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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1978)
OCTOBER 20, 1978 PAGE 3 WSFPI Using Gravel Pit For Lag Starage by Sandy Rangila Log decks are springing up among the junipers at the old gravel pit area along Highway 26. Since October 5, Warm Springs Forest Products Indust ries has been using the gravel pit on the grade for temporary log storage. Because of the tremendous blowdown this year, too many logs were arriving at the mill too quickly and more storage room was needed immediately. The situation is described by WSFPI manager Ralph DeMoisy as an “abnormal surge”. Operations manager Bob Macy explained that the gravel pit is ideal for temporary storage because of its proximity to the mill and to the highway. And he said that it is less costly than going on further up the hill behind the mill. “It’s cheaper to deck on the grade and run the logs into the mill from the highway,” said Macy. “During the winter those roads behind the mill get pretty muddy and hazardous for the log trucks,” he added. ■ There is already 75 million board feet of lumber decked at the mill and, according to Macy, they should have the annual allowable cut out by the end of the month. He noted that the Tribes are allowed to go 10 percent over the annual allow able cut. Mill management was aware that extra storage space was going to be needed, so arrang ements were made for WSFPI to use the five-acre parcel at the gravel pit on a short-term basis. “Hopefully it will be a one-time deal,” said Macy. “Our purpose is to salvage all the blowdowns we can this year,” explained DeMoisy. The fallen logs deteriorate rapidly, so they have to be picked up and stored as quickly as possible. “Essentially, we’re racing the bugs,” he said. The logs being decked at the gravel pit will not be sprinkled since they will be among the first used this winter. Most being stored at the gravel pit are White and Douglas Fir. DECKED OUT - Log trucks roll into WSFPI’s temporary decking area at the gravel pit. More storage Rangila Photo space was needed due to the tremendous blowdown this year. "From Stump To Market" Timbered Tribes Exchange Ideas At Second Symposium by Cynthia Stowell From the prospering Men- The twenty timbered tribes that gathered in Spokane Octo ominees and their wood products ber 10-12 for the second annual enterprise in Wisconsin, to the Timber Symposium represented struggling Quinaults and their twenty variations on the theme attempts to correct timber mis of forest management and mar management on largely allotted lands - the degree of sophistica keting. They in turn were exposed to tion and savvy varied widely. Few tribes process their bwn the state of the art as it exists in the private timber industry and timber, said Smith, a fact that were perhaps given a fresh look places Warm Springs near the at the familiar methods of the top of the heap aloiig with the Navajo, White Mountain Apache, Bureau of Indian Affairs. “From Stump to Market” and Menominee operations. “There’s more to this than was the topic that brought the varied interests together to ex opening up your land and having change information, explore new contractors come in and buy techniques, and raise concerns your timber,” noted Smith. He that often don’t find expression felt the symposium pointed up in the workaday world of isolated the different options in market ing that tribes might consider. reservation timber operation. “Most tribes think only of Warm Springs general man ager Ken Smith,,who headed the management. But opportunities steering committees for both exist to keep the money in the symposia, felt that this, year’s community and provide employ effort surpassed the first, which ment for tribal members.” “Hopefully this symposium focused on forest management alone. Forestry consultant Al stimulated their minds and got Cronk of Portland, who lined up them thinking,” said Smith. In remarks to the assembled the speakers, said there was an attempt to be less “provincial” tribes, Smith made an appeal for this year, inviting participants constructive, businesslike deal from across the nation to share ings with the Bureau of Indian their experience and expertise. Affairs. Too often tribes sit back and criticize the Bureau or “take their ball and go home” when they don’t like what the Bureau is doing, he noted. In recent years tribes have been distres sed with B.I.A. policies and regulations and the adverse effect Indian preference has had on the quality of forestry person nel and programs. “Let’s identify problems bn the tribal side of the fence, too,” he challenged. Haven’t tribal politics, funding problems and personnel inadequacies also been obstacles to progress? It is felt that the formation of an Intertribal Timber Council will assist tribes in taking thé steps toward good management and marketing. There