Expansion of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

Expansion of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

Last Thursday President Obama expanded the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Southern Oregon and Northern California by 42,000 acres. Oregon’s Congressman Greg Walden said in a statement, “With this designation, the outgoing administration is locking up more of our public lands through a process that cut out many in the surrounding communities.’

 

Oregon Cattlemen’s Association Executive Director Jerome Rosa said that during a recent tour he took of the expansion area it was apparent that locking this land up in a monument will only increase the chances that it will burn.

 

Rosa: “There is old growth there, knee-high wild oats growing — a lot of feed in a beautiful area that is a fire-prone area. Lots of fires have happened there in the past and it is a lightening strike away from going up in flames.”

 

There is some private property within the expanded acres. Rosa continues with what usually happens when ranchers have land with national monument areas

 

Rosa: “What happens is access gets reduced or the roads don’t stay maintained or improved or the gates are locked. So they can’t access their property. So the government makes the promise they will buy from willing sellers. People end up selling for pennies on the dollar because they can’t access their property to graze it, log it or make any improvements. Not only that but it removes this property from the tax roles.”

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