The Umstead Coalition doesn't know who "The Ghost of Oddfellows" is, but we were copied on the email below in which they shared links to hundreds of beautiful photos of the Oddfellows Tract. Charles Morris, filmmaker of 400 Feet Down created this video with some of those photos. We're thankful "The Ghost of Oddfellows" has shared these photos so everyone can see the beauty of the land that will be destroyed with the new quarry.

"Dear elected officials, environmental leaders, and members of the press,

I'm sure most of you are aware of the proposal by the RDU Airport Authority to lease the 105-acre "Oddfellows" tract, also known as RDU Forest, to Wake Stone to build a 400-ft deep rock quarry on the southwest flank of Umstead State Park.

What has been missing from the debate, as far as I can tell, is any real appreciation by the media, elected officials, or the general public for just how beautiful and special the Oddfellows tract of woods really is. Few people besides Boy Scouts and mountain bikers have ever been out there, which works to RDUAA and Wake Stone's unfair advantage.

So as a citizen of Durham or Wake Counties, and thus as a co-owner of this public forest, I decided to share my best photos of Oddfellows with you so you can judge for yourself whether this land deserves to be turned into a pit in the ground.

Three teaser images are attached to this message. This dropbox folder has the top 50 photos along with a couple of maps - note that you can view the photos without downloading anything: https://www.dropbox.com/…/feqf5n…/AAD46LOOalEpZgb6nQG2BAy7a…

This folder has a larger set of 369 Oddfellows images that I've put together (selected out of 800+ total photos), to give you a more comprehensive appreciation for the forest and the land - almost as good as visiting yourself!

https://www.dropbox.com/…/ntev0h…/AAC5XMW4huA9aeYdYlRyC4Mta…

And this folder contains, for comparison purposes, a small set of images of the current Wake Stone quarry, to help you and the public visualize what a 400-ft hole in the ground will look like.

https://www.dropbox.com/…/2kxxw5…/AADReiJlfF39PSf_pG2EbevVa…

I give free license to everyone to use, share, and republish these photos - please share with everyone you can! Also, please download them soon for better viewing and easier sharing, and in the off chance that this dropbox account gets taken down. If you need higher resolution versions of any of the images or have questions about what you're seeing just let me know.

Note: no organization or individual asked me to undertake this project, it was done completely on my own time and at my own expense. Also note that I have zero interest in interrupting or interfering with the smooth and safe operations of RDU Airport.

As you'll see in a few of the photos, Wake Stone is already testing the ground at Oddfellows to get ready to start the process of destruction. So time is of the essence, please take whatever actions you can, as soon as you can, to make sure this beautiful and intriguing public forest stays intact for all Triangle residents to enjoy.

Sincerely,

The Ghost of Oddfellows"