Forum Index > Public Lands Stewardship > Klahanie Campground
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
jvangeld
Friends of Road 4109



Joined: 02 Jun 2020
Posts: 7 | TRs | Pics
Location: Proebstel, WA
jvangeld
Friends of Road 4109
PostMon Jul 31, 2023 1:48 pm 
While car camping around the Olympic Peninsula last weekend we drove up to Klahanie Camp Ground. Unfortunately it has been closed since April of 2022. The website says that this is due to hazard trees and root rot. Considering that all of the other campgrounds in the area were full on a summer weekend, I wonder what kind of energy there is to solve that problem on a volunteer basis? You know, put some sweat equity into our Public Lands? All of my volunteer time is going into Road 4109 on Silver Star mountain this year. But after several years of work the Forest Service has started to trust us. They are finally putting some money towards gravel on that road. So does anyone from the Forks area have a good working relationship with the Forest Service? Does anyone want to start such a relationship?

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
trestle
Member
Member


Joined: 17 Aug 2008
Posts: 2093 | TRs | Pics
Location: the Oly Pen
trestle
Member
PostMon Jul 31, 2023 3:18 pm 
A similar issue happened with Falls View campground on the east side of the Peninsula. It only took about 10 years for them to close it, remove the trees, and now it has re-opened on a very limited basis. In my experience, ONF doesn't interract much with private contractors but someone else might have better feedback.

"Life favors the prepared." - Edna Mode
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
jvangeld
Friends of Road 4109



Joined: 02 Jun 2020
Posts: 7 | TRs | Pics
Location: Proebstel, WA
jvangeld
Friends of Road 4109
PostMon Jul 31, 2023 3:56 pm 
That makes sense, Trestle. From the FS website:
Quote:
The campground has a lush and diverse understory of wildflowers, ferns, mosses and shrubs. These lie underneath a canopy of legacy old-growth Sitka spruce, eight feet in diameter, among smaller 3 to 4’ diameter western hemlock.
If it is the 8 foot spruces that have root rot, then it would be more of an operation to remove them than I thought. Since these truly are old-growth trees, I can see the argument for leaving the trees there and abandoning the campground. This site suggests that spruce trees can survive root rot, though they are dealing with seedlings, not old growth. Maybe if the trees stay there they will fight off the infections and live for another hundred years?
Quote:
Root rot is a problem when plants are in containers or areas with poor drainage or flooding. The pathogens survive as spores in the soil, organic debris, container media or infected tissue... Avoid soil compaction, which reduces drainage. Construction, heavy foot traffic, or machinery can cause soil compaction.
So, a site located near a river could be expected to have poor drainage and flooding. And campgrounds are certainly subject to soil compaction between the access roads and campers walking around. What is even more concerning is that people might spread the infection to other areas. Anyone who camps there is likely to visit the Hoh rainforest or Queets or Sol Duc. Even if the trees are removed the fungi will remain in the soils. All that to say, I can see how this is a bigger problem than some widow-maker branches somewhere in a canopy of 40 year old Douglas Firs.

Cyclopath
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Ski
><((((°>



Joined: 28 May 2005
Posts: 12798 | TRs | Pics
Location: tacoma
Ski
><((((°>
PostWed Aug 02, 2023 2:40 am 
@jvangeld - "Root Rot" (laminated root rot)(sorry I can never remember the Latin name of it) has been the cause of the closure of a good number of what were formerly prime, drive-to, overnight campsite facilities. (I posted a list of it here somewhere.... search "july creek" by author ski and it'll come up.) Among these were: July Creek Campground, Olympic National Park Kopachuck State Park, Washington State Parks the list goes on ... and on ... and on ... and on... SOLUTION: Cut off all trees at ground level, scarify ground, replant with root-rot resitant native species, and move on. Unfortunately, the National Park Service cannot remove their heads from their asses long enough to realize that sometimes cutting down a tree or two might be a better thing in the long term, and the Washington State Parks Department is more concerned about private property owners whose properties adjoin Kopachuck State Park and don't want their "views" disturbed to concern themselves with the needs and wants of the general public, so we have what we have. The solution to the problem, of course, is to perform whatever feat of magic is necessary to convince the narrow minds of those currently holding the positions of making decisions that their choices are asinine at best, and criminal at worst, and motivate them to get off their asses and hire a crew of sawyers and deal with the problem so that we may move on, accommodate an ever-increasing user load of tourists - money in hand - who are looking for a place to spend it. But... they're too worried about the trees to be concerned with things like overall economic health and such...

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Public Lands Stewardship > Klahanie Campground
  Happy Birthday speyguy, Bandanabraids!
Jump to:   
Search this topic:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum