It is clear to all who love Ore-gon�s landscape that Measure 37, which severely altered Oregon�s land use laws, is broken and needs to be fixed. The 2007 Leg-islature held weeks of hearings on the many problems with Measure 37 and ultimately decided to pass a new measure on to the voters which would restore balance to the land use laws. This new measure, which will appear on your ballot in November 2007, is Measure 49.

Oregon Shores� board has de-cided to place the organization in full support of Measure 49 and work on the campaign to support its passage.

The coastal counties had fewer numbers of Measure 37 claims than the Willamette Valley counties, where development pressures are high. But in five coastal counties there are more than 500 claims,

and Measure 37 claims on the coast include

(Continued on page 8)

OREGON SHORES CONSERVATION COALITION

OCTOBER 2007 VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2

OREGON SHORES FALL NEWSLETTER

OREGON SHORES� OCTOBER ANNUAL MEETING

TO CELEBRATE BEACH BILL�S 40TH ANNIVERSARY

MEASURE 49 ON NOVEMBER BALLOT

Please join Oregon Shores Conservation Coali-tion in Newport on Saturday, October 13th to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Oregon�s Beach Bill with a line up of speakers united around the theme, �Bold Actions: Past and Future.�

Of course, the �Bold Actions, Past� refers to our beloved Beach Bill which continues to assure that, �In Oregon, the beaches belong to the people,� and provides the original basis of Oregon Shores� mission.

The �Bold Action, Future� refers to two key pro-jects important to Oregon Shores members and Coastwatchers: 1) establishing a system of ma-rine reserves to protect key habitats in Ore-gon�s nearshore ocean, and 2) passing Measure 49 in November to assure that Oregon�s land use system continues to serve to protect our beautiful Oregon coastline long into the future.

The business portion of Oregon Shores� annual meeting will begin at 11:00 a.m. in Room 30/32 of the Hatfield Marine Science Center

with a welcome from Oregon Shores� presi-dent followed by election of the board of direc-tors.

There will be a short break to allow partici-pants to visit informally (please bring a sack lunch) with registration for the afternoon pro-gram to begin at 12:30 p.m. outside the doors of the HMSC auditorium where presentations will commence at 1:00 p.m.

Dave Talbot, who served as director of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department at the time the Beach Bill was passed in 1967, will kick off the afternoon by providing a first-hand perspective on the political climate and courage that it took to take bold action to protect public access to Oregon�s beaches 40 years ago.

Then, state Representative Greg MacPherson, will help us make the bridge from bold actions past to the need for continued bold actions in the future. Rep. MacPherson served as co-chair

(Continued on page 10)

OREGON SHORES

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Allison Asbjornsen, President

Bill Kabeiseman, Vice President

Cathern Tufts, Secretary

Nan Evans

Evelyn McConnaughey

Kris Olson

Steve Schell

Anne Squier

H. Eric Watkins

Catherine Wiley

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

PRESIDENT�S MESSAGE

2

INTERTIDAL ACTION AHEAD

3

LAND USE UPDATE 4,5

THANKS, DONORS! 6,7

SEA POETRY 8,11

SORTE REMEMBERED 9

OCEAN UPDATE 9,10

CALENDAR 12

Dear beachwalkers, birdwatchers,

kayakers, surfers, kite flyers,

tidepool explorers,

and all others who love our coast �

I�ve discovered a new, coast-related pleasure where I least ex-pected it. In fact, it is a task I tried to dodge, until I reluctantly took it up and discovered its rewards. The task is to send thank-you letters to everyone who contributes to Oregon Shores, and it turns out that this is wonderful for the spirit! It is humbling and encouraging and an all-around honor and pleasure.

We all shy away from talking about money, and sending similar letters to hun-dreds of people at first glance appears to be tedious labor, so it is understandable that I didn�t approach the chore with en-thusiasm when I took it on. What I hadn�t realized is how it would make me feel to be in touch with hundreds of people, all of whom care enough about the Oregon coast and Oregon Shores� work to make a gift. The more letters I write, the more my spirit is lifted, as I feel connected to so many people who share our concerns and entrust us to act on them.

I�m honored to be part of this connection, and intrigued to imagine the stories behind all these wonderful gestures of sup-port, from the person who sent us $1 to the board member who recently made a landmark donation of $30,000. Every gift bolsters our budget, every gift cheers us on, and every gift renews the commitment I feel to work hard on the many issues affecting the Oregon coast. I hope that many more of you will keep me busy writing letters. We have a great deal going on right now, and we also need to build up our reserves so that we will be ready for further evolution as an organization.

We�re doing more than ever before, and sometimes the pace seems dizzying. Thanks in part to a grant from the Jubitz Fam-ily Foundation, our land use director, Cameron La Follette, has launched a new South Coast Rivers Land Use Initiative, which will expand our efforts in Coos and Curry counties.

Robin Hartmann, our ocean program director, is playing a cen-tral role in both the campaign to establish marine reserves and other protected areas in the ocean, and in addressing the poten-tial impacts of wave energy development.

Our CoastWatch program continues to grow, while planning for a new, major effort to collaborate with State Parks in pro-tecting rocky shores.

