Intentionally felled trees on Dry Creek

[Itchy]

Hey yall I don't have time to thoroughly search and see if this has been reported on this creek or otherwise, but...

I came to Arkansas the day after Thanksgiving and hiked Dry Creek with a friend who lives nearby. This is the creek that goes into Richland at Eula, that had some sort of descents sometime in like April. There are new locked gates on the access roads of of either Richland Road or Richland Creek road (whichever goes down to Eula from by Dickey Junction), and someone, presumably USFS, has taken a small tractor (Kubota or something, with steel tracks that have scarred up the bedrock in places) and built big mounds of dirt across the little 4wheeler trail that goes down to the put-in. No big deal, we didn't drive that far anyways when we ran the creek, and it probably will help with erosion. However, someone, possibly the same person, has felled trees across the trail, and more importantly, ACROSS THE CREEK for the first mile or two across the creek. These trees were cut by a chainsaw and have the cut end lying by or on their stumps, so they are certainly not transported from upstream or uphill. One of them is right at the lip of Reacharound, the 30 foot waterfall. There are even a couple more down in the first gorge below.

BTW I officially propose that the 3rd big drop, the one at the top of the second gorge that goes down the big slide into the worst hole ever, turns a couple of times and then falls into another nasty hole and then down the 8 foot ramp and off the 15 foot ledge Cherry Bomb Falls style be named "She's Gone From Suck to Blow", as anyone who's seen it will understand. There's also a big boulder in the landing zone so don't go center and miss your boof, for anyone badass enough to run it.

I moved out of Arkansas this summer and haven't been back much or talked to those who've stayed except for Kyle and Tracy this summer, so I don't know if this has been happening on other creeks or if this has been made known to the community in any way. But other than the policy implications of the USFS (if that's who did this, and I suspect it was, because of the gate and the bulldozer) deciding what people can run safely or not, it's simply a danger to anyone running the creek and I felt obligated to inform. Has anyone hiked other creeks recently and seen this, or heard anything about it?

(Not trying to get a flame war going, and I'm in the midst of finals once again and can't spend any time debating anything, but if people get up in arms and write a letter to the FS about how this is a completely inappropriate action and purposefully endangers citizens as well as needlessly destroying wildlife, I'll sign it and even nail the damn thing to the door in Jasper.)

I'd see you at the river if I didn't live in Kansas,
Itchy

[bryanpin]

Yo Itchy,

We discovered the same thing you did about a month ago. The trees have been laid down in very specifically dangerous spots through the entire first gorge. The first one is just a few hundred yards up from where the OHT crosses the creek between the upper and lower gorges. The most painful in my opinion being a huge living tree laid down into the meat of the Landbridge waterfall. (which btw, is probably one of my favorite places in Arkansas now, the geology and beauty there is awesome)

The crew that hiked it that day had a few members that have met up with a local that didn't seem excited about the fact we were kayaking and hiking the dry creek area. I think you've, Itchy, met this same fella on the day we all ran it in April. So intial suspicion points to this dude, who I now call a Chainsaw Ninja. I've never seen the hatred and stupidity it took along with the skill to lay trees down in EVERY Good rapid and some blind turns all through the upper gorge.

For anyone reading this remember this before you just let this pass as no big deal. He/She/Them cut living trees into 15+ rapids on a now Navigable Stream in the Ozark National Forrest!!!!!!!! A downright evil act in my book.

So, the reason no one from our group has brought this into the public eye yet is we were trying to decide the best course of action first. But Itchy has brought it to everyone's attention. Any suggestions? Surely we can fight to protect our streams and our National Forrest!!

[okieboater]

go by the chief forest ranger's office and file a official written complaint and they will have to look into it

dave

[Lazer]

The entire Dry Creek gorge is National Forest land. Access to the creek at the top and bottom included. However, it runs through some private property between the end of the gorge and the confluence with Richland Creek. The Forest service has developed some clover fields along the river right side of the creek as it exits the gorge and these are accessable via a road with a new forest service gate. The road leading up to the gate from the main Richland Creek road aka (Lower Richland Take-out) is a public forest service road that crosses through a piece of private property. According to the county land records, this property belonged to a S.N. McCutheon several years ago. I assume that this is still the case or likely is owned by another family member.

So as far as the creek goes, it is PUBLIC property and hike-in access is availble via old forest service roads and the Ozark Highlands Trail.

According to the reports I've heard from a couple of boaters who have talked to the property owner near the take-out road (they did not get or remember the land owner name) The person was not happy about people being in Dry Creek.

Again, the entire gorge and access is PUBLIC forest property and no tresspassing of private property is required to visit this beautiful creek.

[Fish]

This stinks. First, no indication the FS cut the trees - sounds like it might be a single landowner. If so, USFS will probably be interested in someone cutting trees on our taxpayer property. Lance and Brian, are you guys going to talk with USFS about the issue? Just wondering.

