Dosewallips Ancient Forest Running Out of Time:
Photos of What Would be Lost
by Jim Scarborough — July 2008



Those concerned about the fate of the 500-year-old ancient forest that would be lost through reconstruction of the Dosewallips road have often relied on OFCO's work to help determine what's at stake. While John Woolley (OFCO's chair) has led perhaps two dozen field trips into the forest to allow interested folks to see firsthand the cathedral-like beauty of the Polly Dyer Grove, a host of factors prevents others from readily doing so. Yet this is no small deal, given that this would be the first old-growth destroyed on Olympic National Forest since the infamous Salvage Rider of 1995/96.

It occurred to us that photographing and sharing many of the great trees that would be cut down and bulldozed to reroute the dead-end Dosewallips road would be the simplest method of conveying the magnitude of what agency engineers are proposing. Many of these trees began their lives while Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci were creating their masterpieces in the midst of the Renaissance. By the time the Declaration of Independence was signed, these same trees were already giants.

Where is the wisdom in chopping down centuries of living history so that motor vehicles may proceed a mere five miles farther upvalley? And why do the Forest Service and Federal Highway Administration stubbornly refuse to consider converting the remaining road to a scenic, easy, multi-season trail -- thereby averting this tragedy? If you haven't already contacted the agencies to express your thoughts, please do so now. This magnificent forest is fast running out of time.



Give your eyes a "beauty" break and enjoy the photos shown below.