Conservation Today

This is an interview with Daniel Robertson, attorney, historian, and former Douglas County Museum director. Daniel describes the Oregon and California Railroad land grants, now known as the O&C Lands managed by the Roseburg and Coos Bay BLM. Also described is the Coos Bay Wagon Road land grants. Both required the railroads to sell to settlers, but instead, the railroads started selling to timber companies. Daniel describes the abundant land-fraud deals in Oregon at the turn of the century, and how the O&C lands were revisited back to the U.S. Government. The 1937 O&C Act, one of our first conservation acts, required the BLM to manage these lands while protecting watersheds and providing for recreation.

Gabe Scott is in-house-council for Cascadia Wildlands, an environmental group that monitors public land projects in the Umpqua watershed, including the Elliott State Forest, Roseburg BLM, Coos Bay BLM, and the Umpqua National Forest. Gabe discusses the latest in managing these lands, including the rescue of the Elliott State Forest from being sold, types of logging on BLM lands, and how the Umpqua National Forest differs in their approach to managing our public forests. Near the end, Gabe also talks about the Jordan Cove Project and the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline. See https://www.cascwild.org/

This is Part two of our conversation with Shannon Applegate, in Yoncalla at the Applegate House, built by Shannon's ancestors in 1852 and still occupied by the Applegate family. We also talk with Christopher Ruiz, University of Oregon anthropologist, about his research on the Applegate grounds. Chris works with the Museum of Natural and Cultural history. We talk about the archeological finds from both Native Americans and the European settlement. Shannon talks about the Native Americans history before the arrival of the Applegate's, how disease impacted the tribes, and some of the wildlife present when the Applegate's first arrived and are no longer here.

The Applegate House Heritage Arts and Education, a 501(c)3 organization, is accepting donations to help fund the Applegate House archaeological work. Donations can be sent to 512 Old Applegate Road, Yoncalla, OR 97499.

Shannon talks about her newest book, Minus Tides, describing the world war 1 effort to extract giant sita spruce trees from Oregon's coastal mountains to build war planes. In the second half, Shannon takes about the Applegate family, her ancestors, and how they participated in the "great migration" bringing settlers and livestock to Oregon. Shannon describes why the Applegate trail was created and how her ancestors eventually settled in Yoncalla Oregon. She describes the native americans they encountered, and some of the changes in the ecosystem due to white settlements. She also describes how the Applegate house was built, why it was divided so men and women have different sides, and general pioneer life in the Applegate house. Christopher Ruiz, University of Oregon anthropologist, was present for this interview. Next week we will play the interview we had Chris in depth about his work.

Dr. Ken Carloni discusses the impacts of pre-European forest management with fire by Native Americans, and how forest management has changed through time. Ken talks about the importance of fire in the Umpqua watersheds, including fire impacts on wildlife and forest structure. He talks about how current forest management regimes could increase wildland fire impacts, and suggests how to change our logging practices to be more in harmony with nature.

Janet Moore is with the Coast Range Forest Watch. We talk about the campaign to save the Elliott State Forest by being certified to survey for Marbled Murrelets, a small seabird that depends on the Elliott for nesting. We also discuss other threats to the Oregon coast range, such as Coal Bed Methane, aerial herbicide spraying, and the problems with the low taxes paid by industrial private lands. For more information, see: https://coastrangeforestwatch.org/

Stuart, from Douglas County Global Warming Coalition, talks about the impacts of climate disruption in the pacific northwest, and about a bill in the Oregon legislature we all should support.

Peggy talks about volunteer efforts to rehabilitate injured and orphaned wildlife in Douglas County. She discusses the requirements volunteers need to best meet the needs of the wildlife, how to care for everything from birds to deer to bobcats. She also discusses the causes of wildlife injuries and how to prevent them. More information is found at www.umpquawildliferescue.org