O is for Oregon’s Forest Conversations

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 that twelve did give of their Saturday in Tillamook to sit with strangers and talk trees and forests.  I think looking at big green trees is something that most in the room could agree with and that catastrophic wildfire on the order of the B and B or Tillamook Burns is something that is not desirable. So there are starting points to continue Oregon’s conversation about trees.