Community
October 21
2021
New CZ Trail Signage
continued from front page
The CZ Trail in Vernonia now travels from Anderson Park, across Rock
Creek, traveling behind the sewer lagoons along what Vernonians know as
Webb Way, to Vernonia Lake.
The trail remains incomplete, with 0.7 miles between Vernonia Lake
and the Holce Trailhead sharing the road to cross the Green Bridge, along Mist
Drive/Highway 47, to Knott Street.
The Anderson Park Trailhead
features a historical interpretive
sign, along with a business direc-
tory and map to help visitors find
local services.
The signage at the Holce
and Anderson Park trailheads,
along with street signs to help
direct visitors to the parking ar-
eas, was installed by Columbia
County workers and was funded
through the Columbia Economic
Team, Columbia County, the City
of Vernonia, and Travel Oregon.
Volunteer Dale Latham worked
closely with the City of Vernonia
to develop the signage at the An-
derson Park Trailhead.
New Carving at Spencer Park
The salmon that was carved
into a large stump at Spencer Park, has
finally been joined by a protagonist.
The City hired Carvin’ Marvin
Howard, a local accomplished wood
carver, to add an angler to the remain-
Our Friend the Douglas-fir continued from page 8
The Douglas-fir has played an
important part in American history and
continues to be an economic driver,
most notably in the timber industry. It
makes up the largest share of the annual
timber harvest in the United States, and
makes excellent dimensional lumber
due to its straight growth and grain, and
lack of knots; as the trees grow taller
in denser forest, they lose their lower
branches so the foliage may not start
until much higher off the ground. They
make up over 50 percent of the Christ-
mas trees sold each year in the United
States.
In addition to its distinct place
in logging culture, the Douglas-fir pro-
vided railroad ties and telephone/tele-
graph poles, important resources dur-
ing the early settling of the American
West. It was used during World War II,
with GI’s footlockers constructed from
its lumber.
It holds another significant dis-
tinction in American history – in 1925,
when the naval ship the USS Consti-
tution, known as “Old Ironsides,” was
being restored Douglas-fir was used to
construct the masts. Closer to home,
in 2009 the ship was redecked with
old growth Douglas-fir that had blown
down on a tree farm near Scio and was
The crew from Gwin & Sons Logging salvage harvested an old growth Doug-fir
that was used to redeck the USS Constitution in 2009.
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salvage harvested by Gwin & Sons Log-
ging, a Vernonia based outfit.
Known as fast growing in both
the diverse wet and dry climates that
make up the Pacific Northwest region,
the Douglas-fir is known as being some-
what drought tolerant, although that
may be changing. According to a U.S.
Department of Agriculture study from
2015, the genetic differences in each
individual Douglas-fir allow them to
adapt to their local environment. Cur-
ing stump at the park where it faces
Bridge Street. In a creative twist, the
new carving is a man with a fishing
pole sitting on the stump with his dog
and appears to have hooked the previ-
ously carved fish.
rent climate models are calling for the
Pacific Northwest to experience lon-
ger and dryer summers, along with
less winter snowpack over the next 50
years. Researchers in the study from
the U.S. Forest Service studied 35 dif-
ferent populations of Douglas-fir and
found, not surprisingly, that those al-
ready growing in warmer and drier cli-
mates were better adapted to withstand
predicted climate changes in the re-
gion. Those populations will likely be
more often selected as a seed source for
their drought-tolerant properties by tree
growers in the coming years.
There are many reasons to ap-
preciate our neighbor, the Douglas-fir.
It provides habitat and food for wildlife
and it grows quickly and is a great re-
source with many uses when harvested.
And its tall and straight bearing cer-
tainly give it a majestic appearance that
can be appreciated all on its own. Time
spent in a forest can be relaxing, reju-
venating, and reflective. Maybe we can
just enjoy our Douglas-fir as we would
with any other neighbor or friend, for
the company they provide.
As famous naturalist John Muir
once said, “Going to the woods is going
home.”
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Supports getting
the COVID-19
Vaccination
Mist-Birkenfeld RFPD
is still offering COVID-19
vaccinations. Call them at
(503) 755-2710
for an appointment.
3 rd shot boosters are
now available for specific
vulnerable populations.