Klamath Falls, Ore. – The Klamath County commissioners say they want nothing to do with a proposal to expand wilderness areas around Crater Lake National Park.
The proposal by Oregon Wild would designate an additional 780 square miles of wilderness in and around Crater Lake.
But, the Klamath County commissioners are against the concept.
Commissioner Kelley Minty Morris read the proposed resolution: “And we, the Klamath County board of commissioners, support and continue to enjoy Crater Lake National Park, but strongly oppose Oregon Wild’s proposal to designate a 500,000 acre Crater Lake wilderness area.”
The commissioners say 58% of Klamath County is already under government management.
They also have concerns about wildfire management, and public access to those lands.
Commissioner Jim Bellet read a letter in opposition from the Crescent Lake Community Action Team: “The proposed wilderness area appears to be an extreme and irrational response to the permitting process.”
Oregon Wild claims the additional wilderness would benefit the county financially through more tourism.
But in the end, the commissioners unanimously passed their resolution in opposition.
You’ll find a link to the Oregon Wild proposal online at www.oregonwild.org
In other action, the commissioners voted to apply for a 6 thousand dollar wolf depredation grant through the Oregon Department of Agriculture.
The money would be used for non-lethal ways to discourage and prevent attacks by wild wolves.
A Klamath County rancher lost a calf to a wolf attack about a month ago.
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