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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 3, 2009)
The INDEPENDENT, December 3, 2009 Page 5 Two new members appointed to Real Christmas trees better for environment Oregon Forest Resources Institute The delight of gazing at a are supporting local agriculture, censed Christmas tree growers A former teacher and a forestry engineering consult- ant, both of whom also own family tree farms and volunteer their time to educate students about forestry, are the two newest members of the board of the Oregon Forest Re- sources Institute. The new directors are Anne Hanschu of Forest Grove, and Ron Stuntzner of Coos Bay. They were appointed by Ore- gon State Forester Marvin Brown for terms beginning Jan- uary 1 and expiring in three years. They will replace Steve Woodard, owner of Woodard Forests, and Carol Whipple, of the Rocking C Ranch, respec- tively, both of whose terms ex- pire in January. In addition to the new ap- pointments, Brown reappointed Gary Springer, of Starker For- ests, and Greg Miller, of the Weyerhaeuser Company, for second terms. OFRI’s board includes 11 members appointed by the state forester. There are also two ex-officio members, the dean of the Oregon State Uni- versity College of Forestry, and a public member appointed jointly by the president of the Oregon Senate and the speak- er of the Oregon House of Rep- resentatives. Oregon law stipulates that each of three producer classes be represented by three board members. The classes are cat- egorized by timber harvest vol- ume into small, medium and large producers. The other two forester-appointed members include one member to repre- sent small woodland owners and one representative of for- est industry employees. Hanschu fills the position on the board held by Woodard and reserved for small woodland owners. Stuntzner is taking Whipple’s place as one of the three Class 1 representatives, defined by rule as those paying the harvest tax on 20 million board feet or less per year. The Oregon Forest Re- sources Institute was created by the Oregon Legislature in 1991 to improve public under- standing of the state’s forest re- sources and to encourage en- vironmentally sound forest management through training and other educational pro- grams for forest landowners. OFRI is funded by a dedicated harvest tax on forest products producers. New funding opportunities for Oregon nonprofit organizations Nonprofit organizations throughout Oregon that re- spond quickly and thoughtfully to current issues and events shaping our world, have a new opportunity for funding. Oregon Humanities (formerly Oregon Council for the Humanities) in- vites requests for Responsive Program Grants (formerly Op- portunity Grants) for up to $1,000. To download the Request for Proposals and find out more about how to apply, go to ore gonhumanities.org. Proposals are reviewed monthly and deci- sions are made by members of Oregon Humanities’ statewide volunteer board of directors. Responsive Program Grants fund activities that are not part of an organization’s standard programming. Instead, these grants support programs creat- ed in response to pressing, cur- rent issues or events locally, nationally, or internationally that the applicant organization is uniquely situated to help the public explore. Proposed pro- grams should offer opportuni- ties to engage the public in thoughtful dialogue informed by one or more humanities dis- ciplines. Though proposals for all kinds of program formats are welcome, special consider- ation will be given to programs that are interactive in nature and that aim to bring together diverse groups of Oregonians. For more information about Responsive Program Grants, contact Oregon Humanities Di- rector of Programs Jennifer Allen at 503-241-0543, ext. 118, or j.allen@oregonhumani ties.org. light-strewn, decorated live Christmas tree and the festive feeling its evergreen aroma in- spires does not need to be ac- companied by a nagging sense of guilt. The Oregon Farm Bureau wants to inform consumers that, despite what they may have heard over the years, buying a fresh Christmas tree is a better environmental choice than buying a plastic tree. Why? Live trees from Ore- gon are local, renewable, recy- clable, are not made from pe- troleum, nor did they use the energy to be shipped half way around the world from China. “Oregonians should feel good about purchasing an Ore- gon-grown Christmas tree this holiday season,” said Oregon Farm Bureau President Barry Bushue, a nursery operator in Boring. “Live trees are sustain- ably produced by family farm- ers and are 100 percent recy- clable. Besides knowing they Corps seeking public comment The U.S. Army Corps of En- gineers is seeking comments on an application for a permit to conduct work in waters of the United States. Public Notice NWP-2008- 472 describes a proposal by the Port of Chinook, Wash., to dredge up to 20,000 cubic yards of sediment over a 5- year period from the port’s mooring basin at about River Mile 6.2 of the Columbia River. The Corps is soliciting com- ments on this proposal from the public; federal, state and local agencies; Indian Tribes; and other interested parties. The public notice with more in- formation is available at http:// www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/g/ public.asp. Comments must be received by December 10. The Corps will issue or deny a permit for this work under au- thority of Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 for work in or affecting naviga- ble waters of the United States. The Washington Department of Ecology will issue or deny Coastal Zone Management Consistency Concurrence for this work under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972. consumers can also enjoy the fragrance and beauty that only a fresh Christmas tree can bring.” Some people mistakenly be- lieve that Christmas trees are clear-cut en masse from forest- land. Not so. Like wheat or corn, farmers grow Christmas trees in fields, or nursery plots. But instead of an annual harvest, the trees typically take five to six years before they are ready for sale. Christmas tree growers have rotating plots with trees of vary- ing ages to ensure that each year there are enough mature trees by November and De- cember. After a crop of trees is harvested, another is planted. There are around 720 li- in Oregon, according to the Oregon Department of Agricul- ture. The climate of the Willamette Valley is perfect for raising evergreens, and the al- most 8 million trees harvested in Oregon are of exceptional quality. Oregon’s trees are so preferred, in fact, that our state is the number one producer of Christmas trees in the nation. Last year, Oregon’s Christmas tree production was valued at $122.8 million, making it the eighth largest out of 220+ agri- culture products raised in the state. And, of course, fresh Christ- mas trees are biodegradable. Many communities publicize Christmas tree recycling pro- grams soon after New Years.