Will the Private Forest Accord end the Timber Wars???
Oregon’s legislature recently adopted Senate Bill 1501, legislation that formally enacts the Private Forest Accord, an unprecedented agreement for a dozen large and small forest landowners and 13 environmental organizations to lay down their swords. Two years of hard work were required to reach the framework of the PFA. Now there is an intense scramble of rulemaking, mapping, analysis, and Adaptive Management to implement the PFA and make it a continually updated program. All forest industry foresters, engineers and attorneys have embraced an all-hands-on deck philosophy to staff numerous committees and rule-making processes.
Listening to the legislative floor speeches or reading the media coverage of the PFA enactment could lead one to conclude that the so-called Timber Wars are over. While that would be a welcome outcome, it won’t happen. Recent action from environmentalists shows that the Timber Wars will continue the over 16 million acres of forest land that is publicly owned. Environmental activists are still protesting and litigating over state-of-the-art scientific forest management on State and Federal Forest lands, even challenging the removal of dead burned trees along State Highways that provide access for forest recreation, amongst other things. The PFA only covers approximately 10 million acres of private forest land.
Forestland ownership is confusing for legislators, media representatives and the public. In Oregon 60% of the forest land is owned by the Federal Government while 3% is owned by the State. Don’t be surprised to see political turmoil continue over management of forest land in Oregon. These acres will be the exclusive territory for the Timber Wars in the 2020s. Stay tuned.
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Oregon’s Private Forest Accord – Your questions answered
