Walk through Oswald West State Park and you’ll soon see why this is one of the most popular spots on the Oregon Coast.
It’s the trees.
This is one of the last places where you can hike through an ancient spruce-hemlock forest. Many of the trees are 200-400 years old. Some are survivors of the great Tsunami that swept the coast in the early 18th Century.
The Trees Of Oswald West State Park. Courtesy Oregon Parks and Recreation.
So here’s the dilemma facing Oregon Parks and Recreation. Many of the trees pose a threat to campers. They’re so old and so weak they could come down at any time. The danger was made clear in June when an old spruce, 11-feet in diameter, fell over and landed across several campsites. Luckily, no one was hurt.
Since then, the campground remained closed while Park officials studied the other nearby trees. They’ve identified 49 of them that might fall into a campsite, building, or high use trail. If the campground is to be reopened, these trees have got to go. If the campground stays closed, only a few trees need to be removed.
Keep the trees or reopen the campground? What do you think?
Before any trees are cut, the Parks and Recreation Department wants to hear from the public.
A few points to consider before you weigh in.
- Oswald West gets about a million visitors a year. Most use the park for hiking, surfing and walks on the beach. Before it was closed, about 15,000 people a year stayed at the campground.
- Reopening the campground means putting most of the campsites back in service, and gives people another way to enjoy the park. But officials also say cutting down the trees will leave a visual hole that might be filled by weeds and other invading species.
- According to a 1986 plan, Oswald West is meant to be kept in as natural of a state as possible. Cutting down the trees means it may have to be more heavily managed in the future.
Parks and Recreation staffers favors keeping the campground closed and only cutting a few trees. But it’s holding off until hearing from the public. It’s created a website where you can learn more and provides ways for you to offer comments
Oswald West State Park: Camping Or Trees?
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I agree with the plan to keep the trees and close the campgrounds indefinitely. I have enjoyed the trails there since I was a child (I’m 52 now) and the forest there truly is unique and beautiful. It is difficult to find good camping spots on the Oregon Coast, but the campground is not worth losing this beautiful forest over.
If the trees are dieing they need to be cut down. If they keep the trees and keep the park closed then no one will be able to enjoy the beauty. This is the 21st century & I’m sure Scientists can find a way to keep weeds and other species out. Please help me understand, but don’t we have controlled burning? Forrest fires and control burning helps to begin new growth for trees, plants, vegetation and wild life. WE WILL/NO ONE WILL EVER BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF OSWALD WEST STATE PARK & THE OUTDOOR NATURE IF THE (DIEING) TREES REMAIN.
CUT THE TREES DOWN!!! LET NEW GROWTH AND VEGETATION GROW.
We have destroyed so much of our public lands, so we(humans) can enjoy them or make toilet paper out of ancient trees. There are many different species who enjoy this park besides us and its natural habitat is a benefit. We get benefits even if we we are not allowed to camp there. I live on the east coast where it is very hard to find a 200 year old tree. These places where the old trees grow are special and are on they way to extinction. Take the redwoods for example there are only 4% left. Lets give the land something back as we have taken so much!