was debate at the symposium, how ever, about whether the council should be a political body or simply serve an educational function. While some felt that a timber council patterned after the Na tional Congress of American Indians might successfully apply political pressure to achieve the ends of individual tribes, others felt that this would be just another hammer against the B.I.A., creating unporductive de fensiveness. The council and its annual symposium might be more con structive if it serves as a forum for the free exchange of informa tion, where pending legislation and policy affecting Indian timber interests can be examin ed and discussed in an open educational atmosphere, said Smith. Then the information can be taken home by tribal represen tatives and utilized on a local or regional basis. Political organi zations already exist for lobby ing, he said. A compromise was reached on the third day and a section of the council’s organizational sta tement discouraging political stands was deleted. It will be up to the membership to make the final decision when they gather for the next symposium, slated for March 1979. Messages from the pro’s Two Warm Springs experts addressed the symposium in addition to Smith. Bob Macy, operations manager for Warm Springs Forest Products Indust ries, was the moderator on the second day, and Hank Palmer got rave reviews for his talk on selecting a good logger. First Female Forester Just "One of the Boys" Think of the possible ways in which a single, well-educated, 21 year old woman might make a living in Warm Springs. Jean Brien’s job is probably not on your list. Jean is a Forester with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the first female to enter that all-male world. Jean studied forestry at the University of New Hampshire and received her BS in Forestry management, graduating last spring. Jean was working in Montana as a forestry technician when the job in Warm Springs appeared on the Civil Service register. One of the biggest challenges Jean has found is the difference in Eastern and Western forestry. “There are many types of hard woods in the Eastern forests, and here there are many types of softer woods and no hardwoods,” said the newly1 hired ’ forester. JEAN BRIEN, FORESTER Jean enjoys her job and the outdoors and, so far, hasn’t been teased too much by her male co-wprkers. “But I don’t think they know me well enough yet for that,” she said with a friendly grin. Having worked in different forests during summer months, Jean is used to being the only female and expects some tea sing. In her spare time Jean enjoys crosscountry skiing, backpacking and sewing. She uses swimming as a way to keep in shape for the strenuous walking and hiking done daily. Jean also plans to join the volunteer fire department, a traditionally male enclave al ready invaded by females. The men Jean works with everyday treat her “as an equal and like I can do my job,” she says. “That makes me feel good about my job 'aiid myself.” They rubbed shoulders with a host of professional people from the public, private and tribal sectors. New B.I.A. Chief Forester George Smith endorsed the In tertribal Timber Council and offered a self-assignment. It will be up to the Bureau to prevent further personnel shortages, make more of a commitment to longterm planning, take more innovative approaches to fores try management and develop ment, and better utilize tribal input, said Smith. Bureau and tribal represen tatives discussed timber apprai sal methods, with» Yakima’s assistant forest manager Henry Williams explaining the B.I.A.’s techniques and Makah Council man Jerry Lucas suggesting that tribes often are not getting the full value of their timber. Dr. Ronald Trosper, professor of economics from Boston College, also offered a critique of B.I.A. appraisal methods which are often outdated. James Jackson of the Quin- ault Tribe was the only inde pendent logger who spoke. He told of having to wade through red tape when removing timber from allotted lands. Loren Hearst of Coop Forestry in Missoula, Montana, described improvements in logging equip ment that minimize loss and increase efficiency. Marketing strategies were tackled from several perspec tives including the broker, the private company, the logger and the export market. Although each speaker had his own method which he had found to be successful, the common theme was getting the maximum value from the logs. John Squires, lumber and plywood marketing manager for International Paper Company, described his “vertically inte grated” company, where the land and timber are owned by the manufacturer. Warm Springs can be considered a vertically integrated system since it owns the resource and the processing plant. Since many tribes have this potential, the “stump to market” theme of the symposium was particularly 'ap- propriate?/Zz ’v