Are you aware that our dedicated staff are accomplishing all this while being paid only part-time? Those of us on the board are extremely eager to increase the support we can offer them, and thereby increase our capacity to meet all the challenges of coastal conservation.

We also need to look ahead to next year, and build up reserves that will enable us to take bold action. A very generous recent gift from long-time board member Evelyn McConnaughey helps to point the way. Evelyn, who has served on our board

for fully 30 years, placed a capstone on her lifelong commitment to the coast with a $30,000 contribution. Some of it will go to meet this year�s immediate needs, but she stated her intention that the bulk of the funds go into our reserves, to help us address our need for an executive director and for program expansion.

Evelyn�s gift doesn�t enable us to sit back comfortably�far from it. Instead, it is a launching pad. It gives us a great start toward taking

Oregon Shores to a higher level, and increases our chances of success. All the more reason for all those who love the coast�all you beachwalkers, birdwatchers, surfers, kayakers, tidepool explorers and all the rest�to help us seize this opportunity. We need your involvement as volun-teers, and we need your voices in support of our policy stands.

But all those thank-you letters I�ve written have encouraged me not to be shy about money. We do need your financial support if we are to adequately support our staff, expand our efforts on every front and meet the needs of coastal conservation. Please keep me writing those letters. I will gladly suffer writer�s cramp on behalf of the Oregon coast!

Please read the rest of this newsletter to get a sense of the wide range of Oregon Shores� activities. And then, please consider how you can help us build on this shared success.

Gratefully yours,

Allison Asbjornsen

PAGE 2 VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2

Phot

o: L

aure

l Hill

man

n

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

CoastWatch mile adopters keep an eye on the entire range of shoreline habitats, but for the past year and more, the program has paid special attention to tidepools and other rocky shore areas. That emphasis will continue, as we point toward in-creased collaboration with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (State Parks) in monitoring and protecting these ecosystems, which are vulnerable to everything from overhar-vesting to invasive species to simply being �loved to death.�

All of Oregon Shores� work emphasizes connections between land and ocean, seeking to build public awareness of the links among onshore activities, shoreline management and the health of the nearshore ocean. During much of 2006 and 2007, CoastWatch worked with Oregon Shores� Ocean and Land Use programs through the Oregon Coastal Ocean and Intertidal Conservation Project. More than 900 Oregonians have at-tended educational programs and training sessions during this period, learning more about the way that shoreline communi-ties interact with the neighboring marine waters. In particular, hundreds saw our specially commissioned slide talk, �Connections: A Tale of Rocky Shores and the Ocean Next Door,� by environmental educator Nancy Steinberg.

CoastWatch�s goal for this fall and for the coming year is to translate this educational effort into more effective monitoring and action to protect rocky intertidal areas. We intend to col-laborate with State Parks in two ways. The first is the rocky shore visitor use survey. Volunteers from within the Coast-Watch ranks will be posted during low-tide periods at selected tidepool regions which are heavily visited and subject to im-pacts both deliberate (harvesting of shellfish and seaweed) or inadvertent (such as handling or trampling). The information will be used by State Parks in planning for rocky shore manage-ment and designating areas for higher levels of protection. A number of CoastWatchers assisted with a successful pilot pro-ject at three sites this summer, and we hope to expand the ef-fort next year.

More ambitiously, we hope to work with State Parks to de-velop a new �coast host� project. This will involve recruiting and training a pool of special volunteers who will meet the public at high-impact tidepool areas, both providing informa-tion about natural history and discouraging damaging behavior. The goal is to get this project started in 2008 at a few sites (depending on how many volunteers come forward), and to build up the pool of available hosts and thus the number of sites we can help to protect in future years.

A particular need is to provide volunteers to meet school groups, which often arrive at the shoreline in large numbers and with too little supervision; trained hosts would provide the

double benefit of enrich-ing the educational experience for the students while deterring what is often very serious damage to tide-pool life.

The first special training event in support of this �coast host� project has just been sched-uled for December 7th and 8th at the Lane Community College branch in Florence. The two-day conference will feature a number of talks and workshops, primarily emphasizing rocky shorelines. It will be open to all CoastWatchers and the general public, and will include much material of interest to all coast-lovers, not just volunteers for the project. One goal is to lay the groundwork for both the rocky shore survey and �coast host� projects in 2008, but an-other is to improve all CoastWatchers� monitoring skills where rocky shores are concerned.

CoastWatch isn�t exclusively focused on rocky shores. A num-ber of training sessions have been devoted to beaches and dunes. Often, as with the recent event in Reedsport, our first in Douglas County in many years, these sessions have featured geologist Roger Hart�s talk, �Where Has All the Sand Gone?�

Dozens of CoastWatchers have also played an active role in the beached bird survey, for which we are the Oregon partner of the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST), which operates the survey in five states. COASST plans a spe-cial, intensified survey for the area from Tillamook Bay to Grays� Harbor in Washington, to glean more detailed data over the next two years, which will be used to calibrate the results from the regular survey. We are helping COASST to step up outreach efforts on the northern coast, as additional volunteers will be needed for this special project. (CoastWatchers don�t necessarily work on their own miles when participating in the beached bird survey. Anyone who can get to one of the survey sites from Tillamook Bay north once or more a month can play a useful role in this citizen science effort.)

