Outdoors

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Saturday, July 7, 2007 National Forest officials seek input By Sharon Wootton Herald columnist Wanted: opinionated people. Now is the time for all good men and women to come to the aid of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Forest Service employees are knee-deep in planning for future Forest Service-developed recreation sites, and they're looking for suggestions of potential quality recreational experiences. Three July workshops have been set, two of them not too far from you. It's a chance to tell managers of the experiences you value about this forest. "We know that over the years, visitor preferences and demographics have changed and that some sites do not meet visitors' expectations and needs," said Rob Iwamoto, forest supervisor. "This study will look at the operation and maintenance of the campgrounds, picnic areas, trailheads, lookouts, visitor centers and other facilities ... to assure that sound economic decisions are made that meet current and future visitor and community recreation needs. "The public responses will help guide the Forest Service to create a five-year action plan focused on the management of developed recreation sites," Iwamoto said. One translation might be that if you love a particular outdoors activity in a national forest, now would be a good time to speak up if you want it to remain available to you or if you would like more of those types of recreational experiences. The action plan is expected to be completed by November after the review of 220 developed recreation sites. Opinions can be offered 6-8 p.m. Monday, at the REI Flagship Store, 222 Yale Ave. N., Seattle; and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at the Mount Baker Ranger District office, 810 Highway 20, Sedro-Woolley. For more information on how the public can participate, go to www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/rsfmp. Deception Pass, Larrabee: These two state parks are the sites for the Folk Arts in the Park program of the Washington State Parks and Recreation. July 7 is Native American Culture Day until 4 p.m. at Deception Pass' Bowman Bay boat launch and picnic area on Fidalgo Island, presented by the Samish Indian Nation and the Swinomish Indian tribal community. Each Saturday from July 14 to Aug. 4, Larrabee and Deception Pass state parks host the American Roots Music Series All performances will be from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Larrabee State Park band shell on the bay side of the park off Chuckanut Drive (Highway 11), about five miles south of Bellingham. Each artist will give a repeat performance from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Deception Pass State Park West Beach amphitheater on Whidbey Island. Beach time: Join a naturalist at a morning low tide at one of three Edmonds' beaches this summer. It's a great way to expose children to beach life, too. Dates are July 14-15, 28-29, Aug. 11-12, 26. To register, call 425-771-0227. Hiking trips: All-day hiking outings led by an Edmonds Parks' guide will go to the Mount Fremont fire tower (July 21) at the Sunrise Visitor Center and to the Tolmie Peak lookout tower, both in Mount Rainier National Park (Aug. 11). To register, call 425-771-0230. Twanoh State Park: This 182-acre shoreline park, eight miles west of Belfair, reopened to camping July 4 following the completion of a $1 million replacement of the park's wastewater collection and treatment system. On the bookshelf: Three Seattle writers have contributed stories to "Cycling's Greatest Misadventures" ($17, Casagrande Press), 27 nonfiction stories (allowing great leeway for all those 'remembered' conversations). "Misadventures" includes the story of risks taken by a kidney-transplant recipient who wants to bicycle three Tour de France ascents in the French Alps, a large rat attacking a bicyclist (and then there was the one about the flying dead dog), and the attempt at dental flossing one's way through a tire repair. Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.

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