Fees Won’t Fix Forest Service

Regarding your June 17 article “Some Fees and Quiet,” regarding the new Adventure Pass (fee) program recently instituted in the Cleveland National Forest, consider these points:

Regarding improvements, the Forest Service says they will use pass fees to “improve” restrooms (none exist in the Orange County forest section). District Ranger Clem Lagrosa is on record saying the Forest Service will not be putting in trash cans. Rather, signs reading, “Pack it in, pack it out,” will be installed.

While the Silverado community bears the brunt of the impact, including trash, crime and speeding drivers, some under the influence, down our tiny roads, county taxpayers are picking up the tab for Sheriff’s Department response to crimes--over 150 calls on record in less than two years. Only 25% of problems are reported. Illegal shooting is a danger to everyone in the forest.

Previously, The Times reported that the Forest Service dedicates a majority of funds to fire management. Yet incredibly, Lagrosa responded to residents’ concerns over fire by retorting that the forest didn’t present a fire danger. After all, he said, there hadn’t been a fire there in five years. Try that ridiculous line on those in Laguna Beach.

It would seem the Forest Service’s response to problems is to pretend they don’t exist. Concerned over their own liability, they close the forest gate and roads to vehicles in the rainy season. Yet the gates stay open even in the most dangerous fire conditions of the year, imperiling all surrounding communities. And while they have enough personnel to prowl for passes, they cannot and do not respond to serious problems occurring outside their 40-hour work week: 2.5 forest police patrol 150,000 acres.

In years past, it was illegal to smoke in a vehicle within the forest. Later, policy dictated fire season closure. Now there is no preventive policy. The next time taxpayers pick up the cost for a fire started in the forest--and the costs for the inevitable next winter’s floods--remember the words of Lagrosa.

He and responsible politicians will have some mighty fancy explaining to do.

SHERRY LEE MEDDICK

Silverado