♦ Start♦
with the
Coast Range Association
Special to the Upper Left Edge
Watersheds
& Forestry
Soil
I be following article is from a talk bv Mike I urniss,
I he hiipiirtMiier of I opsoil Mike delivered
s talk at the \\ estern I ores! Conference in Ashland,
( )R this past I ebruarv Mike f urniss is a hvdrologist
with the Six Rivers National f orest in I ureka. CA
Io p s o il is the balance w h e e l o f the
ecosystem
In it m p e ra t. forest*« m o s t o f th e n u tr ie n ts a n d
’ ganic m a tte r are in th e to p s o il th e to p s o il is lik e th e
t b w h i r l th a t keeps the s y s te m m o v in g R e c y c lin g is a
> n i i i . i l fu n c tio n in the e co syste m . a n d to p s o il is w h e re
m o s t »»II th a t h a p p e n s
I h in k ot to p s o il as a re se rvo ir
!
I he beginning of an official process between the ( it\ of Cannon
Beach and Hanson Natural Resources, owner ot most ot the I cola
watershed, to discuss protecting the watershed has more significance
than people realize I'he city is interested in protecting it’s water quahts
and quantity along with it's view shed I belies e cits officials also base a
real concern tor the ecological health of the basin
Just getting this lar has been a major accomplishment We all owe
our thanks to Cannon Beach residents Paul Visher and I rank I ittle lor
initiating and fostering the dialogue Mayor Schwab and Cits Manager
John W ilhams have also played important roles in the process I lanson
(known in the county as Cavanham) must be gisen credit tor it's part
Recently Hanson appointed a new local manager who seems more
conciliatory oser stewardship issues
Overall. Hanson appears to be no better or worse than other Coast
Range industrial forest owners Hies follow a forestry tied to the bottom
line So great is the gull between ecossstem adsocacs organizations like
the Coast Range Association and industrial foresters that we almost
never speak to each other Perhaps saluable opportunity has been lost
I hose who have heard me speak on the issue ot industrial forestry
or have seen the book ( learcut, know the depth of our disagreement over
the timber industry 's land management practices Prisate properts rights
are not the issue I he issue, as we see it, is responsible ownership that
will pass on to future generations the resources we hold as common the
soils, wildlife and forest health I he Hanson Company is hut a tem
porary owner of values that are held in public trust
As can be seen by the content ot this insert section, we place a
premium on the soil I he connection between abundant rainfall great
forests, salmon and riser health all comes together in the soil I he
forest's great vitality and productivity is located in the soil Scientists are
now beginning to understand how the decline of salmon and loss of river
health is driven hy soil disturbance due to logging related activities
We have all seen the crystal clear waters flowing from intact
forests and the chocolate brown rivers of logged landscapes Intuitively,
we know they are connected Robert /lemer's article on steepland
erosion is a must read for those wishing to understand the complex
relation of logging to ruined river systems After a century ot coho
salmon decline, most of it due to freshwater habitat loss, the final blow
might very well come from (Kean conditions and overfishing But the
timber industry is the mam culprit in the salmon's decline
I he long term recovery of salmon will only happen when we
practice a new forestry in our coastal basins Ihe new forestry will have
different incentives and regulations for small woodlot owners than for
large owners. Small woodlot owners need not suffer short term economic
loss false fears raised by the wise use movement are being fanned to
protect the powerful interests of the few
I want thank to Billy I lulls for allowing us to place this special
section in the September issue of the Upper I eft I dge I hope it is read
and enjoyed by many in the community On a final note. I would like to
thank Shelley Majors of C annon Beach for al, the work she has done in
the past year I his fall she will be leaving Cannon Beach to attend ( )SI
Without her help and consistent effort the Association's ef fectiveness in
the north coast would have been greatly diminished I hank you Shelley
and good luck at the university'
Sincerely.
Chuck Wilier
I vi iv w a te rs h e d w h e th e r it has a d a m o r n o t, has a
o si a v o ir a n il th a t is because s o il has a lo t o t e m p ty
I '. u i In a ty p ic a l to o t o t fo re st so il, (he s o lid p a rtic le s
o n lv take u p a b o u t 4/1% o t th e space. I he re st o f th a t,
w h e n it r a n i' fills u p w ith w a te r a n d m o s t o t it does
' .ra vitv w a te r (2s . o f so il v o lu m e ) is th a t p a rt th a t drains
n t th ro u g h th e so il a m i in to th e stre a m s a n d riv e rs
I h .its w h a t gets th e riv e rs th r o u g h th e s u m m e r a m i
e v e r y th in g in tin riv e rs th a t d e p e n d s on w a te r I he
c a p illa rs w a te r (a ls m t 29% o t s o il v o lu m e ) is th a t w h ic h is
h e ld by th e s o il a g a in st g ra v ity It w ill n e v e r d ra in o u t
I h a ts w h a t gets the p la n ts th r o u g h th e s u m m e r
I h in k ot to p s o il as the w atershed
surfaces.
