The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current, October 05, 2011, Page Page 4, Image 4

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    Page 4
The INDEPENDENT, October 5, 2011
USDA, Forest Service promote wood as green building material
Oregon forestland owners
and the forestry community to-
day applauded a synthesis
study by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture and the U.S. For-
est Service that ties together
important themes about wood
and active forest management,
including the environmental
benefits of wood in green build-
ing, carbon and climate
change, and forest-sector em-
ployment.
The September 29 USDA
press release, with commen-
tary by the U.S. Forest Service,
highlights the study “Science
Supporting the Economic and
Environmental Benefits of Us-
ing Wood and Wood Products
in Green Building.”
“Agriculture Secretary Tom
Vilsack’s announcement is very
welcome news,” said Paul Bar-
num, OFRI executive director.
“Despite the down economy,
Oregon has a natural competi-
tive advantage in wood prod-
ucts. Oregon already leads the
nation in softwood and wood
panel manufacturing.”
Ray Wilkeson, president of
the Oregon Forest Industries
Council, said that by acknowl-
edging wood as a green build-
ing material, government agen-
cies like the U.S. Forest Ser-
vice can positively impact rural
employment in Oregon. “Rec-
ognizing wood as a green
building material can promote
investment in sustainably man-
aged forestland, mills and sec-
ondary manufacturing. These
all have a multiplier effect on
employment in small Oregon
cities and towns.” OFIC’s mem-
bers include large forestland
owners and wood products
manufacturers.
Jim James, president of the
Oregon Small Woodlands As-
sociation, said, “Our members
are contributors to Oregon’s
forest-sector economy. Keep-
ing our members’ family forest-
lands economically viable is
not only important to our econ-
omy; those forestlands are im-
portant to all Oregonians as
sources of high-quality water
as well as fish and wildlife habi-
tat.” OSWA represents mem-
bers whose woodlands range
up to 5,000 acres. Some
62,500 family forestland own-
ers throughout Oregon care for
and manage about 15 percent
of Oregon’s forests.
The USDA’s press release
recognizes many themes on
which OFRI has worked over
the years, including federal
forestlands in Oregon, water in
Oregon’s forests, family forest-
lands, the role of wood in green
building, carbon and climate
change, and wood’s role in em-
ployment for mill workers and
those working in forests.
Forest Service Chief Tom
Tidwell noted in the govern-
ment’s press release the de-
plorable condition of many pub-
licly owned forestlands in the
West, which include millions of
acres in Oregon. Tidwell said,
“…we have hundreds of thou-
sands of dead trees killed by
bark beetles that could find
their way into the building-sup-
ply chain for all types of build-
ing. Taking a harder look at
wood as a green building
source could reduce the dam-
ages posed by future fires,
maintain overall forest health
and provide much-needed jobs
in local communities.”
OFRI was created in 1991
by the Oregon legislature to im-
prove public understanding of
the state’s forest resources and
to encourage environmentally
sound forest management
through education. To learn
more about the Oregon Forest
Resources Institute and its
work, visit OFRI online at Ore
gonforests.org.
August job numbers remain flat
Columbia County’s season-
ally adjusted unemployment
rate was 10.6 percent in Au-
gust, essentially unchanged
from the previous month
(10.3%) but lower than the year
before (12.1%). The rate was
above the statewide rate
(9.6%) and the national rate
(9.1%). Total employment
climbed by 125 to 22,327 and
the number of unemployed
people dropped by nine to
2,562. Total employment this
August was 622, more than
one year before, and there
were 273 fewer people unem-
ployed this year.
Community Calendar
VERNONIA
Alcoholics Anonymous
Mondays
6:30 p.m., 410 North Street
Alcoholics Anonymous
Thursdays (Big Book Study) 7:00 p.m., 410 North Street
American Legion Post #119
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., 627 Adams Avenue
Booster Club
2nd Wednesday
7:00 p.m., VHS Library
Boy Scout Troop 201
Tuesdays
7:00 p.m., Scout Cabin
Boy Scout Troop 860
Wednesdays
7:00 p.m., LDS Church
Cemetery Beautification Comm.
2nd Thursday
6:30 p.m., Library
CERT
4th Wednesday
For Info Call 503-429-3018
Chamber of Commerce
2nd Wednesday
For Info Call 503-429-6081
Community Coalition
2nd Monday
12:30 p.m. School District Ofc.
