Timber is a resource — let’s use it

The Register-Guard ^ | February 14, 2008 | Suzanne Penegor and Gienie Assink

[george76]

In the 1930s, when the United States was mired in a Great Depression, Congress wisely and with great vision approved the O&C Lands Act to guide the management of federal lands that once belonged to the Oregon & California Railroad...

The act established a method for funding Oregon counties, allowing them to provide such vital services as public safety and road maintenance.

Now, because of the efforts of the environmental movement and its litigious attorneys, the O&C funding formula that was successful for decades has been severed.

Environmental groups and their allies argue that tourism can take the place of the millions of lost timber dollars and revenues from these O&C public lands. But tourism jobs and revenues often simply cannot replace the family-wage jobs and tax revenues that have historically come from timber production on these lands.

Environmental groups have successfully fought efforts to salvage and replant burned areas in Oregon, even when it would benefit forest health... Even deer populations benefit from clear-cut areas.

The Wilderness Society boasts an executive director who earns a hefty six-figure salary and runs a multi-million dollar organization. Keene doesn’t note how the environmental industry and its attorneys benefit financially from disrupting local economies. Groups like the Wilderness Society don’t pay taxes ...

Wealthy, tax-exempt groups such as the Wilderness Society also work to restrict public access to public lands ...

To the Wilderness Society and its executives, and other wealthy groups such as the Sierra Club, the public should be excluded from public lands and those areas shouldn’t be a tax base for local Oregon counties.

Ironically, recreationists like hikers and fishermen often access public areas on old logging roads, built by those in the wood products industry.

[george76]

Already started :

What is next? Close fishing?

[JustDoItAlways]

Lumber prices are extremely right now (with the downturn in the housing industry.)

It is tough for any lumber company to make a buck today. There is no need to open up more forested land.

[an amused spectator]

It’s about time for the Reverse Monkey Wrench Gang...

[an amused spectator]

You realize that the Single-Recession State has laid plans to "deal" with wood-burners like you, don't you? The rules for outdoor wood burners are starting to take effect, and after "everyone agrees" about that "problem", the indoor people will be dealt with.

The whole problem with wood-burning people is that the state government doesn't realize any revenue from your heat generation. Are you aware of how much jack the state ends up with by slapping the sales tax on people's natural gas and fuel oil heating consumption?

Basically, wood heating IS "tax evasion".

[an amused spectator]

when they used the spotted owl to shut down the timber industry.

Basically, a Reverse Monkey Wrencher would anonymously inform the Greenies that they'd better back off, or the extermination hunt for the Spotted Owl would commence.

Seen one, shot same.

[george76]

Very true :

wood heating IS “tax evasion”.

[ketsu]

Old growth and new growth forests are quite different.

[TennTuxedo]

Forests are a renewable resource.