Supports Peach
In the Sept. 26 Peninsula Daily News (“Timber is top talk at debate: Peach, Doherty spar in Clallam commission battle”), I read with interest candidate Doherty’s history on timber issues in the county.
Doherty first suggests to establish buffers between private land and public lands to deal with the fire problem.
I don’t think private lands are the ones burning because they are cared for.
The federal public lands burn because they are not cared for in a sensible, responsible way.
So Doherty’s buffering idea is a very small suggestion for a very large problem.
This is all linked to the devastating effects of the Northwest Forest Plan implemented about 25 years ago.
This is an administrative, not legislative, plan that was very much in play during Doherty’s service as a commissioner.
He said he had worked to get this modified with 20 other timber counties, not wishing to go it alone.
On an issue like this, that is when real leadership is required.
Obviously, nothing of substance happened then despite the continuing need to maintain roads and trails for a host of activities, including fire control.
It’s like having a neighbor who doesn’t clean up his yard and doesn’t plan to.
On the other hand, Commissioner Bill Peach, as a former timberland manager, knows what is required to maintain healthy renewable forest land.
Doherty said, if elected, he would continue to work with other timber counties.
With little question, the result would be exactly the same.
Glenn Wiggins,
Port Angeles