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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1990)
Smoke Signals February 1990 Page 10 "TIMBER GROUP EXPECTS ANXIETY, LAYOFFS' EUGENE - The Northwest timber compromise hasn't eased Oregon loggers' uncertainty about their future, and industry group official said Friday. The official, Mike Miller, executive director of Associ ated Oregon Loggers, also said widespread layoffs could be expected in coming months. "I think uncertainty is still the word of the day," Miller said. Miller said the uncertainty included environmentalists' appeals of U.S. Forest Service timber sales and pending ' court challenges of the compromise legislation. The compromise restarted federal timber sales that had been halted during much of 1989 by environmentalist's lawsuits involving the northern spotted owl. Tom Hirons of Lyons, owner of Mad Creek Logging Co., agreed with Miller's assessment that logging layoffs were likely. He said he currently employs nine people, down from a usual summer level of 23. Logging employment normally drops in the winter. But Hirons said other factors - presumably tight logging supplies and soft markets for finished wood products -also are at work now. Hirons heads a Mill City-based chapter of Communi ties for a Great Oregon, a pro-logging group. Brian Greber, an assistant forest economics professor at Oregon State University, said he put a little faith in the loggers' association's predictions of job losses. Prior to the start of their annual convention here, the . loggers released a survey indicating that many firms expect to lay off logging and roadbuilding crews in the next five months because of timber supply problems. Seventy-six of the group's 453 member companies responded to the survey. Of those, 71 percent said they expected to shut down temporarily or lay off some workers in the next five months because of timber supply problems. Those cutbacks would put 756 people out of work, mainly in southern and southwestern Oregon, according to the survey. According to state Employment Division statistics, Oregon has about 1,300 logging companies. Loggin employment in 1989 ranged from 10,800 in April to 12,700 in July and August. Courtesy of the Statesman Journal "TRIBAL HUNTING RIGHTS UPHELD IN PORT TOWNSEND COURT" A jury found two Native Americans "not guilty" of charges issued by a state of Washington game warden for hunting elk outside of the state's regulated game and hunting season and for hunting on private land. Tribal hunting regulatory authority was disregarded by the game warden issuing the citation. The small Port Townsend court room was filled to capacity. Many tribal officials, family, friends and two observing organizations sat it on the hearings held for Klallam members Ted George and his son, Kevin George. Ron Adams and Jon Magnuson of the Church Council of Greater Seattle and Marilyn Wandrey of the American Friends Service Committee observed the proceedings. Much to one jury member's dismay, the court's order to the jury included defense exhibits on interpretation of tribal treaty law and the tribal right to hunt on lands (Continued on page 11.) "OREGON BIRD HUNTERS NEED STAMP Oregon hunters will have to buy a $5 state stamp if they want to bag a bird in 1990. The stamp is required in addition to an Oregon hunting license for al upland game birds. The Fish and Wildlife Commission has approved the stamp, and a contest will be held to select the artwork. Money raised from the stamp sales will be used for increased public assesses, youth hunting programs, raising game birds and habitat improvement for birds such as quail and grouse. Stamp sales are estimated to raise about $442,500, according to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists. Commissioners also heard department proposals for 1990 controlled hunts for big game. There will be public meetings at 7 p.m. today at Chemeketa Community College, Building 3, Room 116 and Friday at the Tillamook Public Utility District office on Pacific Avenue to discuss the proposals and take public comments. Rules for controlled hunts will be decided at the Feb. 10 commission meeting in Portland. . , - ? v Because of loss of range and road construction, the number of controlled and limited-entry hunts would be increased under the department's proposals. Those are: - Mule Deer: An increase in the number of controlled hunts from 14 in 1989 to 22 this year. There would be a total of 25,825 tags for those hunts. - Elk: An increase in tags for limited-entry hunts from 10,900 in 1989 to 34,790 in 1990. - Antelope: An increase in the number of rifle tags to' 2,290, 115 more than 1989. - Bighorn sheep: 54 tags, three more than were issued by drawing in 1989. The commission approved regulations for the con trolled spring black bear hunts, authorizing 1,990 tags (415 more than 1989). The western Oregon season will run May 12 to June 30. The eastern Oregon season will be April 7 to May 20. Landowners in deer and elk controlled-hunt areas also got a break from commissioners. The seven-member board approved increasing the number of tags landown ers can get to hunt on their land. Families owning 40 to 5,000 acres will be allowed two tags, and people owning more than 5,000 acres will be allowed four tags for use by members of the immediate family. Previously, landowners were allowed two tags for limited-entry buck and bull hunts. Under the new rules, landowners are eligible for doe and cow as well as either sex tags. There is a $3.50 application fee owner-preference tags. - Courtesy of the Statesman Journal TRIBES AND STATE SIGN CENTENNIAL ACCORD Washington Governor Booth Gardner and leaders of the state's federally recognized Indian tribes made history Friday, August 4, 1989, with the signing of the Centennial Accord, which formalizes a more coopera tive relationship between state government and the tribes. The accord recognizes and respects the sovereignty of the tribes and has become a national model for relations between sate governments and Indian tribes. The accord calls for a government-to-government approach between the tribes and the state to work jointly on problems of mutual concern. Gardner and tribal leaders said the agreement is the most significant, positive step taken since statehood toward building a proper and positive relationship between state government and Indian tribes. "The tribes are sovereign governments and should be treated as such," Gardner said. "It is in our interest to improve the ability of both tribal and state governments to perform as governments. State governments will no longer be an obstacle to tribal sovereignty." The accord is designed to address issues through cooperation and negotiation rather than confrontation and litigation," said Joe DeLaCruz, president of the Quinault Indian Nation. "We have come a very long way from a history of conflict and controversy to becoming a national model for solving complex problems," Gardner added. Ex amples of the kind of cooperative relationship sought through the accord include the Puyallup Land Claims Settlement and the TimberFishWildlife Agreement. Gardner said the more positive relationship has been so successful and noteworthy that states from through out the west as well as the federal and Canadian govern ments have contacted the state of Washington to learn more. "The benefits and the obligations of this accord form a two-way road. It won't always be an easy road, but in the end we believe it will be far more productive for all parties than paying lawyers to fight these issues in court. Too often court decisions cause more problems than they solve," said Melvin Sampson, chairman of the Yakima Indian Nation. The tribes and the Governor have identified three areas in which they hope to make initial progress: economic development, social services and natural resources. Working together on economic development strategies will help reduce unemployment on tribal lands, which currently runs as high as 50 percent, and will also provide and economic stimulus to neighboring commu nities, many of which are economically distressed, said Larry Kinley, chairman of the Lummi Indian Nation. "Getting at the unemployment problem, through carefully thought-out economic development on tribal lands, will be a first step toward solving a myriad of social problems," Gardner said. Natural resource management remains the area with the most significant issues to be resolved between the tribes and the state. In the past, these issues have been aired and decided in federal court. With the accord, the first effort will be to negotiate to resolve differences rather than letting the courts determine the outcome. "We have no illusions that the state and the tribes will never face off in court again, but this accord serves as a commitment and a recognition that ours is a shared future and that the courts should be a last resort," Gardner said. State executive agencies are directed by the Governor to establish formal procedures to carry out the principles of the accord. Each tribe will also be expected to (Continued on page 11.)