Cub Scout Pack 201
Scout Cabin
For Info Call 503-429-4250
Friends of the Library
1st Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Vernonia Library
Girl Scouts, Neighborhood 4-2
For Info Call 503-819-0143
Izaak Walton League
3rd Thursday
For location call 503-429-7193
Kiwanis Club
2nd & 4th Tuesdays
6:30 p.m., New Hong Kong
Lions Club
1st & 3rd Tuesdays
6:30 p.m., New Hong Kong
Municipal Airport Committee
1t Wednesday
6:30 p.m., City Hall
Pioneer Museum
For Info Call 503-429-3713
Public Works Committee
4th Tuesday
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Cares Directors
For Info call 503-429-1414
Vernonia City Council
1st & 3rd Mondays
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Community PTA
2nd Wednesday
7:00 p.m., WGS Library
Vernonia Garden Club
2nd Tuesday
1:30 p.m., Vernonia Library
Vernonia Grange
3rd Monday
7:00 p.m., Grange Hall
Vernonia Health Center
3rd Thursday
6:30 p.m., 510 Bridge St.
Vernonia Learning Center
1st Wednesday
6:00 p.m., VLC
Vernonia Parks Committee
3rd Wednesday
6:30 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Planning Comm.
1st & 3rd Thursdays
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Pride
2nd Thursday
1:00 p.m., City Hall
Vernonia Ridge Riders
Last Thursday
7:00 p.m., Senior Center
Vernonia RFPD Board
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
Vernonia School Board
2nd Thursday
6:00 p.m., District Office
Vernonia Sr. Center Board
2nd Friday
10:00 a.m., Senior Center
Vernonia Transfer Station
2nd & 4th Saturdays, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Behind VHS
Vern. Volunteer Ambulance Assoc. 1st Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters
2nd Monday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
WOEC Directors
3rd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., WOEC
MIST-BIRKENFELD
M-BRFPD Board Business Mtg.
2nd Tuesday
M-BRFPD Board Workshop
4th Tuesday
M-B Ambulance Drill
1st & 2nd Thursdays
M-B Fire Drill
1st & 2nd Wednesdays
M-B Helping Circle
2nd Monday
M-B SAR Drill
3rd Wednesday
M-B Volunteer Assoc.
1st Tuesday
Natal Grange
2nd Wednesday
T.O.P.S.
Mondays
Upr Nehalem Watershed Council For date call 429-0869
BANKS
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
American Legion Post #90
Banks City Council
Banks Fire District #13
Banks Library Commission
Banks Planning Commission
Banks School Board
Banks Youth Group
Chamber of Commerce
CPO 14
Everybody’s Hometown Band
Friends of the Library
Lions Club
Sunset Park Assoc.
T.O.P.S.
Friday
Wednesday
2nd Tuesday
2nd Tuesday
2nd Wednesday
3rd Tuesday
Last Tuesday
2nd Monday
Sunday, Wednesday
1st Thursday
3rd Monday
Tuesdays
2nd Tuesday
1st & 3rd Mondays
3rd Wednesday
Wednesday
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:30 p.m., Natal Grange Hall
9:00 a.m., Main Fire Station
7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
7:30 p.m., Methodist Church
7:30 p.m., Main Street Post
7:30 p.m., City Hall
7:00 p.m., Station 13
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., City Hall
7:30 p.m., Jr. High Library
7:00 p.m., UMC Youth Bldg.
12:30 p.m., Fire District Office
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., BHS Music Room
7:00 p.m., City Library
7:00 p.m., Brown Derby
8:00 p.m., Gun Club
7:00 p.m., Administration Bldg.
COLUMBIA COUNTY (All meet in St. Helens unless otherwise noted.)
Board of Commissioners
Wednesday
10:00 a.m., Courthouse
Citizens for Senior Justice
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Sunset Park Church
Columbia Comm Mental Health
1st Tuesday
5”30 p.m., 58646 McNulty Way
Columbia Soil & Water District
3rd Wednesday
7:30 p.m., NRCS , 2514 Sykes
County Fair Board
2nd Monday
6:00 p.m., Fairgrounds 4-H Bldg.
County Parks Commission
3rd Tuesday
Times vary, 1054 Oregon St.
Mental Health Advisory Comm.
Quarterly
For Info call 503-397-7211
Comm. on Children & Families
3rd Thursday 5:30 p.m. OSU Ext., 505 N. Hwy. 30
Local Alcohol & Drug Plan. Comm.
Quarterly
For Info call 503-397-7211
Organizations and meeting dates not listed may be included by calling 429-9410 or by mail to The INDEPENDENT, 725 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064.