CoastWatch continues to grow, with more than a hundred new mile adopters joining our ranks during the past year. The web-

(Continued on page 11)

COASTWATCH CONTINUES FOCUS ON PROTECTING ROCKY SHORES

PAGE 3 OREGON SHORES

Going Intertidal!

Oregon Shores recently received a match-ing grant from the Jubitz Family Founda-tion which will enable us to expand our efforts to protect the rivers of the south coast. A number of activities will keep our Land Use Program busy working to protect the waters of this region.

Instream gravel mining is generating great controversy on the Chetco River near-Brookings and on the Rogue River a little further north. All gravel mining on the Chetco has been stopped as of October 2006 due to a cease-and-desist order from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers against Tidewater Sand and Gravel and Freeman Rock, the two main operators in the area. But both companies have been ap-plying to Curry County for renewal of their permits in any event. Oregon Shores has been participating in the hearings, and will continue to do so.

Freeman also proposed increasing its gravel extraction from the lower Rogue by 150 percent. However, the Curry County planning commission refused to grant this increase, and the matter is under appeal.

In addition to gravel mining, Oregon Shores is participating in the hearings for the new Mixed Use Master Plan (MUMP) ordi-nance proposed by Curry County, which will govern future

development in Harbor Hills south of Brookings, the area added to the city�s Urban Growth Boundary in 1998. Hills in that area are so steep that develop-ment there will increase stormwater and erosion problems for the lily bulb farmers on the Harbor Bench below.

Having the Jubitz grant also will allow us to focus attention on Johnson Creek in Coos County, which flows directly to the sea near Bandon. A 90-foot-high

dam is proposed on the creek up in the forested hills east of town. The proponents hope to use the water mainly for the city of Bandon and for Bandon Dunes� several new golf courses pro-posed near the resort. Johnson Creek is a salmon stream, and owners in the area have been working hard to restore it for salmon spawning. The proponents of the dam recently filed with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for a fish passage waiver to allow them to build the dam without (very expensive) fish ladders and provide mitigation to fish elsewhere instead.

If you�re interested in south coast rivers, or have knowledge and experience about rivers that Oregon Shores is not aware of, please contact Cameron La Follette, Oregon Shores� land use director at thehomecountry@onemain.com or 503-391-0210.

Botts Marsh, in the Nehalem River estuary in northern Tilla-mook County, is seeing activity again. The marsh and associated uplands are in the urban growth boundary for the City of Wheeler. The owner, Vern Scovell, has launched a new set of proposals to develop the area. He filed Measure 37 claims with both the City of Wheeler and Tillamook County, which are still being proc-essed. He also filed a development application with the City of

Wheeler, which is under consid-eration. In it he proposes an as-yet

undetermined number of condomini-ums, related commercial development and a

dock out into the Nehalem River. The fate of Botts Marsh un-der this application is not yet clear. Oregon Shores is watching this development proposal, and working with local activists to ensure that the Marsh is protected and not developed (as Scovell has proposed in the past) as a marina.

BOTTS MARSH . . . THREATENED AGAIN

PROTECTING THE TREASURE: SOUTH COAST RIVERS PROJECT

SAND LAKE SAFE FROM MEASURE 37 CLAIM

Frank Bastasch, owner of the Sand Lake property in Tillamook County, filed a Measure 37 claim against the county, hoping to be able to thereby get permission to build the golf course and resort he has sought for so long. In March 2007, the Tillamook County Commissioners turned Bastasch�s claim down. He had sought for the Coast Resort overlay on his property to be reinstated�the exact opposite of Measure 37 claims in general, where landowners seek to have land use laws rolled back. The

overlay zone sunsetted in 1992 because Mr. Bastasch did not take the necessary actions to extend it. In May 2007, Mr. Bas-tasch filed suit in Tillamook County Circuit Court to overturn the county decision. The county has filed to dismiss the action.

Oregon Shores is watching this case carefully, and will intervene if necessary, in support of

Tillamook County�s correct dismissal of the Measure 37 claim.

OREGON SHORES PAGE 4

COASTAL LAW PROJECT: KEEPING CITIZENS IN THE LAND USE GAME

The Coastal Law Project (CLP) is a unique coalition among three groups which seeks to help coastal activists par-ticipate effectively in local hearings and provide low-cost legal support when cases need to be taken into the court system. Started by Oregon Shores over three years ago when seeking help with burgeoning needs on the coast, CLP is now a well-established coalition.

The overall running of CLP lies with Oregon Shores, which works with local activists and keeps track of upcoming situations that will need attention. Goal One Coalition provides expert help in writing testimony for local hearings and working with activists to ensure good participation in local hearings. Crag Law Center in Portland, and sometimes Goal One as well, provide the low-cost, or free, lawyers to take cases Oregon Shores is concerned about to the Land Use Board of Appeals�and sometimes beyond.

Currently CLP members are working on several issues:

• One of these is the proposal to build a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility on the North Spit of Coos Bay.

