The News Review
Published May 9, 2008
GUEST COLUMN: Perfect Storm:
Working for a ray of sunshine in the forest
Tim Freeman
A number of years ago, a popular movie detailed the true life story about a series of meteorological events which came together to produce “the perfect storm.” When we look at the events that have befallen southern Oregon, it is easy to make comparisons and feel as if we have also encountered a perfect storm.
For many generations, this part of Oregon has overwhelmingly depended upon timber harvests to sustain our economy. More than just numbers in some economic data base, collapse of the timber harvest for this region also potentially meant the collapse of our wood-related industries, taking with it many family wage jobs. With nothing to replace the income coming from the forests, families, social structures, and even local governments faced dire and immediate consequences.
The “safety net” was therefore instituted to help bridge the gap in order to buy time to allow us to develop alternative means to provide jobs for our citizens. Although always temporary in nature, we came to rely upon the safety net as a replacement for harvesting timber. The safety net averted us having to cut many social programs and services that we had come to appreciate and enjoy. It helped fund public safety and roads and other necessities. Perhaps the worst result was that it allowed the various stakeholders in our forests to remain far apart in developing solutions for sensible management of our forests.
Now, however, events far removed from us have come together to force us to reconsider this overly restrictive timber harvest policy. Many who view the forests as vast preserves never to be utilized, now see the imminent loss of social services that had once been funded by timber harvests, and then continued temporarily by the safety net. With no other practical alternative available, these individuals are coming to recognize that, yes, responsible harvesting of timber and replanting does make sense and can be done in an environmentally sound manner. Those on the other side of the political/environmental spectrum have also come to appreciate that the old ways of timber harvesting don’t work. It is far too easy for timber cuts to be tied up in state and federal courts for years if there is not common agreement as to how to go about harvesting timber.
Just as it would be foolish to stop producing corn and wheat in the Midwest, it would be foolish to abandon sustainable timber harvests in Oregon.
Even if we could continue with the safety net providing a replacement income in lieu of family wage jobs, would that be a good thing? I don’t believe it would. How many of our social problems today are a result of people not being productively employed in decent, well paying jobs? The desperation of no job, no money, no hope, and no future can contribute to crime and drug usage. Yes, we must also diversify our economy and do so quickly. However, that takes time — time we are desperately short on. It takes an educated work force, which requires money for schools. It takes a modern infrastructure … roads, utilities, services. That also takes money which we don’t have.
Maybe there is a ray of light shining through this perfect storm. And that ray of light is the hope of finally bringing us together to return to harvesting the bountiful, natural, and sustainable resource God has given us: our timberlands.
Tim Freeman, a Roseburg business owner, is the Republican candidate for District 2 of the Oregon House of Representatives. He served on the Roseburg City Council for five years and was the council’s liaison to the Douglas County Board of Commissioners.
