Owls, Loggers, andOwls, Loggers, andOld-Growth ForestsOld-Growth Forests

By Rich McCoyBy Rich McCoy

Oregon’s SawmillsOregon’s Sawmills Between 1991 – 2001 Oregon had witnessed the closing of Between 1991 – 2001 Oregon had witnessed the closing of

89 sawmills.89 sawmills. Prineville, Oregon the Ochoco sawmill closing in 2001:Prineville, Oregon the Ochoco sawmill closing in 2001:

- 180 jobs- 180 jobs

- Yearly payroll of nearly $5 million- Yearly payroll of nearly $5 million- $8 - $10 million to contract loggers and- $8 - $10 million to contract loggers and truckers truckers- Roughly $15 million annually paid into U.S.- Roughly $15 million annually paid into U.S. Treasury for timber purchases on federal Treasury for timber purchases on federal lands vanished lands vanished (25% of monies generated on federal lands is shared(25% of monies generated on federal lands is shared with local gov’t to support local schools & road with local gov’t to support local schools & road construction – a loss to Prineville of $3.75 million a construction – a loss to Prineville of $3.75 million a

year)year)

Additional lossAdditional loss Ochoco sawmill donations: Ochoco sawmill donations:

Prineville lost 50 scholarships Prineville lost 50 scholarships given annually to college given annually to college students, school stadium, and students, school stadium, and local museum.local museum.

Viles family lost 2 salaries Viles family lost 2 salaries after a combined 34 years.after a combined 34 years.

Dan Viles aptitude test Dan Viles aptitude test showed that he would be a showed that he would be a good short-order cook or a good short-order cook or a brewmaster.brewmaster.

Supply and DemandSupply and Demand Prineville sawmill took trees Prineville sawmill took trees

from surrounding forests for from surrounding forests for producing boards & molding. producing boards & molding. Its output was in high Its output was in high demand.demand.

Lumber consumption in the Lumber consumption in the U.S. was rising.U.S. was rising.

Among the local Prineville Among the local Prineville businesses were cabinet businesses were cabinet makers as well as door & makers as well as door & window manufacturers.window manufacturers.

The lack of demand did not The lack of demand did not close the mill. The lack of raw close the mill. The lack of raw timber did.timber did.

““I speak for the trees”I speak for the trees” Clear-cutting was a common Clear-cutting was a common

practice*.practice*.

Growing national debate Growing national debate about the uses of wilderness about the uses of wilderness areas caused the Forest areas caused the Forest Service to impose restrictive Service to impose restrictive new rules.new rules.

Clear-cutting forbidden.Clear-cutting forbidden.

Thinning of stands in younger Thinning of stands in younger forests acceptable but forests acceptable but resulted in smaller diameter resulted in smaller diameter logs.logs.

Lawsuits by environmental Lawsuits by environmental groups in an attempt to groups in an attempt to protect the northern spotted protect the northern spotted owl forced the Forest Service owl forced the Forest Service to cut back further on timber to cut back further on timber sales.sales.

Lacking the needed flow of Lacking the needed flow of saw timber, the mill closed.saw timber, the mill closed.

Northern spotted owlNorthern spotted owl

Lives deep in the forests of Washington, Oregon, and northern Lives deep in the forests of Washington, Oregon, and northern California.California.

Since the 1800’s, timber cutting and land development have Since the 1800’s, timber cutting and land development have reduced the owl’s habitat by as much as 80%, threatening its reduced the owl’s habitat by as much as 80%, threatening its extinction.extinction.

Congress passed the Endangered Species Act in 1973 to prevent Congress passed the Endangered Species Act in 1973 to prevent the demise of such creatures, and in 1990 the NSO was added to the demise of such creatures, and in 1990 the NSO was added to the list of species entitled to special protection.the list of species entitled to special protection.

Owls cost money!Owls cost money! Unfortunately for the wood products industry, the owls live in the Unfortunately for the wood products industry, the owls live in the

most productive timber lands of the Pacific Northwest.most productive timber lands of the Pacific Northwest.

Their predicament has caused federal timber harvests to decline Their predicament has caused federal timber harvests to decline more than 90%. It is this decline that has starved the sawmills of more than 90%. It is this decline that has starved the sawmills of raw material.raw material.

The territory of a mated spotted owl pair ranges from 1,000 to The territory of a mated spotted owl pair ranges from 1,000 to 27,000 acres.27,000 acres.

Spotted owls prefer old-growth forests which are forests that are Spotted owls prefer old-growth forests which are forests that are at least 200 years old. The old-growth forests are more at least 200 years old. The old-growth forests are more structurally and biologically complex than younger forests.structurally and biologically complex than younger forests.

Old-GrowthOld-Growth Have much richer biotic Have much richer biotic

communities than younger communities than younger forests and are repositories for forests and are repositories for species that have adapted to species that have adapted to ecological niches created under ecological niches created under old-growth conditions. The old-growth conditions. The spotted owl is one such species.spotted owl is one such species.

Owls nest in the cavities of Owls nest in the cavities of standing snags (dead trees) standing snags (dead trees) and the fallen snags create and the fallen snags create conditions that support an conditions that support an abundance of prey.abundance of prey.

The spotted owl plays a role in The spotted owl plays a role in the old-growth ecosystem by the old-growth ecosystem by culling small mammal and bird culling small mammal and bird populations.populations.

Loss of Old-GrowthLoss of Old-Growth The northwest coastal forest The northwest coastal forest

inhabited by spotted owls inhabited by spotted owls covered roughly 94 million covered roughly 94 million acres in the 1860’s.acres in the 1860’s.

Today about 30 million acres Today about 30 million acres of coastal forest remain with of coastal forest remain with 7.7 million acres being old-7.7 million acres being old-growth and only 2.8 million growth and only 2.8 million are closed to logging.are closed to logging.

