Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR 97523, November 27, 2002
Douglas fir dukes it out with Noble fir
for Oregon’s best-selling holiday tree
KEVIN O’BRIEN
O’Brien new
coordinator
for planting
trees by FAC
By SHARON SILVA
“You can’t change one
thing in Nature without affect-
ing everything else,” said
Kevin O’Brien, the new tree
planting coordinator for the
Forestry Action Committee
(FAC), based at the forest ser-
vice’s I.V. Ranger District.
The tree planting pro-
gram, in its 11th year, is in-
tended to improve the quality
and health of the watershed in
Illinois Valley by planting
seedlings.
“The direct effect of
trees,” said O’Brien, “is that
they cool the water and pro-
vide shade. This helps the fish
to survive. Debris from the
trees fall into the water pro-
viding food for the fish. These
fish then become food for
other fish.”
FAC’s tree planting pro-
gram provides free consulta-
tions to land owners who have
riparian areas.
“The land owner and the
tree planting program work
together to come up with a
plan. We work with the land
owners ideas,” said O’Brien.
“The trees used are all native
to the area.”
On average, approxi-
mately 120 properties per
planting season are served by
the program. O’Brien said that
FAC provides the trees, some
of which are donated, and oth-
ers FAC pays for.
The next planting day is
set for Saturday, March 1.
Volunteer groups are available
to help plant trees for those
who are unable to, “due to
poor health, or other reasons,”
said O’Brien.
He also gave credit to the
community, saying that its
involvement with the program
is what has made it a success.
“I’m really impressed
with this community,” he said.
“They share the values of the
tree planting program. It’s a
wonderful thing, I can’t be-
lieve the level of involvement
and commitment,” he said.
O’Brien, who resides in
Rogue River, has worked with
the federal government as a
ranger and a natural resource
manager for the past 15 years.
“This area was so heavily
affected by the fire, I feel that
this project could have a very
healing effect,” he said.
More information about
the tree planting program is
available at the Illinois Valley
Ranger District Office at
26568 Redwood Hwy.; or
phone O’Brien at 592-4098.
For associated uplands,
erosion control, and weed
seed prevention, phone Wayne
Fitzpatrick, the forest techni-
cian, at 592-4098, for a free
consultation.
Said Fitzpatrick, “We pre-
scribe trees to plant along the
roadways to serve as a living
fence.”
A first-time extensive sur-
vey of Oregon’s Christmas
tree industry confirms what
has been known for a long
time -- the production and
sale of Oregon Christmas trees
are quite important to the
state’s agricultural economy.
“The proof is in the latest
numbers -- our Christmas tree
industry generates a great deal
of economic activity,” said
Gary McAninch, manager of
the Oregon Dept. of Agricul-
ture’s Christmas Tree and
Nursery Program.
“Our inspectors are about
to become very busy in the
next few weeks as trees are
harvested and shipped around
the country and around the
world,” he said.
Oregon long has main-
tained its status as the nation’s
top producer of Christmas
trees with a value of $151 mil-
lion in 2001. Last year, ap-
proximately 8.3 million Ore-
gon trees were sold.
The comprehensive sur-
vey results compiled by the
Oregon Agricultural Statistics
Service offer detailed infor-
mation. It includes identifying
the number of workers in the
industry; which species ac-
count for the most sales; and
the destination of Oregon
Christmas trees last year.
A breakout of the sales
figures show that the larger
plantations -- those with at
least 100 acres of Christmas
trees -- accounted for 81 per-
One item that folks sometimes overlook when
getting their affairs in order is funeral planning.
Prearrangements save money, and
relieve your family of that emotional task.
Complete, professional, caring help in your time of sorrow.
592-4110
RAMCELL NOW AVAILABLE AT
DARN NEAR EVERYTHING
136 South Redwood Hwy. 592-5255
Current Ramcell customers
FREE upgrades, phones & promos!
Free phone with charger - Free activation
Affordable packages to suit you
No roaming charges - 10 states
cent of the value of all trees
sold, and 77 percent of the
total number of trees sold in
2001. Oregon has 50,970
acres of Christmas trees in
production. Those with 100-
plus acres are responsible for
70 percent of the acreage.
The survey offers a first-
time look at job activity gen-
erated by Oregon’s Christmas
tree industry.
“The number of workers
and average wages came in at
9,166 workers with wages of
nearly $25 million,” said
Janice Goodwin, state ag stat-
istician.
As expected, the survey
confirms that Oregon’s Christ-
mas tree industry is dominated
by two major species– --
Douglas fir and Noble fir. To-
gether, the two species ac-
counted for 92 percent of all
Christmas tree sales last year.
“About 57 percent of the
trees sold were Douglas firs
and 35 percent were Noble
firs,” said Goodwin. “Those
two species also dominate the
value of sales, although 49
percent of that value was due
to Noble fir with only 44 per-
cent attributed to Douglas fir.
“Comparing the average
price of trees, the Douglas firs
came in at an average of
$12.35 per tree while the No-
bles commanded a much
higher price of $22.27 per
tree,” he said.
Christmas tree plantings
in Oregon have increased
steadily each year since 1996,
according to the survey re-
sults. Total number of trees
planted has nearly doubled
from 5,696 trees in 1996 to
10,551 trees in 2001.
Until 1998, Douglas fir
Page 13
‘Fast Friendly
Home PC Service’
Richard S. Oshrin, owner
1630 Williams Highway, #11
Grants Pass, OR 97526
(541) 956-9688
Email:5starpc@charter.net
Business & Residential
*Cleaning (with vigor)
*Carpet Shampooing
*Lawn & Yard Care
*Chimney Sweeping
*Pressure Washing
FAST * SAFE * CLEAN
RELIABLE
Hollywood, Calif. Is not the only one. There are 11
others in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia,
Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri,
South Carolina and West Virginia.
(Continued on page 14)
is open
Saturdays:
9:30 a.m.
to
2:30 p.m.
Hours: Mondays - Saturdays
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
For more information phone (800) 922-1025
Winter Hours
Tuesday - Sunday
11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
(Closed Monday)
Take-Outs: U-Bet!