Efforts to preserve Oregon pine forest as park site fail

Christian Science Monitor
April 6th, 1936

Medford, Ore. - Another section of the ponderosa and sugar pine forest along the Crater Lake highway near here will be cut into lumber. The property has been sold by the Rogue River Timber Company to the Lewis Brothers Lumber Company of Prospect.

The sale ends more than a year of fruitless dickering with state and federal agencies eager to preserve the timber for its scenic value. The pine, 320 acres of which are involved in the present transaction, lines both sides of the highway near the Crater Lake National Park boundary.

At the time of a previous sale of 120 acres of timber in 1934, the chambers of commerce of Medford, Ashland, Roseburg, Grants Pass and Klamath Falls met jointly and petitioned Governor Martin to urge the forest service to negotiate for an exchange of government-owned timber for the stand, but nothing approaching an acceptable offer was received from the forest service, the owners stated.

Hoping to save the forest, local civic organizations have appealed to the Northwest Regional Planning Commission for support. About $500,000 would be required to purchase the land for a state park, commissioners have found. It would comprise about 5000 acres. Even efforts to save strips of the trees alongside the highway have been in vain. A mill is being erected to saw the giant trees into lumber.