Most old-growth is on federal Most old-growth is on federal lands managed by the Forest lands managed by the Forest Service and hold timber Service and hold timber auctions*.auctions*.

In 1989 scientists estimated In 1989 scientists estimated that only 1,550 mated pairs of that only 1,550 mated pairs of spotted owl existed. A mated spotted owl existed. A mated pair produces an average pair produces an average of .50 young per year and of .50 young per year and juvenile owls suffer an 88% juvenile owls suffer an 88% mortality rate.mortality rate.

Environmentalists & The OwlEnvironmentalists & The Owl Believed that the owl’s use of old-growth as habitat made saving Believed that the owl’s use of old-growth as habitat made saving

owls a convenient pretext for saving these ancient forests from owls a convenient pretext for saving these ancient forests from the logger’s ax.the logger’s ax.

Placed owl’s under the protection of the Endangered Species Act Placed owl’s under the protection of the Endangered Species Act which also protects geographically defined “critical habitat” of a which also protects geographically defined “critical habitat” of a species.species.

Logging is now banned near known spotted owl nests. Even when Logging is now banned near known spotted owl nests. Even when a nest is found empty, there is a 3 year moratorium on logging to a nest is found empty, there is a 3 year moratorium on logging to ensure that it is abandoned.ensure that it is abandoned.

In 1991, timber sales virtually halted while a species recovery plan In 1991, timber sales virtually halted while a species recovery plan was developed for the spotted owl.was developed for the spotted owl.

Environmentalists… Environmentalists… (continued)(continued)

Proved disastrous for the forest products industry which depended Proved disastrous for the forest products industry which depended on timber harvests.on timber harvests.

In 1990, the year before the recovery plan was set in motion, 10.6 In 1990, the year before the recovery plan was set in motion, 10.6 billion board feet of timber were cut on federal lands. After the billion board feet of timber were cut on federal lands. After the recovery plan was put into effect, only 0.7 billion board feet was recovery plan was put into effect, only 0.7 billion board feet was sold.sold.

Hardship in the Pacific NorthwestHardship in the Pacific Northwest

Hundreds of small-town Hundreds of small-town economies built on jobs economies built on jobs created by the logging created by the logging industry spiraled downward.industry spiraled downward.

In Happy Camp, CA the In Happy Camp, CA the population fell from 2,500 to population fell from 2,500 to 1,100, and more than half 1,100, and more than half that remained were on public that remained were on public assistance.assistance.

Clinton presided over a Clinton presided over a “timber summit” where he “timber summit” where he listened to polarized views listened to polarized views from environmentalists, from environmentalists, scientists, and timber industry scientists, and timber industry reps.reps.

Solution soughtSolution sought Clinton administration introduced the Northwest Forest Plan Clinton administration introduced the Northwest Forest Plan

(NMFP) which attempted to appease all parties involved.(NMFP) which attempted to appease all parties involved.

Committed $1.2 billion to retrain workers, aid small businesses, Committed $1.2 billion to retrain workers, aid small businesses, and compensate for lost tax revenues in timber towns while and compensate for lost tax revenues in timber towns while permitting logging (as long as there were no owl nests present).permitting logging (as long as there were no owl nests present).

Republicans began to attack environmental laws and backed the Republicans began to attack environmental laws and backed the landowners who demanded compensation for the potential monies landowners who demanded compensation for the potential monies lost to them due to the enforcement of these laws. lost to them due to the enforcement of these laws.

In 1997 an Oregon jury awarded a corporation $2 million+ for the In 1997 an Oregon jury awarded a corporation $2 million+ for the value of 56 acres of timberland that it was unable to harvest value of 56 acres of timberland that it was unable to harvest because of spotted owl nests.because of spotted owl nests.

It doesn’t pay to be an owlIt doesn’t pay to be an owl Debate continued in regards to the use of the timberlands.Debate continued in regards to the use of the timberlands.

New agreements with the landowners were put into place in which New agreements with the landowners were put into place in which the landowners must voluntarily agree to take conservation the landowners must voluntarily agree to take conservation measures and in return, the gov’t grants permission to log or use measures and in return, the gov’t grants permission to log or use the property as the landowner sees fit. (Even if it means harm to the property as the landowner sees fit. (Even if it means harm to an endangered species or its habitat).an endangered species or its habitat).

Once a landowner receives a permit as a result of such an Once a landowner receives a permit as a result of such an agreement, it is absolved from blame if any members of an agreement, it is absolved from blame if any members of an endangered species is harassed or killed. Without such plans the endangered species is harassed or killed. Without such plans the land would be rendered unusable. This is known as an “incidental land would be rendered unusable. This is known as an “incidental take permit”.take permit”.

Environmentalists against Environmentalists against these measures.these measures.

Believe that timber harvests Believe that timber harvests have been inadequately have been inadequately surveyed or the presence of surveyed or the presence of species.species.

Lawsuits by environmental Lawsuits by environmental groups tie down gov’t groups tie down gov’t agencies forcing them to put agencies forcing them to put more resources into litigation, more resources into litigation, leaving less resources for leaving less resources for managing species.managing species.

In closing…In closing… It doesn’t pay to be an animal.It doesn’t pay to be an animal.

Owl protection hurts the Pacific Northwest economy.Owl protection hurts the Pacific Northwest economy.

The problem is the increasing demand for natural resources due to The problem is the increasing demand for natural resources due to the increase in the human population.the increase in the human population.

Because there are fewer environmental safeguards on wood Because there are fewer environmental safeguards on wood production in other countries the environmentalists have, in effect, production in other countries the environmentalists have, in effect, made species extinction and damage to forest ecosystems an made species extinction and damage to forest ecosystems an export item. export item.