Commissioner Simon Hare on Forest Management and Rural Communities
Watch County Commissioner Simon Hare discuss how active forest management can help restore more economic opportunity for rural communities.
Federal Forest Reform Will Help Fight Rural Poverty
In Washington D.C. the growing debate over reforming federal forest policies is focused on improving forest health and providing a short-term extension of timber payments to county governments. These issues are important, but the primary goal of any federal forest legislation should be to promote forest management as a means to increasing employment and fighting…
Expanding Management is Good for Forests’ Health
Read professional forester Troy Reinhart’s recent opinion piece in the Bend Bulletin about forest management. Troy Reinhart: Expanding Management is Good for Forests’ Health In a recent “In My View” column, it was argued the best way to assure forest health is to do absolutely nothing. Allowing forests to remain vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire, insects and disease,…
Sustainability and Idaho Forests
On this Arbor Day, learn how Idaho forests can be managed to meet social, environmental and economic needs. From the Idaho Forest Products Commission.
Western Governors: private sector should be utilized to improve federal forest management
The Western Governors’ Association delivered a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack last week requesting increased attention on environmentally stressed national forest land and inclusion of the private sector in efforts to reduce epidemics such as pine beetle infestations and wildfires. The letter: Dear Secretary Vilsack, We have been concerned for some time that federal forest lands throughout the West…
Healthy Forests, Healthy Economy Can Coexist
by Josephine County Commissioner Simon Hare in 4/25/13 Grants Pass Daily Courier With the devastating news that Cave Junction’s Rough & Ready Lumber Co. is closing after more than 90 years in business, I am more adamant than ever that federal forest policy is broken and our federal government has failed the good people of…
Balanced solution needed for timber’s future
By David Montgomery from http://registerguard.com In recent guest viewpoint columns, environmental extremists have argued that the only solution for our struggling timber counties is to raise taxes on rural Oregonians. They don’t hide their real agenda, which is to shut down our federal forests to any sustainable management, regardless of how harmful it would be…