4
HARD CHOICES:
A SEEDLING IS NOT A TREE
B Y L O U IS
A L V IS
It i s t o o l a t e t o a r g u e a b o u t t h e f o r e s t . W e
n e e d s o l u t i o n s n o w , n o t a f t e r th e p o l i t i c i a n s
a n d w e a lth i n t e r e s t s h a v e h a d t h e i r f ill. T h e
p r o b l e m s a r e i m m e d i a t e , th e a n s w e r s a r e
a v a i l a b l e . If th e d o c t o r i n s t r u c t s u s t o t a k e a
m e d i c a t i o n w e t a k e i t , e v e n if i t t a s t e s b a d .
T o f in d a n a n s w e r y o u m u s t o p e n ly d e f i n e
th e p r o b le m s . A m u ltitu d e of p e r i l s a s s a i l
N o rth w e s t f o r e s tr y , but m o s t f a ll u n d e r th e s e
c a ta g o rie s :
__ #1 T h e e c o n o m y o f th e P a c i f i c N o r t h w e s t
h a s r e l i e d o n f o r e s t p r o d u c t s s i n c e it w a s s e t
t l e d . T h a t e c o n o m ic b a s e is t h r e a te n e d . T o w n s
a n d c o u n tie s r e ly on ta x e s fro m f o r e s t re v e n u e
f o r a m a jo r p a r t of th e ir in c o m e . F o r m an y
p l a c e s i t i s t h e s o l e s o u r c e o f i n c o m e f o r b o th
g o v e r n m e n t a n d p o p u l a t i o n . In t h i s c o u n t r y ,
t h e h i s t o r y of e x t r a c t i v e i n d u s t r y i s p l a i n . T h e
m a r k e t s s u r g e l i k e t i d e s . A t h ig h d e m a n d
e v e r y o n e in t h e i n d u s t r y i s h a p p y . A t lo w
d e m a n d , t h e w o r k e r s t a k e th e b r u n t . T h e h i s
t o r y o f th e l o g g e r in O r e g o n i s f i l l e d w ith lo n g
p e r io d s of u n e m p lo y m e n t, b o o m and b u st
c y c le s , e n d le s s p e rs o n a l d a n g e r, and an a t t i
tu d e of h e l p l e s s n e s s f r o m m o s t tim b e r c o r p o
r a tio n s . S o m e c o m p a n ie s h a v e c a r e d . S om e
h a v e w o r k e d to s u s t a i n a c o n s i s t e n t y i e l d .
S o m e h a v e w o r k e d to a s s i s t c o m m u n i t i e s h i t
b y t h e v a g a r i e s o f th e l u m b e r m a r k e t . B u t
m o s t h a v e n o t.
P a c if ic L u m b e r C o r p , w as a tte m p tin g r e s p o n
s i b l e b u s i n e s s . T w e lv e to f i f t e e n m i l l i o n d o l l a r s
a y e a r p r o f it. T h ey o w n ed a ll t h e i r ow n w o o d -
l o t s , t h e y m a i n t a i n e d a z o n e o f o ld g r o w t h in
o r d e r to p r o v i d e a p e r m a n e n t g e n e b a n k , a n d
to b e t t e r l e a r n th e c o m p l e x i t i e s of f o r e s t e c o
s y s t e m s . T h e y e m p l o y e d m a n y w o r k e r s , th e
h a r v e s t w a s s u s t a i n a b l e w e l l i n to t h e n e x t
c e n tu r y , p e rh a p s in d e f in ite ly . T h e y w e re b e tte r
t h a n a v e r a g e s t e w a r d s of o u r n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s .
B u t c o r p o r a te r a i d e r s b o u g h t th e m o u t, a n d
f i r e d th e u p p e r m a n a g e m e n t . A n a d d r e s s to th e
c o m p a n y b y t h e n e w o w n e r s o p e n e d w ith ,
" T h i s is th e g o l d e n r u l e . I h a v e th e g o l d , I
r u l e ."
T h e n ew o w n e rs n e e d e d $45 m illio n a y e a r
f o r t h r e e y e a r s to b a i l o u t a f a i l e d C a l i f o r n i a
r e a l e s t a t e s c a m . S o th e y s t a r t e d in o n t h a t
v e r y s a m e re d w o o d g ro w th th a t w as P a c if ic s
g e n e p o o l. P a c i f i c L u m b e r i s f i n i s h e d b y th e
e n d of th is p r o g r a m . A h u n d r e d y e a r s of fu tu re
w o rk and p ro d u c ts d e s tro y e d .
T he m a jo r tim b e r c o rp o ra tio n s a n d th e ir
in - p o c k e t p o litic ia n s h a v e h a d e n o u g h tim e a t
t h e f e e d t r o u g h . T h e y h a v e m a d e u n t o ld m i l l i o n s
U)OOD u.s.
ft? od wets
6 ^
r
9'
4
[ASTORIA
Café de U M er
1287 S. Hemlock
(503) 436-1179
SPECIALTY CRUISES
Cannon Beach, Oregon
Dinners begin at 5:30 nightly
Call or Write:
ASTORIA CRUISE & CHARTERS
352 Industry
Astoria, OR 97103
Phone (503) 325-0990
Ì8 9 1)1.
A,
4»
ASTOR
9k
Bikes
Bob Berg’s
IMPORT AUTO CENTER
Quality Parts and
Professional Service
in Downtown Seaside
733 Ocean Way
Seaside, OP 97138
738-8883
N E W LOCATION
1335M A R IN E DR.
ASTOR IA, OREGON
. i
Bfc.ACt 1
PHAR ì T ì A L y
d o u n
11 < >11 J O
4 .M
t
1