Following President
Barack Obama’s visit to Oregon last week, the Salem Statesman Journal published
a letter to the President: Let's
talk timber, Mr. President.
In the letter/editorial, the newspaper thanks the
President for talking up Salem-based Oregon fruit products. However, the letter notes,
“there's an even more important issue that cries for your help: increasing
timber harvests on federal lands.”
Me, Too!
The
same plea could be addressed to Governor Kate Brown for increasing timber
harvests on State Forest land. Previously, the House Committee on Agriculture
and Natural Resources considered, House
Bill 3210. HB3210 was a bill that increased timber production on the
Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests.
The
Council of Forest Land Trust Counties in Northwest Oregon supported
modifications to the original bill. The counties, who were the original owners
of the forestland, sought to increase sustainable timber harvests from the
State Forests.
The
counties and several House Ag and Natural Resources Committee members are
frustrated with the length of time it has taken the Board of Forestry and the
Department of Forestry to craft a new plan that increases timber sales.
Died too soon…
As
the Committee prepared to adopt the counties’ proposal, Chairman Rep. Brad Witt
announced that he was pulling HB 3210 due to a letter he received from Board of
Forestry Chair Tom Imeson and State Forester Doug Decker. The letter promised
to keep the forest plan changes on a fast track.
Meanwhile,
the counties are suffering financially from dwindling federal and state timber
revenue. In fact, the Department of Forestry is seeking to replace timber
receipts with scarce money from Oregon’s General Fund.
All State Forests
Northwest
Oregon isn’t the only place the Governor could increase revenue from improved
forest management. The State Land Board, Chaired by Governor Brown has over
80,000 acres of very productive forestland on the Elliott State Forest. These
Common School Fund trust lands have seen a sharp decline in timber production
following the settlement of an Endangered Species Act lawsuit filed by
environemntalists upset with the new forest management plan to manage the ESF.
Madame
Governor, it is not just the US Forest Service’s National Forests and the USDI
Bureau of Land Management’s Oregon & California trust lands that need the
President’s attention. State Forests in northwest and southwest Oregon could
help produce County revenue, School funds and most importantly jobs! Act now, while the 2015 legislature is still
in session!!!