• Another is continuing vigilance over Indian Point, the 180+ acre forested land right on South Slough owned by

Hank Westbrook. He sought before to build a large planned-unit develop-ment on the property, which was blocked by a lawsuit brought by CLP; then he filed a Measure 37 claim to allow the development; and now he has filed another land use application, still seeking the same large, inappro-priate development.

• A third issue for CLP is an appli-cation, also by Hank Westbrook, to build a 170-unit trailer park on a piece of land fronting the Coquille River, just outside Bandon. It would be a classic case of sprawl: allowing urban uses outside a city�s urban area. There

are many issues in the case � from water problems to sewage disposal � but the issue of urban uses on rural lands is central. Local hearings are completed, and Oregon Shores and adjacent residents have taken the matter to the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) represented by CLP member Goal One Coalition.

Oregon Shores is seeking to raise money to support our work in the Coastal Law Project. If you are interested in this project and would like to contribute, please contact Cameron La Follette, Oregon Shores� land use director at 503-391-0210 or at thehomecountry@onemain.com.

VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2 PAGE 5

The federal Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) gives state programs, like Oregon�s Coastal Management Program, addi-tional force by creating a mutually binding pact with the federal government. Oregon�s program, based on our land use laws, has been approved at the federal level, triggering �consistency,� meaning that U.S. actions must align with Oregon�s coastal policies. Approval under the CZMA also brings with it federal funding.

The CZMA is up for reauthorization by Congress this year and next. Currently the nationwide Coastal States Organization is talking with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-tion (NOAA) about key points they want approved. Bill drafts from both entities should start circulating soon. Everyone hopes to have a solid bill package by December 2007, with hearings before Congress sometime in the spring of 2008.

Supporters want to ramp up the scope and effectiveness of state coastal programs. Oregon is lucky�we already have a strong mandatory coastal program�which is a good thing, since

CZMA participation is only voluntary. Any reauthorization will keep Oregon�s laws and requirements in place; CZMA support-ers are trying, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, to get more states to do the things Oregon (and California) already do.

So what do Oregonians need to do now? It will be important in the fall, after the November election, to inform our congres-sional delegation about the CZMA reauthorization effort. Mem-bers of the delegation will be voting on CZMA reauthorization, of course; but we want them to really support a strong new law. This is especially true of Oregon Senators Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden.

Additionally, the votes of Oregon Representatives David Wu and Darlene Hooley matter greatly in the House, because both have coastal territory in their districts, and both have worked with coastal constituents on various matters in the past. You will be hearing from Oregon Shores about CZMA reauthoriza-tion as the process gets a little clearer in this winter.

COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT ACT UP FOR REAUTHORIZATION

More than 200 of you have already underwrit-ten Oregon Shores� suc-cessful work on many fronts with financial con-tributions this year. Some gifts have been for $1 or $5, and some have reached four or even five figures; some have been to the general fund and

some have been earmarked for special purposes; some have come in all at once and some have been pledged for the future; all are greatly valued. These generous donors

have made possible our Land Use, Ocean and CoastWatch programs; our conferences and workshops; our policy work at the local, state and federal level; even this very newsletter. Please consider joining this list before 2007 is out. If your name is al-ready found below, many thanks from Oregon Shores� board and staff, and from all those who care about the Oregon coast.

Headland Group ($5,000-plus)

Evelyn McConnaughey Kris Olson

Oswald West Society ($1,000-plus)

Anonymous Jane Beckwith Geraldine and Robert Haynes Jerry and Kristayani Jones Cynthia Lord Paul and Lory Utz John Vitas and Pat Towle Howard Watkins

Director’s Circle

($500-plus)

Allison Asbjornsen and Forrest Dickerson Willotta Asbjornsen Daniel Anderson and Joy Strand Gerry and Nancy Brown Johanna Cummings Christine DeMoll and Bill James Barbara Hilyer and John Daggett Ron Hogeland and Nancy Archer Kalmiopsis Audubon Society Maria and John Phipps Craig and Anne Swinford Eric and Ann Watkins

Our Generous Donors

Robert and Kerstin Adams Vic Affolter Jennifer Agnew Alaskan Brewing Company Joe Amicarella Steven and Linda Anderson C. Lloyd Anderson Philip and Joanne Anselone Bob Bacon and Sue Daniels Diane Bailiff Ewart Baldwin John and Juanita Batson R. Peter Bauer Joy Bautz Larry and Mary Ann Beggs Bob Berman and Cindy Lippincott Dave and Diane Bilderback Robert Black Florence Blitch Katherine Brigham Dirk and Loretta Brinke William and Marilyn Buskirk Angela Calkins Joan Campf Anne Caples Gert Carey Steven and Adrienne Casey Leo and Jean Chiantelli Andy and Lynn Christensen Gerald and Joanne Clark Leonard and Else Cobb Jane Comerford Sixto Contreras, Jr. Stanton Cook

Alfred and Kathleen Coombe Elaine Cramer David and Michie Crane Brian and Mary Crawford Cliff Cruickshank Robert Dady and Karen Reyes William Dalton Jean and Patrick DeCato Barbara Dodrill V. Alton Dohner David and Heather Donielson Carol and Robert Doty Joy Dresie Ann Eaton Eco Justice Committee, Benedictine Sisters Carl and Millie Ehrman Sven and Paula Eldring Joseph Erceg Charles Evans Nancie Fadeley Clara Fairfield Marjorie Feldman and Francis Quinn Jamie Fereday and Margaret Ryan Caryn Fieger Jack Finch Carol Fisher Clifford and Margaret Fisher Bob and Linda Fleming Rene and Janet Fortin George and Sandra Frick Marie Gargano Janice and J.W. Gerdemann Stephen Gerould Jerry Gibson

