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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 13, 2011)
6 area news september13 2011 Vernonia Forest Project Tests Groundbreaking Laser Technology The world’s first ground- based laser scanning forest carbon valuation system is being tested in the Vernonia area as part of the project thatis exploring the possibility of linking carbon credits with healthcare. Piloted in Columbia County, the Forest Health-Human Health Initiative is engaging local forest owners in the nation’s first program to exchange carbon stored in forests for health care services. In collaboration with the Pinchot Institute for Conservation, forest scientists from Oregon State University are testing a new ground-based light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technology in and around the City of Vernonia’s municipal forest lands. Similar to the radar guns used by law enforcement to catch speeders, LIDAR bounces a narrow beam of light off of objects at thousands of pulses per-second to map the physical features of forests with extremely high resolution. Typically mounted on low-altitude aircraft, aerial LIDAR is already used by large industrial forest landowners, but this option remains too costly for family forest landowners. “Similar to how personal computers have evolved, a new generation of ground-based LIDAR technologies has emerged with potential to be a smaller, nimbler, and less costly option than their predecessors,” said Oregon State University forestry professor Dr. Michael Wing. “This ground-based LIDAR approach is being tested as a way to measure biomass and carbon volumes in a single read, which may have implications for all sorts of forest management objectives including forest carbon projects,” said Dr. Wing. Supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Pinchot Institute for Conservation, a Washington, D.C. based forest conservation non-profit, Dr. Wing’s research team is determining the applicability of this new technology in markets for carbon storage and biomass energy. Carbon value is created in such markets when landowners agree to increase the carbon stocks in their forest above the amount they would have stored without initiating the project. This is typically achieved by managing in a way that will promote robust growth, shifting the timing of harvests, or extending the length of rotations. While such activities can be modeled to project changes in forest growth, landowners ultimately benefit from having a more accurate inventory of their forest’s total carbon, and a lower cost protocol for monitoring that carbon from year to year. If the early trials are successful, this ground-based LIDAR technology could be applied in the forests around Vernonia, where landowners are eager to explore opportunities in biomass energy and carbon storage. Local natural resource professionals may eventually operate such LIDAR scanning units throughout Columbia County to quickly and accurately attain a measure of timber and carbon stocks, encouraging more landowners to benefit from carbon markets. Private forest landowners are clamoring for new markets to help them maintain their forest. Pinchot Institute research reveals that landowners are often forced to sacrifice long-term visions of a sustainable multi-generational forest to pay unexpected health care expenses with short-term revenue from timber harvests or the outright sale of their land. “We’ve seen this trend nationwide,” said Pinchot Institute Senior Fellow, Catherine Mater. “Forest carbon projects have been around for a while, but landowners with large parcels have really been the only ones able to take advantage to date. The LIDAR technology can help change this, but technology will only get us part of the way. We believe investors will be willing to pay more for carbon credits that are linked to quantifiable social benefits coming in the form of direct payments to health care accounts for landowners and rural communities.” For more information on the Forest Health-Human Health Initiative go to www.pinchot.org/gp/ FHHI County Starts Construction on Canaan Road Columbia County Road Department will begin the construction phase for the Canaan Road Guardrail project on Thursday, September 8, 2011. According to Glen Crinklaw, Assistant Public Works Director, the purpose of this project is to install guardrail as a sharp curve on Canaan Road where vehicle accidents have occurred. This curve is approximately 1.3 miles up Canaan Road off of US Highway 30. The construction period will start on September 8th with the project being finished on October 31, 2011. Crinklaw says that while there will be no complete road closure due to this work, the public should be aware that the construction activity will cause some traffic delays for vehicles needing to travel through the construction area. The projected cost for this project is $614,000, with funding provided by the Federal Highway Administration and the Columbia County Road Fund. For any questions or if additional information is needed, residents can contact the Columbia County Road Department at 503- 397-5090. Vernonia’s Voice is published twice each month on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday. Look for our next issue September 27th. VERNONIA SATURDAY PUBLIC AUCTION First and Third Saturday of each month First auctions will be Saturday, September 24 and October 8. CONDUCTED BY HUNTINGTON MFG. Sale starts at 11:00 am 998 Bridge Street We will auction everything from household to farm equipment & everything in between If consigned to the auction. This is an auction for anyone having something to sell and for anyone wish- ing to bid on and buy. Buyer’s Premium – There is 10% Buyers Fee that will be added to your final bill. There will be a concession stand with snacks and refreshment , and during the hourly 10 min. breaks we will have a local talent contest for children 14 years and younger. Consignments Wanted If You Have Something To Sell We Are Interested Please No Junk - Call Jack and We ’ll Talk About It 503-475-5104 Consignment Fees are 10% for Items That Sell for $5000.00+ Consignment Fees are 20% for Items That Sell for Less Than $5000.00 We Will Accept Consinments on Friday, Sept. 23 from 9am to 5pm and Sat. from 7am to 9am Phone: 503-475-5104 Fax: 503-429-2520 Talent contest So kids if you have a talent and want to show it off call Jack @503-475-5104 you must be age 14 and under to enter. The audiences will vote for their favorite and winner will be announced at the end of Auction. A $25.00 GIFT CARD WILL BE GIVEN TO WINNER Email: jack@huntingtonmfg.com
