Landslides continue in Colton

This is excellent reporting. Thank you for posting this. This is what indymedia is all about: You and me going out and taking the time to really report on the issues around us that are important to us.

Landslides in rural Cascadia are an increasing threat. In the best of situations, they are a growing nuisance that erodes topsoil and impedes movement. In the worst situations, they are a threat to peoples' homes and lives. And they are ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE. For years, we have known and understood that these landslides are CAUSED BY LOGGING. Every study done on this subject has confirmed what those who live near these landslides already knew: That logging causes landslides. The roots of trees and other plants hold the soil in place, even in the steepest terrain. The leaves and branches of these same plants protect the ground from the torrential rains common to our region. When these things are cleared away, of COURSE the land becomes unstable, and can result in what you see in these photographs.

In a large sense, these landslides are a class issue. This is environmental classism: Wealthy landowners and timber companies, served by sycophantic shill officials, clear great swaths of land to extract resources and convert them into private wealth. In the wake of these eco-disasters, they leave rural people in danger of being cut off from their communities, and in many cases, in danger of having their homes enveloped in detritus from the slides. They also leave rural people with a less liveable corner of the earth, with dirty, silty water, with once-scenic areas now destroyed. Indeed, local economies often suffer irreversable damage, not only from the slides, but from the fallout that occurs when fewer shared natural resources remain in the commons. Rural Cascadians often use forested land to sustainably gather edible berries, mushrooms, and herbs, as well as wood and other resources. When great areas are cleared like this, it destroys everyone's habitat. (Except those wealthy people up on the hill, looking down on the rest of us.)

It's about time to climb that hill and have a little chat with Ronald and Vina, isn't it?

If nothing else, it's certainly time to hold timber companies, the forest service, and all private landowners responsible for the landslides and other fallout that results when they choose to log off land like this. Do not allow them to simply externalize the cost of their foolishness.

Here are a few more photos of the view from the top. Mr. and Ms Mitchell have a fine view, and, thanks to ODF collusion, they have their own private driveway, paved and paid for by the taxpayers of Clackamas County. We should all be so fortunate. Here is hoping that the next thing to slide will be their palace, and their gas guzzling rolling hotel.

We already have all the research: Logging causes landslides. It's not like this is up to debate, so why are we still allowing this sort of thing?

(And why did our tax money pay for those slumlords-of-the-forest's driveway?)

In 2006 Clackamas County Department of Roads paid $150,000 to "repair" this road. Unfortunately, the repair did not hold and the road continues to slip. Terry Learfield, a spokesperson for the department said that lack of vegetation and unstable ground were contributing factors in the road closure. As 'me' has said, it is already a fact that when vegetation is removed from land, it is going to lose stability. Tax dollars went into an unsuccessful repair and money from the logging operation went into Mitchell's pocket.

Great reporting!

How do we hold these folks accountable?

I wish I knew how we could hold 'them' accountable. I even contacted the Board of Commissioners and they sloughed me off to various persons within the county and forestry departments. Apparently the Mitchells had all necessary permits.....so who issues the permits and how!? I still have not figured that out. Whenever we hear about one of these slides, we hear that all permits were valid and legal. Ok...so what do we do about that! I guess the folks with the deepest pockets win as always. It is another case of follow the dollar.

For the first half of the twentieth century, Colton, like most logging towns of the era, was not concerned with maintaining an efficient intercourse with Clackamas County or Oregon City. In fact, most residents would probably told you that they lived in Marion County, if they cared at all what county they were in. The transportation means of the era precluded long (twenty mile) journeys to nowhere. Occasionally, for an outing, they might all pile into the surrey and make the journey, but not often enough to care about the road. The railroad was available in Cazadero (Estacada), Mulino, Canby, and Molalla. Logs could be transported, after trimming, from Hult's mill to Howard's Mill (Mulino) by way of Milk Creek. They simply did not care about points north all that much. Hult had an access from the back of his mill, which at the time was about three miles west of the (old) town of Colton, and from there, folks could travel to Clark's and to Beavercreek.

Sometime about mid century, populations began to change, and there was more need to commute to the rest of Clackamas County, and even to Portland. About the same time, the state highway came through, and succeeded in precipitating the relocation of the "town" of Colton, with the Danielson's market establishing itself at the crossroads, across from the Lutheran Church, on Highway 211. We were still so far from the "hub" that we had a resident deputy for years, who lived, coincidentally, on Hult Road. Once a week or so, this deputy would actually have to traverse Hult's dirt road to Clark's, to Beavereek, and then on to Oregon City. At some point, the County adopted the road, which was then graveled, and maintained by a road grader that was stationed here, in Colton, to maintain all of the roads that the county did not deem worthy of pavement.

This was the state of the roads in the 1970's, during the big gasoline shortages of the Nixon nightmare. Residents of this rural community who for whatever reason desired to go to Portland, Oregon City, or any other place north either detoured four to five miles to reach pavement in that direction, or they took the gravel road, which saw much service, what with gasoline spiking all the way up to two dollars a gallon. Finally, after much criticism, the county paved the mile or so that remained un paved on Hult road (just, coincidentally, the mile that is now closed, due to Mitchell's greed), making the commute much more enjoyable, and less expensive.

The road followed the old wagon road up the hogback, which would be the best route for wagons pulled by horses or ox, but which was as crooked as a dog's hind leg. A more appropriate route, and less prone to slides and washouts, would have cut diagonally across Mitchell's kingdom, and avoided the edge of the ravine, which, due to earlier clear cuts, was a very active slide zone. Folks at the county must have realized this, it was obvious, as the road had been washing out annually for years.

Since Mitchell, in his greed, chose to exacerbate this situation by again clear cutting his domain, I say that it would be perfectly appropriate for the County to use it's powers of eminent domain to claim a right of way across this jackass's splendid view, and provide an appropriate means for School buses, mail deliveries, emergency vehicles, and yes, US. That would be the way for him to make amends for putting his desire for capital above the interests of the community that he has shit upon.

Incidentally, this route would not require a lot of effort, since the King of the Hill is already using it on those occasions when he deems it necessary to visit this little backwater town. HE, of course, has access to BOTH ends of the closed road, so that the five mile detour is not a requirement for him.