Historical Page from 1998. Do not respond to this in 2001. Links are included here for reference.
Oregon Caves National Monument Links
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The Oregon Caves Draft
Management plan is now out for comment. We need to support the alternative (C) which
calls for the following changes in the Monument: 1 The Maximum expansion to the north to include all possible karst watersheds and important viewsheds. I'd say that at least half the flow of the River Styx is not accounted for by drainage in the cave or sinking streams above--yet the volume is such that it must be draining parts of the mountain outside the monument. 2 Taking over at least part of buildings from the concession so that there can be an interpretive center at the cave. 3 Taking over the tours from the Concession--in the past the concession hired and trained the tour guides and ran the tours, taking all the profits. Profits aside, the quality of the current tours is very poor. NPS run tours would certainly be better. Please Email your support for these changes (if you think it right ) by March 12, 1998, to roger_brandt@nps.gov (use lower case) The same address can be used to get a copy of the Draft Management Plan, or call 541-592-2100. Thanks, Steve Knutson |
Posted 2/18/98
Rob Stitt note:
I e-mailed and asked for a copy of the plan. Although I haven't been actively reviewing EIS's for about 20 years now, I was impressed by the quality of the EIS and the soundness of the the preferred alternative C. Oregon Caves NM was always an anomaly in the National Park System: an isolated block of land around the entrance, hardly big enough to protect the entrance, let alone the cave; the last Park Cave to have tours run by a concessionaire. This plan proposes to fix these problems via adding land from the surrounding National Forest and changing to park Service employees giving the tours.
There will probably be some opposition, possibly from business interests such as the concessionaire, or others in the local community who may have some short term losses. But the long term best interest of the cave requires that some changes be made.
It's about time. Let them know what you think.
Rob Stitt