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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 2004)
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, September 15, 2004 Page 5 Biscuit Fire Salvage ... (Continued from page 1) Thus far, the agency has offered a dozen sal- vage sales since July, sell- ing nine for a total 68.1 million board feet. The lack of bids re- flects the wariness of the timber industry regarding its ability to log the trees in the half-million-acre burned area before the trees lose their commercial value, said Dave Schott, executive vice president of the Southern Oregon Tim- ber Industries Association. “A lot of the concern out there is there has been a pretty dramatic deteriora- tion of the wood,” he said. “If they do bid on a sale and are awarded a contract, and there is a subsequent injunction, they won’t know how fast they can get to it,” he added. “And the risk of further deterioration is there.” In the two years since the fire, the deterioration in pines and small firs has been dramatic, he said. “The value right now is in the bigger trees,” he said, noting that those trees are better able to withstand bug infestation and rot. “The risk right now is such if they can’t get to it until later next year, they can’t count on any com- mercially valuable timber being left,” he added. “It doesn’t pencil out, not even close.” But Dominick Della- Sala, forest ecologist for the World Wildlife Fund’s Ashland office, noted that logging could have already been under way had the agency stayed with its original proposal to log about 100,000 board feet of timber from matrix lands that are designated for timber harvest. Pressure from the tim- ber industry prompted the agency to increase the har- vest into old-growth re- serves and roadless areas, he said, resulting in the legal battle. The agency ultimately decided to cut some 370 million board feet on 19,465 acres. “It’s unfortunate they didn’t stick with the origi- nal proposal -- the logs would have been in the mill by now,” DellaSala said, adding, “Nobody wins in this situation.” Joseph Vaile, spokes- man for the Klamath- Siskiyou Wildlands Center in Ashland, agreed. The old-growth re- serves, also known as late- successional reserves (LSRs) in the 1994 North- west Forest Plan, were in- tended to protect old- growth forest qualities, he said. The injunction does not include sales in matrix lands, which are desig- nated for logging under the Northwest Forest Plan, he noted. “If these (LSRs) are not protected, then no for- ests are protected,” he said. “The science is telling us that logging post-fire for- ests, many of which are only moderately burned, will set back old-growth for decades to come.” Meanwhile, U.S. For- est Service officials say they plan to keep offering the sales as part of the Bis- cuit Fire Salvage Program. “We are going to con- tinue the process,” said Judy McHugh, of SNF. Although noting that it’s agency policy not to comment on litigation, McHugh said that a delay in logging the fire-killed timber will take a toll. The analysis of wood decay in the final environ- mental impact statement predicts that approximately 42 percent of the commer- cial value of Douglas fir would be lost in 2005, she said. The loss in the pine trees would be much greater, she said. “That’s the volume lost across the acreage, not within a given tree,” she said. “We are currently as- sessing the sales that have received no bids,” McHugh said. “We are looking at options that in- clude repackaging them and offering them again.” Tuesday’s injunction covers six of those salvage sales totaling 47 million board feet of timber, all in LSRs. At Farmers®, we understand that insurance is about getting you back where you belong should the unexpected happen. That’s why we specialize in providing Auto, Home and Life insurance policies based on your needs. Call me today to find out how you can save money by covering your insurance needs through Farmers. Deputy Chief Jeff Gavlik and firefighter De Spellman use elbow grease. I.V. Fire admin relocates to real gem (Continued from page 1) *A large conference room downstairs for board meetings, Fire Commis- sion, and Volunteer Fire- fighters Association. *Another larger room that will be used for fire- fighter training. Also, IVFD is looking to estab- lish a remote Emergency Operations Center (EOC), in conjunction with Jose- phine County Sheriff’s EOC, to serve as a field command center that would house multiple agency staff in the event of a major emergency such as the Biscuit Fire of 2002. *Administrative staff rooms including offices for Division Chief Joe Feld- haus, Deputy Chief Jeff Gavlik, and Rich. *A computer room to house servers, network administration, and other technical equipment. *A kitchen, break room, and restrooms for volunteers and staff. *The second floor of the building will contain offices for Fire Marshal Jerry Schaeffer; and De IVHS School Menu - Sponsored by SISKIYOU COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER 319 Caves Hwy. 592-4111 THURSDAY, SEPT. 16 *Chicken sandwich, cheeseburger, hamburger, Turkey & cheese or ham & cheese sandwich, chef, Mandarin chicken or garden salad, Hawaiian, cheese or pepperoni pizza FRIDAY, SEPT. 17 *Chicken sandwich, cheeseburger, hamburger, turkey and cheese or Italian sandwich or chef, Mandarin chicken or chicken Caesar salad, vegetarian, supreme or sausage or pepperoni pizza MONDAY, SEPT. 20 *Chicken sandwich, cheeseburger, hamburger, turkey & cheese or ham & cheese sandwich, chef, Man- darin chicken or fiesta salad, vegetarian, sausage or pepperoni pizza TUESDAY, SEPT. 21 *Chicken sandwich, cheeseburger, hamburger, turkey & cheese or roast beef sandwich, chef, Mandarin chicken or garden salad, cheese, supreme or pepperoni pizza WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22 *Chicken, cheeseburger, hamburger, turkey & cheese or veggie sandwich, chef, Mandarin or antipasto salad, sausage, supreme or pepperoni pizza You know everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects. - Will Rogers - Spellman, district fire pre- vention coordinator; as well as two restrooms. *A large parking lot with handicap-accessible parking. “There’s a lot of work here to do still,” said Rich. “There hasn’t been anyone in this building for three years, so there’s a lot of cleaning to do. We also are in need of donations of office equipment,” he said. Among the office equipment, Rich noted the need for a large conference table, desks, filing cabi- nets, and office chairs (including folding chairs). He also said there is need for a propane stove, a refrigerator, imitation trees and plants, and lumber to build a platform, similar to the one in Cave Junction City Hall, for board mem- ber seating. “We need anything office-related, and would be glad to take any dona- tions folks can make,” Rich said. Those wishing to do- nate can contact IVFD at 592-2225.
