As many of you are already aware, a ballot initiative to divide the Tillamook and Clatsop state forests “50/50” between commercial logging versus wildlife habitat and recreation was soundly defeated by Oregon voters. The SEMA Action Network (SAN) working with SEMA, its membership, and off-road community contacts had urged defeat of the measure. If the measure had passed, land use decisions would have been put in the hands of an independent restoration science team with complete discretion on land closure issues.
Once decisions had been made, the plan would not have been reviewed for another 20 years. SAN and SEMA support rational land management decisions that balance the need for land protection and access. This initiative did not meet that threshold and would have jeopardized off-highway vehicle access to existing, well-maintained roads and trails, among other issues.