Former governor John Kitzhaber has waded into the fray surrounding logging in Oregon’s Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests. According to an article in the Oregonian, Kitzhaber is trying to forestall the greens-versus-industry “see-saw approach that has put our forests at risk” by proposing compromise solutions.
One compromise with demonstrated success is the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label. FSC labeling would mean continued logging, but with ecologically sensitive management that protects old growth and riparian areas. This summer, state foresters are re-writing their management guidelines for the 100,000-acre Elliott State Forest in southern Oregon. It’s an ideal time for Oregon to pursue FSC certification on a limited scale-in the Elliott-as a first step toward certifying all of the state’s working forests. More on that here.
