By Corey Bingaman, Western Oregon Field Coordinator for the American Forest Resource Council Fuel reduction projects are often maligned by those who oppose active forest management. Critics point to the fact that, during certain conditions, no amount of fuels reduction will stop large fires from burning out of control. Although evidence suggests that fuels-reduction projects…
The Camp Creek Fire, currently burning perilously close to Oregon’s Bull Run watershed, underscores the need for proactive forest management. As the flames have inched closer to the watershed that serves as the primary drinking water source for the city of Portland, it becomes evident that policies prioritizing preservation over proactive mitigation may be putting…
A new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) finds American forests may convert from being carbon absorbers to significant carbon emitters. Researchers say the shift is due to the increasing destruction from natural disasters and the aging of forests, which is reducing their carbon-absorbing capabilities. Our forests currently absorb 11 percent of U.S…
Lumber mills are becoming so efficient it will amaze you. There is a market for every inch of that log. Dust, bark, chips and scraps all are either sold or used to power the mill. In our second of a series called “The Truth About Timber,” the truth is most mills don’t operate the way…