♦ 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 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 ?