PAGE 6 OREGON SHORES

CONTRIBUTORS FOR 2007 MAKE

OREGON SHORES� WORK POSSIBLE

Edward Gingras and Jennifer Iams Gayla Gomena William and Kimberly Graham Patricia Graves David and Evelyn Gray Winthrop Gross Susan Hay and Michael Becker Tom and Eileen Hallee Frank and Rebecca Hatcher John Haxton J. Richard Heinzkill Howard and Akiko Helwig Bonnie Henderson and Charles Zennache Dennis Higgins Robert and Inger Hobron William and Paula Hoehn Lori Hollingsworth Kerry Holman and Laurie Prouty Berne and Merrilee Howard Mike Hryekewicz Fred Hummel George and Shirley Humphreys Tom Hurst and Nancy Steinberg Barbara Isenberg Dotta Janssens Merlyn and Elizabeth Javens Gordon Joachim and Narda Tolentino Wallace Johnson Phillip Johnson Gary Johnson and Lisa Jaffe John M. Johnson Gail Katul Murray Kaufman Mary Kentula and Donald Armstrong Charles and Reida Kimmel Daniel Kinsey Gary and Sharon Kish P.C. Klahr Randall and Helaine Koch Bill and Carolyn Kolzow Paul and Janet Komar Louis and Kathie Kroeck Jim and Myra Lawson Archie and Pauli LeCoque Alexander Linke Pat Linstromberg Byron Lippert Lee and Ann Littlewood Bob and Shirley Loeffel Porter and Corinne Lombard Richard and Elizabeth Lyons Neal Maine

Ian and Yvonne Maitland James Marshall Dennis Martin and Corinne Sherton Bob Martyn and Donna Harwood-Martyn David McConnaughey and Patricia Blanton Christine McElroy John and Vernie McGowan Ruby Miller Donald Miller Gainor Minott Derith Mottershaw Beverly Nachel Gerald Nagel Milt and Shirley Nelson Wade and Corinne Newbegin Paul Niblock and Victoria Lambert

Jeanne Norton Alice Oglesby Robert and Carolyn Ollikainen Pauline Olsen Maynard and Betty Olson Don and Elizabeth Oswalt Timothy O’Toole Walter and Carol Ottoson Jeff Ouderkirk Elaine Owens Diane Pace J.B. and M.D. Parks Edgar and Phyllis Peara Carrie Phillips Michael and Sharon Posner Shawn Powell and Tina Choi Doug Purcell and Lani Warner John D. Randall Judson Randall Kendall Ridgway Jim and Carrie Rogers Patricia Romanov

Kenneth and Ruth Ross Ed and Lorraine Rossiter Kenneth Rystrom Erica Rubin and Tom Swanson Bill and Joan Russell Monica Schreiber Judy Schwartz-Sorrel Alan and Sylvia Seder Jean Shank Bryan and Betty Shaner John Sherman Ron and Mary Sherriffs Steve and Krista Shipsey Myrna Sims and Dorothy Diel Billy Smith Roderick and Jean Smith Robert and Margaret Smith James R. Smith Lori and David Sours South Coast Unitarian Fellowship Betty Sparks Shirley Suddeth Laura Svendsgaard and Ron Brean Michael and Yvette St. John Edwin and Judy Swenson Gary and Esther Tepfer Marisu Terry Seth and Suzanne Thompson Brent Thompson Cheryl and Ray Thorp Jim Thurber Debby Todd Lysbeth Toribio Margaret Tweelinckx Ron and Nancy Usher Lorraine Vanderzander John Vitas and Pat Towle Merle and Suzanne Wallis Joanne Walls Joanne Warren Lavern Weber and Pat Lewis Helen Westbrook Mitchell Williams Hanspeter Witschi Bernard and Carol Wolff Chester and Patricia Wolter Kip Wright

Foundations

Bullitt Foundation Hydropower Reform Coalition REI Inc.

THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS

PAGE 7 VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2

some of the most damaging in the whole state. For example, the Knox Baird Davis claim seeks an urban-type development on 1,500 acres along the lower Rogue River above Gold Beach. The Sweet Ranch claim seeks to build a Bandon Dunes-style resort on the 700+ acre ranch at the mouth of the pristine Sixes River in north Curry County, right on the coast.

Sea Lion Caves, that icon of coastal tourism north of Florence, filed a claim seeking unspecified residential development on some 200 acres they own on the east side of the highway by the Caves. The Scheinberg claim in Lincoln County seeks to build 100 houses on 120 acres of forestland on the north side of Devils Lake, just outside the Lincoln City urban growth boundary. And, in Clatsop County there is the Reith claim to develop housing on 180 acres along the scenic Lewis and Clark River.

