We’ll be offering a couple of public hikes into the Elliott State Forest the spring/summer of 2016. The Elliott State Forest is between Reedsport and Coos Bay, and goes as far east as Loon Lake. About half of the Elliott has never been logged before, with big trees that grew back from an 1868 fire, providing valuable habitat for old-growth dependent wildlife.
The Oregon State Land Board moves ahead with the decision to sell the Elliott to a buyer, public or private, that will agree to conservation and job creation mandates. The goal of the sale is to sever the ties between the forest and the Common School Fund, which provides money for K-12 school children. While any potential new owner of the Elliott must show that it will maintain 50% of the forest open for public access, there is no guarantee of what that will entail.
Cascadia Wildlands continues to look for a creative solution that fulfills the Common School Fund obligations and maintains this magical coastal rainforest in public ownership and open to all to enjoy.
In the meantime, we want to get you out to explore the Elliott with us. Stay tuned for more details, but be sure to put June 18, 2016 on your calendar to join us in the Elliott State Forest.