On June 4th, the city council of Corvallis, Oregon, unanimously agreed to give Legend Homes - a subsidiary of Matrix Homes - permission to build 221 suburban houses on fifty seven acres of the Witham Oaks tract - an area of oak savanna, oak forest, and wetlands within walking distance of 10,000 Corvallis citizens.  The oak savanna within Witham Oaks represents a habitat type that is declining across North America; remaining pockets of oak savanna, like those in the Corvallis area, should be set aside as preserves.  However, the City of Corvallis, normally considered pretty "green," has approved this environmentally devastating project.  In addition to destroying threatened ecosystems, the Witham Oaks development will add urban sprawl to the city, encouraging long-distance commuting and the associated greenhouse gas emissions.  This is a bad deal for the environment all around.

Fortunately, Corvallis residents concerned about the impacts of this project are appealing the case to the Land Use Board of Appeals, in hopes of overturning the city council's verdict.  There is still time to save Witham Oaks.  I am looking at ways ordinary people can help, and will keep you updated on this blog.  In the meantime, feel free to visit the "Keep Witham Wild" website, which was put together by the Corvallis citizens resisting the development project.  And don't hesitate to spread the word about the desructive practices of Legend Home - below is a photo that shows one activist's idea of "protesting" Legend's activities.