THURS., FEB. 21, 1946
THE EAGLE,
Vernonia, Oregon
Sub-Committee Outlines
Best Timber Land Use
The following report of a sub
committee on land use, as pre
pared by the committee of which
Glen Hawkins is chairman, tells
a good many details about so
much of Columbia county land
which is best suited for the grow
ing of timber. The report was
presented last Friday at the Out
look Conference in St. Helens.
The report is worthy of pre
sentation here.
INTRODUCTION
Logging cn a liquidation basis
in any county having a large
stand of virgin timber has always
ended in maladjustment of the
county economy. The “cut out
and get out” policy inevitably re
sults in reduced income to the
citizens, a migrant population
and a threat to the solvency of
the government through the re
duction of the tax base.
The return to the highroad
of financial solvency on a basis
comparable to that enjoyed dur
ing the era of a vast storehouse
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Timber Rt., Box 56
Vernonia, Oregon
of timber is a condition that can
not be achieved over night. In
fact, log production and result
ing prosperity enjoyed during the
heyday cf liquidation will never
return. Liquidation was overcut
ting and the prosperity resulting
therefrom was transitory.
The
land does not have the capacity
of continued forest production
equivalent to early day logging.
There must be a proper balance
between the growth and the har
vest. This is the ideal to be ach
ieved but it requires time. For
est growth is a slow process.
Certain land programs and pol
icies have been established which,
if followed, will grow in impor
tance as the years go by and
the result will be a gradual bet
terment in the welfare of the
people of the county. Continued
adherence to a definite and pro
gressive forest policy is necessary
to improve the balance between
the human and physical resources
of the county.
HISTORY
Prior to the turn of the cen
tury Columbia county was al
most completely
covered with
high quality timber.
Rail and
water transportation and manu
facturing plants within a radius
of a few miles, placed the coun
ty in a strategic position in log
production. Some of the earliest
logging in the Oregon country
was in Columbia county.
The
county saw the transition from
the old hand logging through the
ox team, donkey engines and
railroad t~ansportation into the
modern caterpil'ar logging and
truck transportation.
This was
the period of timber liquidation
which resulted in abandoned
lands, tax delinquencies and a
threat to financial insolvency in
governmental activities.
Columbia county, through the
force of circumstances, has gone
through a period of readjust
ment. It has been faced with
critical financial situations but
has succeeded. The era of tim
ber liquidation has ended. For
estry in the county now becomes
forestry of the future for it is
a county of second growth tim
ber of varying ages. Future for
estry income lies in second
growth. Whether this income is
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to be stable er transitory depends
upon the forest land owner and
the public agencies. The future
looks bright for forests are now
regarded as a crop and are be
ing so managed.
LAND OWNERSHIP PATTERN
The history of the land own
ership pattern in Columbia coun
ty is similar in many respects to
that of all counties which at one
time contained a larger amount
of merchantable timber. In the
early days nearly all forest land
was in private ownership, but
coincident with logging came
land abandonment, continuing on.
an ever increasing scale as log
ging progressed. During the late
30’s the county found itself the
owner of large areas of forest
land. But by the beginning of
the oresent decade a change be
came apparent. An active market
developed for lands carrying a
stand of merchantable or near-
merchantable second growth. By
degrees this market expanded to
include all classes of forest land.
These new purchasers were in
forestry on a permanent basis.
Thus came about one of the es
sentials of modern forestry—sta-
balized land ownership.
It is unlikely that the county
will again be the owner of any
large acreage of forest land but
some tracts of limited area may
pass to county ownership. There
should, therefore, be some policy
relative to the disposal or man
agement of these
lands. The
county has three courses which it
might follow. These include (1)
sale to private individuals or to
companies, (2) retention in coun
ty ownership and (3) transfer
of title to the state forestry de
partment.
Private Ownership. It is recog
nized that private ownership is
most desirable. Sales should be
made cn the best terms pon-
s'ble from the county stand
point and only under condi
tions which give reasonable as
surance that such lands are to
b'» dedicated to permanent for
est production.
County Ownership. The COuftty
may decide to retain title to
lands beeaise of location, lack
of available purchasers, a de
sire to cooperate in a timber
management program,
recte-
ation, watershed protection, ex
perimental areas or seme other
reason. Whenever the county
decides to hold forest land on
a permanent basis, such for
est-- should be dedicated as
county forests by county c.urt
action. The lands cannot then
be alienated without a vote of
the pec pie.
State Ownership.
Where the
county does not deside to re
tain title to, those lands that
will not go into private owner
ship, such lands mav be deed
ed to the state of Oregon for
the use and benefit of its
beard of forestry. The state
accepts the responsibility of
protection and administration
and returns 75 per cent of the
gross income to the county at
the time cf logging.
In a discussion of the land
ownership pattern, mention should
be made of the desi ability of
publicly owned watersheds. Title
may rest with the municipality,
county or state, providing the
area s primarily and permanent
ly dedicated to the use of the
municipality. Where such areas
have not already been acquired,
action should be taken as soon
as possible.
PROBLEMS OF LAND USE
The problem facing Columbia
county in land use is allocation
of lands according to their adapt
ability to farming, g azing for
estry, indu trial and recreati >nal
sites.
Twelve per cent or 50,000 ac
res of C. lumbia county is im
proved farm land, from which
the farmer is receiving a part or
all of his income.
