PCT Communicator Assignment
Can We Win on the Checkerboard? Located in Washington, the Pacific Crest Trail is split, in a checkerboard format, into Forest Service land and land that was allotted to Burlington Northern railroad. Later the land was transported to Plum Creek Timber Company. It is still in their possession today. This mean a Pacific Crest trail user would experience both owned and public land while hiking. The land would include a mixture of natural areas and areas that would be challenging to maneuver across. Purchasing the checkerboard parcels of land has been a prerogative of both Pacific Crest Trail and the Forest Service. The previous parcel purchases has reduced timber harvesting. Another parcel is being secured. It is known as the Stampede Pass parcel. It was obtained by The Trust for Public Land from the owner, Plum Creek Timber Company. This was done because their options were limiting; they did not want it to be a possibility that the land was sold for negative intentions.