These few examples do not include the thousands of acres of forestland under Measure 37 claims by various timber compa-nies--including Plum Creek Timber (who initially filed over 30,000 acres of claims but recently said they are withdrawing all of them), Simpson Lumber, South Coast Lumber and Davidson Industries--hoping to develop rural housing on the state�s best coastal timberland.

Measure 49, if passed, will allow a land owner to build up to three houses on the owner�s land if he or she could have done so at the time of purchase. These rights will be fully transferable to later sellers, which is not true for development under Measure 37. Except on groundwater-limited areas and high-value farm or forestland, under Measure 49, a landowner could apply to build up to ten houses if he or she can prove loss of value due to land use laws equal to the value of the houses. Large subdivisions, and commercial and industrial development, must follow the regular land use laws.

Measure 49 will thus protect Oregon�s farm and forestland, as well as groundwater-limited areas, and prohibit large-scale de-velopment in inappropriate areas of the state.

For more information on Measure 49 and how you can help, contact Cameron LaFollette at thehomecountry@onemain.com or 503-391-0210 or the Measure 49 campaign at www.yeson49.com.

(Continued from page 1)

The sea is sobbing against high cliff and stone

The sea flings itself against the running foam:

O I am alone, ever in the waves alone

Elakha, elakha, will you come never home?

I have wave of sparkling salt, I have summer tide

And white mists and purple howling gale;

Schools of fish gleam and weep by my side

Far in the deep mourns the spouting whale.

O elakha, leap again where the spindrifts burn

I am weak, I run spiritless upon the shore,

From warm blue waters will you never turn?

Hollowed is my heart as shell on the sea floor.

O elakha, he plays in the white sun far away

But he hears the call of the foaming northern sea,

He rides waters forgotten, stormy and gray

Into the waves green and cold and lonely;

The high black cliff-stone claps his hands

O cries the sea, come fish, come whale of the deeps,

Elakha returns; shine in the moon, O sands

Elakha is playing where the sea-forest sleeps.

*Elakha: the Chinook word for �sea-otter.�

Cameron La Follette

MEASURE 49 ON BALLOT IN NOVEMBER

PAGE 8 VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2

ELAKHA *

GOVERNOR BEGINS 18-MONTH COUNTDOWN

TO MARINE RESERVES

PAGE 9 OREGON SHORES

We are sad to report that long-time Oregon Shores board member Curtis Sorte passed away August 5th. A resident of South Beach in Lincoln County until his final months, Curt served on the board for more than 15 years, stepping down only a year ago.

Curtis enjoyed a long career as a dentist and dental surgeon in Albany, Oregon, until, in retirement, he and his wife, Mary Jean, moved to what had been their second home on the coast.

During his time on the board, he played a lead role in preserv-ing wetlands adjacent to South Beach State Park. He also served as a CoastWatch mile adopter from the program�s inception, and kept a sharp eye on his adopted mile. For a time, he and granddaughter Cascade Sorte (a marine biology student) were the program�s only grandparent/adult grandchild pair.

Curt�s family has requested that memorial contributions be made to Oregon Shores, for which we are grateful.

IN MEMORIAM: FORMER BOARD MEMBER CURTIS SORTE

In June, Governor Ted Kulongoski set in motion a plan for making marine reserves a reality in Oregon which includes a rousing 18-month timeline. �The purpose of the network of reserves is to help protect, sustain or restore the nearshore ma-rine ecosystem, its habitats and species for the heritage values they represent to present and future generations.�

The strategy relies on the participation and expertise of many and outlines explicit roles for Oregon citizens, esteemed marine scientists, Oregon�s Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC), the Marine Cabinet (made up of state agency with authority for managing Oregon�s Territorial Sea out to three miles), the Governor�s natural resources staff and ultimately the State Land Board and Oregon�s Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Essentially, the plan consists of four phases. First, from now until the end of the year, the OPAC will finalize objectives for the network of reserves as well as forms and the process to be used during the public nomination period. The OPAC�s Science and Technical Advisory Committee will develop a set of crite-ria, based on the objectives, to evaluate site nominations, as well as a Web-based toolkit, including maps and ecological in-formation about areas in Oregon�s ocean that can be readily accessed by Oregon citizens to assist them in developing a nomination proposal.

Second, in January 2008, the public nomination process begins with an outreach effort, and will continue through April. Ore-gon citizens and organizations will use a nomination form and draw upon the Web-based mapping tools developed specifically for the nomination process, as well as any other information they may find useful, and submit the completed forms to a des-ignated state agency, whose staff will post all nominations on the OPAC website.

To assist in this effort, Oregon Shores will hold a series of meetings this winter and next spring, assisted by funding from the Bullitt Foundation, to provide information about ecologi-cally important areas of Oregon�s ocean and to assist our mem-

bers and the public in participating in the nomination process as well as in advocating, over the entire 18-month period, for es-tablishment of a network of marine reserves that is based on sound science and that will adequately protect key ecosystems and marine habitats for the future.