Eighty seven per cent or 362,-
000 acres of Columbia county are
potential timber forest
lands.
From these facts it is evid. nt
that Columbia county's economic
future is going to be dependent
to a large extent on the efficient
development by individual and
private industry of these poten
tial t'mber growing lands.
The growing of timber is no
longer a hit or miss affair; it
has be.cme a s. f ntific operation
the same as dirt farming. With
the passing of th large virgin
timbered areas, we have seen the
rise of technical forestry and the
technical forester has become
the tree farmer of our aeqaint-
anee. His problems and the prob
lems of the dirt farmer are much
the -amf.
He is affected by
winds, rain, drojth, nnd fire.
Scientific
experiments have
shown that grazing can be an in
tegral part of tree farming. The
results of grazing cattle and
horses have been very good, on
the other hand, tests have shown,
unfortunately, that sheep and
g ats are harmful to a new for
est crop.
Much planning is needed be
fore a decision is made on which
lands should be set aside for
the growing of timber. Economic
forest management requires the
forest area to be in a compara
tively large block as free from
broken small ownerships as pos
sible. When it is necessary to
settle within a forest area the
location should be picked for its
accessibility by roads, power and
transportation. Isolated settle
ment can become an expensive
venture to local as well as coun
ty budgets through the added
expense cf long school bus runs,
added road costs, etc.
REFORESTRATION
Reforestration
in
Columbia
county is a minor problem. The
soil conditions, topography and
climate are ideal for the growing
of timber. Practically all of the
timber growing acreage is re-
sto.'ked with very minor acreage
that will need replanting. This
county is regonized as the fin
est timber growing county in the
State of Oregon. The productive
capacity of its lands are excep
tionally good with slightly more
than ninety per cent the acreage
being Site II and Site III and
ne Site V or the poorest growing
conditions.
MANAGEMENT
Since Columbia county and
private industry are the largest
owners of timber growing acre
ages it is only natural that the
farm woodlot and small land
owner will look to them for ad
vice and heln in the proper de
velopment of their wood lands.
Private industry is approaching
the tree farm development in a
scientific manner. Roads are be
ing built into even the remotest
areas, the idea being to be able
to drive to within fifteen hun
dred feet of any location. These
roads are a permanent instal
lation that will be maintained
perpetually. Fire trails are being
built as a precautionary measure.
Telephone l:nes are
being m-
stalled so that service may be
had from any area.
Salvage logging operations are
following the big logging shows,
harvesting
pulpwood,
shingle
bolts, and short merchantable
logs. This is not only a source of
revenue but it is also a pre
cautionary
measure,
reducing
future fire hazards bv clearing
the ground of inflamable debris.
In the larger stands of second
growth thinning operations are
being carried on, selectively. This
cleans up the forest and gives
the remaining timber a chance to
exDand much faster.
The count” owned lands are
not getting the attention due an
asset of their potential value.
The more accessab'e stands are
being disposed of. The usual pro
cedure is a slashing of the area
for the pulpwood or tie timber
it contains, leaving a dangerous
slash as a menace to remaining
stands and the denuded land re
verting back to county ownership.
Any eftunty so dependent on
timber resources for its economic
well beinir should study its prob
lem scientifically and setup a
program fo" the development of
county owned lands which will be
a source cf income nernetually
and an examDle of efficient man-
a'-ement to the mall land owner.
This will mean the installation of
trained foresters but the ultimate
retu'ns justify the expense.
MARKETS
We are particularly fortunate
in Columbia county from a mar
keting standpoint for our t'm-
be • products. There is already
located 'n the countv one of the
larger pulp and paper mills of
the northwest. Our vast water
frontage and main line railroad
s”stems give us a ready outlet
for "nr timber products.
PROTECTION
Toe primary requirement of
any forest program as a standard
of protection whereby there is
reasonable assurance that fire
losses will be reduced to a point
upon the productiveness of the
forests or any of its uses,, either
where they will have little effect
economical or social, that con
tributes to the welfare of man
kind. Adequate fire protection
depends upon a number of fac
tors and includes effective laws
and intelligent administration;
adequate finances; cooperation of
land owners, operators and public
agencies, and recognition and ac
ceptance on the part of the pub
lic of its responsibility in a state
forestry program. The sub-com
mittee desires to emphasize the
following points:
1. Endorsement of central
ized administration of forestry
activities in order to definitely
fix responsibility for protection
and suppression. The state is to
be commended upon taking di
rect adin nistrative charge of pro
tection in Northwest Oregon.
2. We strongly urge that
the state legislature carefully
consider the needs of forest pro
tection in the state as well as the
county and make adequate pro
visions for financing a strong
state forestry organization.
3. Public education in forest
ry matters is an essential part
of all forestry. The Keep Oregonr
Green association has been ac
complishing outstanding results
along these lines and the work
should be continued.
4. Close cooperation between
the forestry agencies and the-
farmers in order that the latter
may suffer little inconvenience
and unnecessary expense in land
clearing, consistent with good
protection practices.
Columbia county owns several
good park sites which should be
improved and publicized so they
can be found and enjoyed.
Picnic spots are being im
proved along the Nehalem by the
Grange and private industry and
will be available to the public
use.
RHEUMATISM
and ARTHRITIS
I suffered for years and am so
thankful that I found relief from
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for
information.
Mrs.
Anna
Pautz, P. O. Box 825, Vancouver,
Wash.
Adv. tf
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