Glenwood group heads east for forest management ideas
A group of Klickitat County residents headed back east recently to learn about forest management and protection.
The group, sponsored by the Mt. Adams Resource Stewards (MARS), went to sites throughout New England to learn how small, rural communities have protected working forest land.
Eleven community members from Glenwood and Trout Lake, as well as representatives from Columbia Land Trust and Underwood Conservation District, took part.
According to Jay McLaughlin, Executive Director of MARS, the goal was to “elevate the discussion of roles communities can play in protecting timber supplies, public access, wildlife habitat and open space.”
“The trip was a hit for everyone involved,” said McLaughlin. “We had representation from the logging, ranching and conservation communities, and people were really inspired to see how these interests have come together in another region.
“We have seen one piece of industrial timber ground in the Glenwood Valley change hands five times in the past eight years, and most of the people I talk to agree that we need to start looking at what we can do,” he added.
In particular, the group honed in what have come to be called “community forests” – working forests that small New England towns and non-profits have bought up in an effort to promote sustainable forestry and prevent development they feared would negatively impact their way of life.
Three community forests in New Hampshire and Maine they visited ranged in size from 5,000 to 27,000 acres. Each community had populations of fewer than 500 people and were in some of the poorer counties in the region, which McLaughlin called “remarkable.”
One community of 150 people in eastern Maine raised $32 million in mostly private funds to buy their forest. “[My] first thought was, ‘it cannot be done,’” said Dan Hathaway, Glenwood Community Council Chair. “Second thought was, ‘Wow. They did it.’”
Jim White, of Trout Lake, said he came away with a “real sense that these things can be done,” as well as an increased appreciation for their value.
MARS is an organization that promotes sustainable forestry and community development in the Mt. Adams region. They will hold public meetings this fall to continue the discussion on working forests.
For information, call (509)364-4110.
School of Distinction designation for GMS
Goldendale Middle school has received “School of Distinction” honors again this year from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. This award is given to the top five percent of elementary, middle, high and alternative schools in Washington State, as based on Washington Assessment of Student Learning results over the past five years.
Only 100 schools statewide received this award this year, and GMS was one of only 20 to repeat the award. According to OSPI, it is an added challenge to maintain the momentum needed to receive this award over multiple years, but GMS did it. The two areas where this growth is measured are in reading and in math growth.
The award was created by Superintendent Terry Bergeson to honor students, teachers, administrators, parents, schools and communities for the gains they have made in preparing children to learn, work, live and succeed in the 21st century.
Goldendale Middle School teachers traveled to ESD 105 in Yakima on Wednesday to receive this award.
Voters can pick candidates from both districts one and three, KC auditor says
The Klickitat County auditor’s office clarified confusion this week about which position voters can select in different parts of the district.
According to Klickitat County Auditor Brenda Sorenson, the general election allows voters to select candidates from both Klickitat County commissioner districts, one and three.
She said only in the primary elections are voters restricted to casting votes in the district where they reside.
The general election is open countywide.
Sorenson explained that, while the instructions on the ballot state voters must reside in the jurisdiction in order to vote for that office, the jurisdiction is considered Klickitat County in the case of commissioners for the general election.
Anyone who has questions about the voting procedure should contact the Klickitat County Auditor’s office at 773-4001.
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