Many of Oregon Shores� members have learned about marine reserves over the past couple years, having viewed the made-in-Oregon film, �Common Ground,� about how marine reserves are an important tool for protecting fully-intact ecosystems and especially for protecting old-growth age structure. We know about the need to set aside some areas of the ocean from all extraction so that the �big, old, fat, fertile, female fish,� affec-tionately known as �BOFFFFs,� can live in these areas to reach the ripe, old age of 30 to 50 years, when the are the most pro-ductive and are giving birth to the healthiest young which will serve to reseed the ocean in areas around the reserves. For those of you who have seen the film and heard this message, it will soon be time to put this knowledge to work during the marine reserves public nomination process.

The third phase, to occur from July through September of 2008, will involve development of a set of coastwide alterna-tives for a network of marine reserves by a team of scientists and agency staff, based on the nominations receive from the public. The OPAC will take those alternatives back out to the public for input, then advise the Governor.

Finally, during the fourth phase, October through December 2008, the Governor will forward the alternatives to the agen-cies for rulemaking and action by the State Land Board and the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

For information on how you can participate in the nomination process and advocate for a system of reserves, attend Oregon Shores October 13th annual meeting (see page one) to hear directly from Jessica Hamilton, the Governor�s natural re-sources policy advisory, or contact Robin Hartmann at robin@oregonshores.org or 541-672-3694.

PAGE 10 OREGON SHORES

of the Oregon Legislature�s Land Use Fairness Committee where many of the problems with Measure 37 were addressed and shaped into a solution that will be before voters this No-vember (Measure 49). Additionally, Greg MacPherson�s father, Hector MacPherson, was an Oregon legislator at the time of the Beach Bill enactment and a chief sponsor of Senate Bill 100, which established Oregon�s land use planning system. Of par-ticular interest, Representative Greg McPherson recently an-nounced his candidacy to serve as Oregon�s Attorney General.

Jessica Hamilton, who serves as Governor Ted Kulongoski�s Natural Resource Policy Assistant, will help us bridge from the Beach Bill to the Governor�s 18-month plan to establish a sys-tem of marine reserves, a bold and courageous action, indeed. In addition to serving as the Governor�s representative on Ore-gon�s Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC), Jessica has a strong background in marine policy and is a long-time Coast-Watch mile adopter.

Following this series of keynote speakers, Oregon Shores� staff

will make presentions on the organization�s three program areas - ocean, land use and CoastWatch� and describe what steps are being taking to help implement bold actions to protect our coast and ocean, as well as ways you can become involved. Cameron LaFollette, director of Oregon Shores� land use pro-gram, will provide an overview of the serious threats from Measure 37 claims filed along Oregon�s coast and how impor-tant passage of Measure 49 will be to stopping these threats.

Robin Hartmann, Oregon Shores� ocean program director, will describe efforts to move the marine reserves campaign to a suc-cessful outcome and how vital it will be to have CoastWatchers and Oregon Shores members play a significant role in voicing support for marine reserves to key decision makers over the coming months.

Finally, Phillip Johnson, director of Oregon Shores� Coast-Watch Program, will highlight the importance of our intertidal resources and the hands-on work that CoastWatchers can do to help others protect and understand these fragile coastal re-sources. For information on any part of the annual meeting, contact Robin at robin@oregonshores.org or 541-672-3694.

(Continued from page 1)

ANNUAL MEETING A CELEBRATION, CALL TO ACTION

Oregon Shores has sought a place at the table, rather than serve as an outside critic, of wave energy projects proposed for Ore-gon, as this technology holds promise for reducing Oregon�s reliance on out-of-state, coal-fired power plants for our electri-cal needs, thus helping address our state�s contribution to global warming. Our goal has been to respond constructively to the prospect of wave energy development by making absolutely sure that potential environmental impacts would be legitimately and thoroughly studied on each project and effects considered cumu-latively. If damaging effects are discovered, adaptive manage-ment should occur, impacts should be mitigated or, if it is deter-mined impacts cannot be adequately addressed, projects should be removed.

To this end, Oregon Shores� Ocean Program Director Robin Hartmann is serving on a number of key wave energy forums, where she has been able to bring focus in recent months on the need to increase Oregon�s commitment to understanding the potential ecological effects of wave energy development and to consider projects, collectively, from a coastwide perspective. Two of these efforts are highlighted below:

An Ecological Effects Workshop for Scientists�Over the course of this year, Hartmann has served on a steering com-mittee for a workshop to be held in Newport on October 11th and 12th at the Hatfield Marine Science Center that will be at-tended by over 40 scientists from across the national. The ple-

nary session on the morning of the 11th is open to observers, but the rest of the workshop will be strictly for scientists to work in small group sessions where they will consider a compre-hensive list of �stressors,� (including components of the wave energy parks such as mooring lines, buoys, electro-magnetic fields and acoustic avoidance devices) and �receptors,� (all the natural components of the ocean including whales, sand, phyto-plankton, seabirds and salmon smolts). The goal of the work-shop is to have the scientists determine what is known, what is not known (gaps) and what the priorities are for monitoring and studying ecological impacts of wave energy projects.

