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Council takes tour of Squaw Creek land
By Jim Cornelius

Sisters city councilors wanted to get a look at the 690 acres along Squaw Creek that may be included in a Steens Mountain land exchange before they weigh in with an opinion on the swap.

Several council members and interested citizens navigated back roads south of town on Thursday, May 30, to tour the site with Jeff Sims of the Sisters Ranger District.

Sims gave an overview of the usage and management of the land, which is currently part of the Deschutes National Forest.

"It behooved us to have some knowledge of the ground we're talking about... just to see what the public interest might be in this parcel," said Mayor Steve Wilson.

The City of Sisters has no jurisdiction over the land or any official role in legislation that might put the land in private ownership. However, Wilson said he had been assured by the staff of Senator Ron Wyden that the senator will not propose legislation until he hears how the city council feels about the matter.

"I assume it's just a courtesy," Wilson said. "They're trying to be sensitive to the needs and wishes of the people of an affected area."

The potential legislation would allow George Stroemple of Sisters to exchange 1,240 acres he owns in the Steens Mountains for 690 acres bordered by Squaw Creek near Sisters.

The Sisters parcel is approximately three miles south of Sisters, adjacent to 50 acres Stroemple already owns along Squaw Creek and accessed by Three Creeks Road.

The land in the Steens is considered highly valuable in the context of an effort to consolidate and protect wild areas and the swap proposal has the support of the influential environmental groups Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) and the Oregon Natural Resources Coalition (ONRC).

Some Sisters area residents don't like the plan.

Wayne Jack, a neighbor who frequently rides and hikes on the land, said that some 600 acres of the proposed exchange land, are "nice property (that) supports a lot of wildlife."

He noted that the Forest Service has indicated that they don't favor a sale or exchange of that land.

Jack said an exchange represents "the exact precedent we don't want to set -- that these kinds of lands can be traded away" -- even for a perceived greater good.

"Do we now establish pecking orders?" he said. "That is a great concern to me, because the Steens could end up at the bottom of a pecking order some day."

Jack would like to see the proposal scaled back significantly, if it goes forward.

Some area residents have expressed concern about potential development on the property.

Stroemple said that the land will carry "a pretty tough conservation easement," that would limit development to "single-family residences located on parcels not smaller than 240 contiguous acres in size."

The easement reads that "such parcels may include acreage outside the property." The easement also allows a caretaker's residence of less than 2,000 square feet. The easement excludes a golf course or destination resort.

"I may do something for a family member or something like that, but that's only one or two houses out there," Stroemple said. "I don't want this property to develop it."

In fact, according to Stroemple, his biggest concern is to manage the property to minimize the threat of disease and wildfire -- a threat that hovers over his current home property.

A forestry study Stroemple commissioned indicates that the parcel has many stands that are vulnerable to disease and "there is a 70-year-old fuel accumulation on much of this property...

"This has increased expected wildfire conditions from medium rate of spread and low resistance to control to high rate of spread and high resistance to control," the study states.

According to Wilson, the biggest concern he has heard is about public access. He noted that interest in the creek has grown as restoration plans have gained momentum.

"It's going to be hard for people to accept the reintroduction of anadromous fish on the one hand and closing public access on the other," Wilson said.

Stroemple questions whether there is public use that would be sacrificed.

"The only historical use out there is the neighbors out there hiking it and a couple of them ride horses," he said.

Stroemple said he was willing to grant those people access for a period of 10 or 20 years.

"I don't want to take anything away from the people who hike and ride out there," he said.

Those on the field trip might challenge Stroemple's interpretation of the level of use. Wilson noted that there is "a pretty well-developed hiking trail along the west bank (of Squaw Creek)."

No exchange legislation has been formally proposed.

Wilson said the Sisters City Council will hold at least one public hearing before offering an opinion.

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