The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

To The Eagle:

I am a local landowner who has lived, worked and paid taxes in Wahkiakum County for most of my life. Cascade Hardwoods is wanting to purchase about 14.4 acres of alder from me. It was proposed to be logged by Olsen Logging and probably hauled by DeBriae. The logging was proposed to be done this summer and to be completed in about a two week period.

Cascade Hardwoods request to access the road has been rejected by the school district. The school district wants an access trail built for the students. I’m not sure how many teachers and students are taking classes this summer in the school’s forest, if any.

Bob Olsen has logged four times in recent years for me and has used the access road. Recently, Shipp Logging used the road. They logged 140 acres and paid the school district only one dollar per truck load for access.

Why has the school district failed to mention that Cascade Hardwoods offered $500 to the FFA and two loads of alder ends for them to make into firewood and sell? They also agreed to put a few loads of rock on the road and leave the road in as good, if not better condition.

I have also received mail from a teacher currently employed at the school district who has an affiliation with another logging company from outside the area about logging my timber. This was two days after Cascade Hardwoods had talked to this same teacher about accessing the road. Would the road access have been an issue if I had selected that company?

K.C. Johnson

Cathlamet