Smith addresses wildfires
From our weekly issue dated March 26, 2008
Reducing dangerous fire fuels to protect Oregon’s federal forestland and spotted owl habitat from rampant wildfire is urged by Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore).
According to the U.S. Forest Service, more than 100,000 acres of old-growth habitat have been severely burned in Western Oregon during the past 10 years.
Speaking to Congress, Smith stated, “Despite putting older trees off limits to timber harvest, wildfire has proven to be a far greater danger to their existence. After 15 years of not logging in old-growth; growing new old-growth; and burning ‘protected’ old-growth -- the federal government really isn’t sure what to do for the spotted owl.”
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During a congressional hearing, Smith highlighted the importance of managing forests to reduce the severity of wildfire. He cited the 2002 Biscuit Fire in S.W. Oregon that threatened Illinois Valley, and which burned nearly 500,000 acres and incinerated 65,000 acres of spotted owl habitat.
That fire cost in excess of $150 million to fight. Smith called on Congress to address the risks of fire to older forest habitat, as well as the need to regenerate forest habitat after fires by replanting.
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The purpose of the hearing was to examine the effect of “old-growth” in the Pacific Northwest.
Several Oregon witnesses testified. They included Paul Beck, a timber manager at Herbert Lumber Co. in Riddle, Dr. David Perry and Dr. John Tappeiner of Oregon State University’s Dept. of Forest Science, and Marvin Brown of the Oregon Dept. of Forestry.
