Mt. Hood Wilderness Expansion

Letter from the Mazamas to Senator Ron Wyden

February 16, 2004
 
Senator Ron Wyden
700 NE Multnomah Street, Suite 450
Portland, Oregon 97232
 
Dear Senator Wyden,
 
The Mazamas is a 3,000-member organization that was founded on the summit of Mt. Hood in 1894.  We are Oregonians who come from all walks of life, and we have been climbing Mt. Hood and recreating on its slopes and in the Columbia Gorge for over 100 years.  One of our mission statements is to encourage the preservation of forests and mountain scenery in their natural beauty.
 
To that effect, we believe that protection of the remaining wild, roadless forests surrounding Mount Hood is essential for a robust economy and the maintenance of the wonderful quality of life we currently enjoy.  These forests produce bountiful clean water and air, provide habitat for native wildlife, and offer unmatched recreational opportunities to residents and visitors alike.  We have a responsibility to protect these unspoiled forest lands as an enduring legacy for future generations.
 
With over four million recreation days a year, Mount Hood’s forests not only provide renowned natural scenery, they also support hundreds of jobs which sustain the surrounding communities.  Pristine drinking water from Alder Creek is the largest revenue item for the city of Sandy, and Crystal Springs provides the base for the Hood River Valley’s thriving agricultural industry.  By itself, elk hunting translates into almost a million dollars spent annually in our local stores, hotels and restaurants.  The Mazamas provides outdoor recreation schools and training on the slopes of Mt. Hood, and we have a lodge on the southern flank of Mt. Hood that provides hospitality for thousands of mountain visitors every year.  These sources of revenue are not only sustainable, they are growing.
 
We believe that clean water, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities, and the economic benefits provided by these qualities must be preserved for future generations.  Not since 1984 has a large forest Wilderness bill been passed.  The Mazamas urges you to preserve the forests, and our way of life, by permanently protecting all roadless forests 1,000 acres and larger identified in the Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Proposal. 
 
Sincerely,
 
 
John Youngman, President
 
cc: Representative Greg Walden
    Representative Earl Blumenauer
    Representative Darlene Hooley