In the excerpt below, The Eastside Journal's coverage suggests
that recreational access will continue. Read the whole story at:
http://www.eastsidejournal.com/sited/story/html/79773
Kent Lufkin
With more than 4,000 miles of logging roads, the Snoqualmie Tree Farm is often used by hunters, anglers, hikers and other recreationers. In recent years, the company has closed off access to many of the roads and begun charging $50 a year for permits allowing access to the restricted areas.
Evergreen Forest Trust will continue to allow public use of the land, just as Federal Way-based Weyerhaeuser did.
Bob Everitt, regional director for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife at its Mill Creek office, described the Weyerhaeuser land as low elevation forest that is rich in wildlife.
A few of the endangered species found on the property include chinook salmon, bull trout, bald eagles and peregrine falcons.
Hunters are attracted by black-tailed deer, some elk, grouse, ducks, black bear and a few cougars. Sport fishing catches include salmon, steelhead and rainbow trout.
The land is also home to more than 100 species of forest birds, Everitt said, including woodpeckers, hawks and owls, and smaller birds such as wrens, nuthatches and finches. Four-legged animals include raccoons, porcupines, beaver, rabbits and voles.
In addition to recreational uses, Everitt said the area likely supports small commercial activities such as mushroom hunting and collecting native plants for landscaping.
"There's not a lot of rare and endangered species in the area, but it's just a good example of Cascade forest," Everitt said. "We hope the new owners are amenable to allowing traditional uses to continue."
Gerry Johnson, president of Evergreen Forest Trust, said his organization is likely to make few changes in the current public use policy.
"We expect to continue Weyerhaeuser's policy of public access to the property." he said. "I can't imagine it will be any more restrictive than Weyerhaeuser's."
