Trail - and taxpayer dollars - laid to waste
We live at Twin Lakes, between Rathdrum and Spirit Lake. We live out in the woods. Our property butts up against the old railroad grade that serves as a trail and road for hundreds of people who use it each year as a horseback riding trail, ORV trail, hiking trail and many other recreational uses.
Last week we celebrated Arbor Day and thousands of free trees were given to people. Can you imagine my surprise when I went for my daily walk along the trail (old railroad grade) and discovered that all of the trees for a 50-foot swath are being removed from our precious forest between Gunning Road and Seasons Road on the west side of the existing trail?
We asked the people who were clearing this swath, why they were doing it when there were already roads that run alongside the highway that serve as fire breaks, and they told that it was part of a "stimulus program" that had been authorized by someone in Washington, D.C.
My question is: Why is our beautiful trail being destroyed? The old railroad grade was donated by the railroad to the state so thousands of people could use this trail every year for recreation. There is automobile traffic through this trail, so it is wide enough for a fire break. There is already at least one full sized road that runs along the highway that serves as a fire break. The beautiful trees between the Methodist Church Camp at Twin Lo and the highway are going to be cut down. There is a full sized road between the highway and the camp. So why are all of the trees going to be cut down?
The fellow who we talked to said all the logs that measure down to a 2-inch top are going to be taken to the sawmill. Everything else is going to be leveled and a chipper brought in to mulch the limbs. Won't this create more of a fire hazard?
Why is it just this certain area between Gunning and Seasons roads the only area that is designated to be destroyed? The area by the golf course is being spared. There are two roads between the designated area and the highway that serve as fire breaks, yet they are going to go between them and cut down everything in their 50-foot swath. Why is only the west side of Highway 41 being done? None of the east side is designated for tree removal.
Why was this stimulus plan not announced to the people who will be directly affected by it? There has been nothing in the paper or on the news about this tree removal.
This stimulus plan of removal of all the trees will ruin the trail forever. This "stimulus plan" of logging and destruction will probably only be a month or less and its results will last for the rest of our lives. We will be the ones who have to look at the bare ground where our beautiful forest used to be. So who authorized it and why?
If it was all about creating jobs, wouldn't our tax money be better spent creating something useful instead of destroying our forest needlessly? There are already fire breaking roads that run alongside the highway. This stimulus plan is being done without the public's awareness. To make a fire break where there are already roads and trails wide enough for a fire break makes no sense. It is just a terrible waste of the taxpayers' money. I'm on a fixed income and resent my tax money being spent in this fashion. We need answers! WHY?
David Irvine and Billie S. Leonard are Rathdrum-area residents.