Background: 

Farragut State Park is the premier multi-use recreational destination in the greater Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Area.  Its 4000 acres contain nationally significant scenic, historic, wildlife, recreational, and cultural resources -- all of which are within a one hour drive for over 300,000 people.

The Park’s History

Because of the mountainous northern location, the Farragut area served only as a seasonal stop for the early Indian and pioneer miner migrations.  In the late 1800’s Buttonhook Bay became a vital link in the Pony Express route between Walla Walla, Washington and Missoula, Montana.  Bayview became a lumber, fishing, mining, and railroad center.  By 1941, the U.S. Navy Department had acquired much of the area, transforming it into the second largest naval training center in the world.  After a series of ownership changes, the area became Farragut State Park in 1965.  In the same year it was selected for the National Girl Scout Roundup and since that time has been host to the 1967 World Boy Scout Jamboree, and the 1969 and 1973 National Boy Scout Jamborees.   Over 130,000 scouts have experienced the beauty and serenity offered by Farragut State Park since it’s establishment.

No Logging on the Farragut Lakeshore

It’s official!  The Idaho Parks and Recreation Department and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game have withdrawn their proposal to log 167 acres of beautiful, healthy and thriving forest along the shore of Lake Pend Oreille between Buttonhook Bay and Blackwell Point in Farragut State Park.

The forest borders Idlewilde Bay and lies between the Buttonhook, Whitetail, Snowberry Campgrounds and Lake Pend Oreille.  The timber sale would have logged over and through prime hiking and biking trails; in fact, the bike trail would have been converted to a logging road!

The agencies’ plan called for cutting down large Douglas fir trees.  Their ostensible purpose is to “return old growth ponderosa pine stands to their historic structure.”  The logging proposal stirred up an enormous controversy, and generated lots of opposition.  So much so that the agencies put the project on hold and convened a Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC).  Barry Rosenberg, Executive Director, represented KEA on the committee.

The CAC held monthly meetings, made numerous field trips, heard from numerous experts and reviewed the public testimony and letters before deciding to recommend that no logging should take place on the lakeshore. The fact that the majority of the public felt that the beauty and recreational values of the lakeshore property should be preserved weighed heavily in the recommendation made by the CAC that the property should not be logged.

Thanks to all of you who sent letters, attended the meetings, and made comments.  We can make a difference!

What’s Next:

KEA will have a Celebration Event September 18 at the park.  Details will be posted in the coming months.  In the meantime set the date aside, you won’t want to miss this event.

KEA would like to thank Mike Lee for the use of copy and pictures contained herein.