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friends of eugene <br />April 2, 2008 <br />Oregon Parks and Recreation Department <br />Local Government Grants Program <br />Attention: Michele Scalise <br />725 Summer St. NE, Suite C <br />Salem OR, 97301 <br />Re: Letter of Support for City of Eugene's East Fork Amazon Headwaters Land Acquisition <br />Grant Application <br />Dear Ms. Scalise and members of the review committee <br />The south hills of Eugene, Oregon, rimming the Amazon Creek watershed, form a primary <br />backdrop for the whole southern end of the Willamette Valley. Preservation of Eugene's green <br />edge, with its rich and special biome, is truly of regional significance. <br />Friends of Eugene, the primary land use and environmental advocacy group working within <br />the Eugene - Springfield urban growth boundary, is pleased to support the City Eugene grant <br />application for East Fork Amazon Headwaters Land Acquisition. As the leading 501(03 <br />nonprofit in Eugene dedicated to public interest involvement with comprehensive integrated <br />land use, transportation, and environmental planning in Eugene, we are very aware of how <br />essential it is to receive such support in order that long - standing local open space recreation and <br />conservation objectives may come to fruition. <br />The East Fork Amazon Headwaters Forest is an unusually rich and valuable natural area, a rare <br />inland pocket of wet forest, shaded since time immemorial from the drying afternoon sun by <br />Spencer Butte, immediately to its southwest. To this day, the forest is home to a rich and <br />beautiful ecosystem anchored by ancient firs, its special habitat supported by pristine streams <br />and pocket wetlands. <br />With increasing watershed awareness across the southern Willamette Valley, it has become <br />crystal clear that, much as a historic partnership of agencies has now protected much of the <br />West Eugene Wetlands, it is vital for all branches of government to collaborate in conserving <br />and connecting people with our few remaining tracts of pristine headwaters forest. <br />We sincerely appreciate your attention to this proposal. <br />Matthews <br />President, Friends of Eugene <br />matthews@artificc . com <br />PO Box 1588, Eugene, OR 97440 <br />541 -345 -7421 vox <br />541 -345 -7438 fax <br />www.FriendsofEugene.org <br />