Oregon Natural Forestry

Collaboratives, Quincy Library Group, Oregon Humanities’ Conversation Project, it is all about people and their forest conversations.  When Mariah Action came to Cannon Beach and Tillamook recently she described the topic as “When we are talking about a forest, it is a hard conversation. Yet, I would wager that it is an easier conversation when we are thinking about big bright green trees…. than when we are talking about trees burning, (in a forest fire).” My reading of Landscapes of Conflict, The Oregon Story, 1940-2000 by author William G. Robbins suggests that while forest operations were ongoing no one was listening to people’s concerns or understanding how fast a forest grows. Following the conversation my takeaway was nothing short of our current political deadlock (United States) that minds are made up and are being reinforced by social media tweets and posts.  Strong in opinion and vitreal and lacking in words like understand and share. It does give me hope th...

What is natural?  In stream morphology (what they look like) there is a stage 1 to 4 and now a stage 0 which is supposed to be what the stream looked like before the any of the four stages.  In forests there is always dynamic changing. For instance following a major disturbance there is a re-establishment of trees, then a closing of the tree canopy to exclude light to the now forest floor.  Following that when the now “stand” of trees begins to change shape as some trees grow faster and some slower openings form allowing new trees to grow. Then, the now mixed age forest with bigger trees and smaller trees and dead trees (snags) and fallen trees (down logs) grows it changes by its growth and by other disturbances until there is another catastrophic disturbance beginning the cycle again. So is natural a time, physical shape, feeling or even a spiritual connection? Natural is a word with a lot of meanings, that mean different things to different people.  What it...