlund's site you will find a letter from the U.S. Department of the Interior stating that the additional wells will most likely reduce the water flow at the headwater springs. There has been testimony that the large proposed resort will use two times the water used by the whole City of Redmond. So if you want the Metolius to remain, you need to contact your representative and get SB 30 passed without further amendments.