FARRAGUT: Bulldozing paradise

As we drove out to Farragut State Park, I told my husband how happy I was to be going to one of the places I love most in Idaho. Walking along the old road covered with moss through the ancient forests along Lake Pend Oreille is one of my greatest joys.

Over the last few years, it was sad to see many of the ancient pines devastated by pine beetles. But I remember walking through the area in the early morning accompanied by a dozen woodpeckers drumming on those dead trees. And eagles sitting on the branches as they waited for their next meal. But today, I could hardly believe what I saw.

Heavy logging equipment had been used to remove the dead trees without any care for the healthy trees, understory or paths. They devastated the old roadway that has been used as a path along the lake by so many Idahoans over these many years. They rammed up hillsides to remove trees cutting gashes and destroying large swaths of small trees and shrubs.

I’m 69 years old this month and nature will not be able to repair the damage done in my lifetime. It is one thing to have a beautiful place destroyed by wildfire, but unforgiving to have one destroyed by mismanagement.

Farragut is a park, for the enjoyment of the people of Idaho. If trees needed to be removed, why wouldn’t it be done with care and minimum impact to the surrounding trees, understory and paths?

SUSAN NOVA

Post Falls