November 15, 2006
The beginning of the 21st century ushered in many riveting and exhausting events for America: a seemingly endless war, dysfunctional health care and social security systems, corrupt leaders obsessed with polls rather than people, and the looming unknown of climate change, just to name a few.
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A recent expression of this hope comes in the form of a small amphibian now known as Plethodon asupak, or the Scott Bar salamander. In 2005, scientists discovered that the Scott Bar salamander was a distinct species separate from the Siskiyou Mountains Salamander. Both amphibians live in very small areas near the Siskiyou Crest, which is a relatively unknown mountain range straddling the California/Oregon border.
The discovery of a new amphibian in these mountains is testament to their rugged, wild nature and to our incomplete understanding of the natural world around us. History has shown that civilization does not tend to err on the side of caution, illustrated here by plans to log a large portion of the newly discovered salamander's habitat. It is just this type of story that makes me grateful to be a part of the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center (KS Wild), as we boldly speak up for the voiceless salamander, its habitat and surrounding wildlands.
A Voice for the Voiceless
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As KS Wild's Outreach Coordinator, not only do I have the satisfaction of spending time in a phenomenal area, but I also get the pleasure of taking people onto trails that impress upon them something special, reviving, hopeful. I see young adults open themselves up to the natural world as they walk into a roadless area for the first time and take in the fresh, free air of a mountaintop. I accompany elders along a riverside trail and watch their faces light up with peace and pleasure. These experiences often translate from admiration into action. I believe that the Klamath-Siskiyou, with its unparalleled wild landscape, gives us an opportunity to reconnect with the earth in a way that is vital to our future on the planet.
It makes logical sense that one rarely cares about something that one knows nothing about. You certainly don't protect something you don't know or value. Modern society has moved farther and farther away from natural systems, creating a fundamental misunderstanding of our reliance on the planet for sustenance and health. Introducing and reconnecting people to wild areas changes people personally and changes the way they interact with their communities and the natural world around them.
In today's world we are bombarded with threats and fear. We are also given
myriad opportunity and it is our choice whether to seize that opportunity or to let it pass us by. While there are numerous threats facing the wildlands of the Klamath-Siskiyou, the region simultaneously offers a seed of reconnection, a chance to re-wild our own selves. We bring people into a landscape that proposes a peace of mind not often found in the chaos of modern life. When we see humankind as one of many in a huge mysterious system much greater than ourselves, we contribute to a culture that respects the earth rather than condemns it.
A Land Bridge of Diversity
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The location of the Siskiyou Crest makes it extremely important: it is the primary high elevation ridge system that forms a major regional link in the Pacific Northwest. Unlike other landforms in the West, which run north-south (like the Cascade and Coastal Mountain Ranges), the Siskiyou Crest runs east-west, from California's Siskiyou Wilderness in the west to Interstate 5 in the east, a distance of some 90 miles. It acts as a "land bridge," bringing together species from the California coast, the Sierra Nevada, the Cascades, the Central Valley, and as far away as the Rocky Mountains.
Ancient groves of mixed-conifer, mixed-evergreen, and rugged pine forests spring out from the unique geology of the Siskiyou Mountains. Over 20 conifer species are found on the mountainous slopes of the Siskiyou Crest. There are occurrences of uncommon Siskiyou species, such as Alaska yellow cedar and quaking aspen. The Weeping or Brewer's spruce and Port-Orford cedar are two examples of conifer trees that live in the Klamath-Siskiyou and nowhere else. The largest Oregon grove of Baker cypress, a fire-dependent species, is found on the Siskiyou Crest.
The Siskiyou Crest is also a travel conduit for wide-ranging mammals. Wolverine, marten, lynx, fisher, mountain lion, bear, and elk currently inhabit or have been recently sighted in the area. The cool, clear waters flowing from the crest into the Rogue, Klamath, Applegate, and Illinois basins are a refuge for endangered wild salmon.
The Siskiyou Crest National Ecological Preserve
KS Wild is unveiling an emboldened campaign in 2007 to protect the remaining high-quality lands along the Siskiyou Crest, while developing collaborative restoration plans to employ local workers and mend past abuses.
A primary goal for the Siskiyou Crest National Ecological Preserve is to build a regional identity around a national treasure that will provide for future generations well beyond any quick profit made from outdated resource extraction plans.
We seek to collaborate with restoration workers, diverse allies, and rural landowners to find common ground for the long-term stewardship of these exceptional lands. We aim to permanently protect the Siskiyou Crest's approximately 150,000 acres of inventoried roadless lands, and develop a comprehensive restoration plan that restores degraded lands and waterways. We do not envision a campaign that locks people out, for people are part of the system and will need to be part of the solution.
Most importantly, this wild region in a nation of unfettered development and hyper-mechanization offers seeds for future vitality. The Klamath-Siskiyou holds great potential for the health and recovery of species and people alike. Reconnecting with nature can help shepherd us into a new era of environmental stewardship and ecological literacy, while leaving the patterns of insatiable greed behind. Traditional Ecological Knowledge from Native Tribes, coupled with scientific information, social determination, and an unparalleled, wild landscape mingle together in a recipe for ecological recovery and cultural progress in the 21st century.
In the silence of a Siskiyou Crest sunrise, I heard the wildlands whispering a future of hope and renewal. As Indian author and activist Arundhati Roy said, "Not only is another world possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing." I think the newly discovered Scott Bar salamander is breathing out hope, whispering to us that there is a way to live in peace with each other and the earth, if only we gain the collective will.
KS Wild monitors activity on public lands throughout the Rogue and Klamath watersheds of northwest California and southwest Oregon. KS Wild advocates for roadless lands, ancient forests, at-risk species of plants and animals, and the cool clear waterways of the wild Klamath-Siskiyou region. For more information, visit www.kswild.org
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TOC for Forest & River News, Fall 2006