Association News

Idaho Forest Products Commission — New Publication

The Idaho Forest Products Commission has recently come out with a new publication — Managing National Forests in Idaho Critical Choices for Our Forests.

The publication is filled with facts and information about the national forests in Idaho, where they are located, the laws that govern them, and much more. The Associated Logging Contractors says it’s a “must have” information piece to share with your crew, friends, community members, and elected officials.

This is an ideal publication for those wanting to learn the background, management process, and current issues facing our public forests. To order a copy, visit www.idahoforests.org or call (208-) 334-3292. 

Talk about Trees Results

Oregon Women in Timber (OWIT) wants to thank everyone for their support of the 2017 Talk About Trees Annual Auction. The event was a great success, with over 400 people in attendance, bringing in close to $90,000 dedicated to Talk About Trees, OWIT’s statewide forest education program for pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. Since 1991, the program has reached more than three million students.

The NW Ford Dealers Advertising Association helped out with a $5,000 donation. They have donated a total of $96,000 to OWIT since 2002, and their continued support is greatly appreciated. Please thank your local Ford dealers next time you visit a Ford dealership!

AFRC Washington D.C Update

Heath Heikkila and Travis Joseph reported on behalf of the AFRC that in May, President Trump released his FY18 budget blueprint for the entire Federal Government. Trump’s budget requests $89.9 million to support BLM’s management of 2.4 million acres of O&C lands, Coos Bay Wagon Road lands, and intermingled public domain lands in Western Oregon. The budget document includes language that “prioritizes support for local communities through employment opportunities by offering 205 million board feet of timber annually ... .”

While the FY18 budget request represents an $18.4 million reduction to the overall Western Oregon program, the request would hold the forest management line item stable while proposing significant cuts to other budget line items. Under the Trump budget, the following Western Oregon BLM budget accounts would be reduced (compared to the FY17 budget allocation): Transportation and Facilities Maintenance (-$3.5 million); Species Management and Recreation (-$8.2 million); and National Monuments (-$70,000).

AFRC Moves to Intervene in Lava Project

Earlier this year, members of the Associated California Loggers and Logging Association of Northern California moved to intervene to support the Lava Project. Last year, Conservation Congress brought a lawsuit against the Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service challenging the Lava Project on the Modoc National Forest within the Doublehead and Big Valley Ranger Districts. The case is assigned to Judge England in the Eastern District of California. The project involves treatment of 8,390 acres of eastside pine and mixed conifer types highly susceptible to stand-replacing fire. The total estimated volume is 12.1 million board feet, with sales to occur in late 2017 and 2018. ACL and LANC members will likely harvest the timber, and AFRC members will mill it.

Conservation Congress’ complaint focuses on impacts to the northern spotted owl and the gray wolf, alleging the need for an environmental impact statement instead of an environmental assessment, the need for a new biological assessment and biological opinion for the northern spotted owl, and the need to reinitiate consultation regarding the impacts of the project on the gray wolf. This case is one of the first to challenge a project based on the effects on the gray wolf. Source: AFRC news writer Sara Ghafouri.