The Oregon Wave Energy Trust (OWET) � Hartmann has been approved as a board member of the newly formed organi-zation which will have an oversight and planning role for use of the $4.2 million recently approved by the Oregon Legislature for wave energy development in Oregon over the current bien-nium. Having a voice in OWET�s decision-making process will help assure that Oregon invests state funds in becoming a leader not only in the �technology� of wave energy but also in the �ecology� of wave energy park siting along Oregon�s coast. With Hartmann�s support, the first funding request to OWET was approved, that of spending $25,000 to match other funds raised for implementing the ecological effects workshop for scientists, and to assure that at least $750,000 is budgeted for a coastwide assessment of wave energy development in Oregon.

OREGON SHORES BRINGS ECOLOGICAL FOCUS TO WAVE ENERGY FORMS

site, thanks to webmaster Lloyd Maxfield, continues to add features. It is now possible not only to file quarterly reports online, but to view reports filed by other CoastWatchers for any mile of the Oregon coast. (The website, currently found at oregoncoastwatch.org, will merge with the website for Oregon Shores, oregonshores.org, sometime in the coming months).

For all CoastWatch�s growth and ambitious plans, there are still many miles for which we lack regular reports. There is always a need for new volunteers to help keep watch over any stretch of the coast. If interested in adopting a mile, or if you would like to know more about CoastWatch�s rocky shoreline pro-jects, contact Phillip Johnson, the CoastWatch director, at 503-238-4450 or at orshores@teleport.com.

(Continued from page 3)

COASTWATCH INTERTIDAL FOCUS CONTINUES

PAGE 11 VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Oregon�s pioneering Beach Bill, which gives all of us the right to wander anywhere on our shores. And Ore-gon Shores, which emerged from the bat-tle for the Beach Bill and established itself as the guardian of those

public beaches and the entire coastal region, is closing in on its 37th birthday.

Those who worked to pass the Beach Bill were looking past their own time to create a legacy for future generations. Likewise, Oregon Shores intends to be around for the long haul, protecting this legacy and handing it on to new gen-erations of coastal stewards.

Please consider extending your care and concern for the Oregon coast with a legacy gift to future generations who will cherish this landscape and these resources as we do today. A bequest to Oregon Shores will help to keep the organization strong and the voice for coastal conservation steady.

If you would like to consider remembering the coast and Oregon Shores in your will, or making any other form of legacy gift, contact Allison Asbjornsen, Oregon Shores� president, at whiskeycreek@oregoncoast.com or 503-842-2808.

MAKE A GIFT FOR THE AGES WITH A BEQUEST TO OREGON SHORES

Oregon Shores welcomes your poetry submissions. Please contact Cameron at thehomecountry@onemain.com for more information.

O great blue-foaming sea, enter into my bones

I am lost, I am shivering, I cannot speak;

Carry me on your tide over the terrible stones,

Enter this heart, carry away all that you seek.

O great moon-pulled sea, upon the near shore turn

Speak your only name, return the shining face;

Upon pale spindrift I cast my darkness to burn,

May this heart drift away silver and leave no trace.

O great green-storming sea, be my every shield

Be my every love, wave-wandering and fierce,

Wash the gaping wound that has not been healed;

Star above the sea, take this heart to pierce.

Cameron La Follette

Prayer to the Sea

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage

Paid Newport, OR Permit No. 48

DATES TO REMEMBER:

• OCTOBER 13, HATFIELD MARINE SCIENCE CENTER, NEWPORT 11:00 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M.� OREGON SHORES ANNUAL MEETING, �CELEBRATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BEACH BILL: BOLD AC-

TIONS PAST AND FUTURE� AT 11:00 IN RM. 30/32, MEMBERS VOTE ON BOARD OF DIRECTORS; AT 12:30 NEAR HMSC AUDITORIUM, REGISTRA-

TION; AT 1:00 IN HMSC AUDITORIUM PROGRAM BEGINS.

• OCTOBER 3, DOUGLAS COUNTY LIBRARY, ROSEBURG. WAVE ENERGY EVENT, (OREGON SHORES IS A PRESENTER) 12:00�4:00

• OCTOBER 27, HECETA HEAD CONFERENCE, FLORENCE EVENTS CENTER (OREGON SHORES REPRESENTED ON WAVE ENERGY PANEL).

• NOVEMBER 6�VOTE FOR MEASURE 49

• DECEMBER 7,8 �TWO DAY CONFERENCE ON ROCKY SHORES, OTHERE TOPICS, FLORENCE, FRI. START TIME TBA, 4:00 P.M., SAT. 10:OO A.M.�4:15 P.M., LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FLORENCE CENTER, 3149 OAK ST.

CONTACT US:

Program STAFF CAMERON LA FOLLETTE, LAND USE DIRECTOR

thehomecountry@onemain.com

PHILLIP JOHNSON, COASTWATCH DIRECTOR orshores@teleport.com

ROBIN HARTMANN, OCEAN DIRECTOR,

NEWSLETTER EDITOR robin@oregonshores.org

Key Volunteers

ALLISON ASBJORNSEN, PRESIDENT whiskeycreek@oregoncoast.com

BETTE SILVER, REGISTRAR Bette88@centurytel.net

LLOYD MAXFIELD, WEBMASTER

techwatcher@oregoncoastwatch.org

P.O. BOX 1344 DEPOE BAY, OREGON 97341

OREGON SHORES CONSERVATION COALITION

W E� RE ON THE W EB! WWW. ORE GONSHORE S.ORG