W h e n w e th in k o f la n d , tin» o fte n w e ju s t th in k of
the surface a n d the ve g e ta tio n B u t th e vast m a jo r ity ot
tin surfaces m a w a te rs h e d are in th e s o il Ib is is basic
i science It y o u ve taken a so ils class, y o u ve p ro b a b ly
hi a rd th a t the little ’ h it o f so il in th e p a lm o f yovtc h a ffd
has acres (>t su rfa ce area
th in k o f to p s o il as <urfuces o t
th e w a te rs h e d
Io p s o il is headw aters.
W h a t is the source o f th e riv e t * W h e re d o th e y firs t
sta rt
W e ll
th e re is n o a n s w e r to th a t because th e
h e a d w a te r s are th e so il surface. I lie s o il pores are the
s m a ll, st stre a m s I h a t s w h e re Ih e ram e n te rs th e
w a te rs h e d , a n d th e vast m a jo rity o f th e p a th w a y s th a t th e
w a t. i m u s t fo llo w th ro u g h th e w a te rs h e d is m o v in g
th r o u g h these s o il p o re s I hey are h id d e n fro m o u r v ie w ,
h u t th e y «Ion , have to be h id d e n fro m o u r im a g in a tio n
So to p s o il is a h e a d w a te rs
I h in k ot to p s o il as o ld -g ro w th
M o s t p e o p le , whe n y o u say o ld g r o w th , th in k a ls m t
b ig ..Id In e*. I lu y are o ld c o m p a re d to h o w lo n g w e liv e ,
h u t n o t o ld c o m p a re d to th e to p s o ils , the- b io lo g ic a l
s y s te m s th a t b rin g th e m fo rth
It y o u accept the idea th a t
s o ils .ire v e ry o ld y o u m a y a lso c o n c lu d e th a t it w e lo s e
the to p s o il tile tim e th a t it takes to re p la ce it is v e ry lo n g
Vi >i m ig h t th in k o f a ro a d c u t as a to p s o il s tu m p I o
r e p la n an o ld - g r o w th to p s o il m a y ta ke s o m e th in g on
th e o r d e r o f 5O,(MMI years
We can t h in k o f to p s o il as c a p ita l
It is easy fo r us to d o ; w e are liv in g in a c a p ita lis t
c o u n try Ih e trees a n d cro p s a n d fo ra g e a n d w ild lif e
h a b ita ts are th e p r o fits A n d o f co u rse th e c a rd in a l ru le ot
c a p ita lis m is n o t to s p e n d th e c a p ita l It is a g o o d ru le to
< v. n p u t som e o f he p ro fits hack in to th e c a p ita l a c c o u n t
I hose th a t d o s p e n d th e ir c a p ita l are g u a ra n te e d to loose
th . ir e n t. rp ris e S o il is c a p ita l
We can th in k o f to p s o il as tissue
It is lik t a liv in g tissu e , a n d it k in d o f lo o k s lik e an
o rg a n is m tu rn e d in s id e o u t It has b o n e s, th e re is m in e ra l
tra c tio n of the so il w ith ro ck a n d sand a n d s ilts a n d clays
a n d w h a tn o t Ib is fo rm s a ske le ta l s yste m A n d th e re is
liv in g m a tte r e v e ry w h e re , z illio n s o f c re a tu re s th a t liv e
e v e ry w h e re in to p s o il, th ic k ly in te ra c tin g V ast n u m b e rs
a n d g re a t dive rs ity I a r a n d a w a y th e g re a te st d iv e r s ity
th a t yo u w ill fin d in te rm s o f n u m b e rs o f species a n d
in te ra c tio n s m an o ld - g r o w th fo re s t e n v iro n m e n t.
Io p s o ils re s p ire , as a ll th e o rg a n is m s m th e s o il
re s p ire I h> w h o le s o il b re a th e s | n e rg y flo w s m m a n y
p a th w a y s | he w a te r m th e to p s o il is th e b le n d Ih e so il
p o rt s are c a p illa rie s th a t feed in to la rg e r a n d la rg e r
c h a n n e ls a n d th e n in fo stre a m s a n d riv e rs , w h ic h are lik e
th . a rte rie s , w h ic h ca rry th e b le n d to m o th e r ocean W e
ta n th in k a b o u t fish as liv in g in th e a rte rie s m th e
o rg a n is m .
O n p eople
I w o u ld ju s t lik e to w r a p u p w ith ta lk in g abeiut
pee.pi. I h e re are lo ts o f d iv e rs e v ie w s a b o u t th e fo re s t
W h e n w e try to co m e to a g re e m e n ts on th in g s , I th in k it
can lx- v e ry v a lu a b le if w e s ta rt w ith va lu e s th a t w e a ll
-b a r. I th in k the v a lu e o f th e to p s o il is a g o o d p la ce to
sta rt.
WfWttfT tO&L SLPTLhKJt IW ?