- Fish

[Trismegistus]

This ain't right!! And surely has to be illegal.

Gotta go with Dave on this one: "go by the chief forest ranger's office and file a official written complaint"

[jermdog]

I'm with you guys that he wasn't the friendliest fellow in town. I remember getting a ride though, but he was pissed that we were even in existence in his domain so who knows. I bet reporting it would get some results, as long as he, whoever that is, knows about it. Otherwise, it's hard to say what'll work.

[bryanpin]

It doesn't take too long to figure out these trees weren't cut by the forrest service. Anyone who walks up Dry creek that has any perception of boating can figure out they were cut with harmful intent. I can't see the FS doing that in any form or fashion. whoever did this had one Hell of a Work day. Dry is not a forgiving place to travel, no matter the mode of transport. No Trails, just hiking the sides of gorges, the creek bed, or numerous thickets.

I plan on writing a complaint or at leasat taking part in one, but it'll be after christmas, too busy to focus on that at the moment.

btw, this alleged lumberjack, now known as the chainsaw ninja. was seen again after the initial First D of Dry on a hike. The guys who met him somewhere in the upper gorge said he was definitely not happy to see them there. So again, in National Forrest Lands, why would another citizen be protective about such a rugged remote creek? I have my suspicions!

[Charlie Ford]

Not trying to start a fire here, but I thought I would add my two cents. I am a fish and wildlife biology major at arkansas tech and I speak to a lot of FS employees. I know that in some cases they do cut trees along lake and stream banks in order to provide more fish cover as there are often threatened or endangered species in highland streams. I know they have done this up on the Illinois Bayou and its tributaries.

[Fish]

Good point Charlie - that is a management practice that boaters run into from time to time (literally unfortunately). But this stream is bone dry about 99% of the year (hence the name), and isn't going to support many fish at all, no matter how many trees are in it. I doubt it applies here, but your 2 cents are good to have in this discussion.

I hate to see this period for boater-landowner relations in the state... we don't need to get in "fights" if we can help it. However, if this landowner cut live trees on public land, especially with the intent to scare or hurt boaters, I think it should be pointed out to the USFS. If we just clear the stream again, the guy might just go cut more, and that ain't good for the creek or anyone. But if USFS goes to ask him questions and he knows they're not happy and suspect he had something to do with it he will be less likely to do it in the future. Although he might have other ideas on how to harass boaters - after all, he knows exactly when we'll be there in our boats...

Just my 2 cents,
Fish

[Ryan Center]

I hate to see this period for boater-landowner relations in the state... we don't need to get in "fights" if we can help it.
Just my 2 cents,
Fish

I disagree, this guy needs an a** whopping from the Giant. And a chainsaw shoved up his %$#^^#.

[JTarver]

Well, I've heard before that diplomacy is the act of saying "niiiiiice doggie" until you can find a rock.



I agree with Fish on this. The guy will be elss likely to do it if he knows he is being watched. However, if he is a methhead, he may just start shooting at some point to protect his lab.
I would be wary of hiking alone near there if this guy is that protective of land that isn't his.
Just a thought.

And Charlie, when do you graduate? Are you heading more toward the fish, or wildlife end of your degree? I'm due to be released from my academic prison sentence next Dec. I can't wait.

Joe

[bryanpin]

all right. slight correction to my previous post.

the hikers met the suspect landowner after the initial decent in April. They were on a public road that crosses his private property near dry creek. However, the fact that he was un pleasant and didn't want them in there is true.

I don't want to start anything unneccesarily with anyone up there. And I think we need to be careful about accusations too. However, it's easy to get mad because whoever did it does need their a** whipped. But it won't solve our problem and will give us no leverage with any authorities. So, we'll be diplomatic. That is, of course, unless that doesn't work. Then it's lynch Mob style!

As for the Forrest Service cutting these trees, Fish is right. There's no way in Hell the Forrest Service cut these trees. As I mentioned earlier, the one of twenty or so downed trees that hurts the most is the Old Growth LIVING Tree he laid down from a high bank right into the meat of the drop at landbridge. This tree had been living on that cliff edge for 100's of years and has now been artfully notched and laid down where it's base is at the lip of the biggest part of the drop and sits right in the notch of the waterfall. This not only ruins any chance of kayaking this or any other drops without major cleanup efforts. It's a cut tree in the middle of a beautiful natural waterfall that has a natural landbridge at the bottom. It's a freakin' tragedy!!!! (If you can't tell, I'm yell typing!)

[Ryan Center]

Has anyone contacted the Forest Service on this issue yet?

[jermdog]

Well I hope he at least twisted an ankle hiking around landbridge with a chain saw. I know it was a bi**h with a boat. And I'm with Ryan. Contact Forest service and see. Then comes the knee crushings.