Federal money allocated for eastern Oregon forest projects to keep or create more than 200 jobs
The department, which includes the Forest Service, will provide money to two projects on the Malheur and Fremont-Winema national forests. The funding will help restore more than 422,000 acres of "dry side" forests and will retain or create more than 242 over 10 years. The local effort was coordinated by Sustainable Northwest, a Portland group that works with community, industry, government and conservation interests to find collaborative solutions in what it terms Oregon's Dry Forest Investment Zone.
Originally published: Friday, February 03, 2012, 10:10 PM Updated: Saturday, February 04, 2012, 2:19 PM
Eric Mortenson, The Oregonian
Malheur Lumber Co. in John Day has come close to going under. Despite being perched on the edge of the Malheur National Forest, timber sale reductions have made it hard for the mill to operate on a steady basis.
"We've had some close calls the last few years," timber manager Mike Billman says. "It's been tough."
That's
why announcement Thursday of a $48.4 million allocation from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture was particularly welcome in the eastern Oregon
community.
"Awesome," as Billman describes it.
The department, which includes the Forest Service, will provide money to two projects on the Malheur and Fremont-Winema
national forests. The funding will help restore more than 422,000 acres
of "dry side" forests and will retain or create more than 242 over 10
years.
Funding for 2012 is $6 million, with the remaining money
allocated at varying amounts over the life of the projects. The money is
distributed under the federal Collaborative Forest Landscape
Restoration Program, and is in addition to forest operating budgets
approved by Congress.
About $2.5 million goes to the Southern
Blues Restoration Coalition Project, which counts Malheur Lumber Co.
among the partners. Another $3.5 million goes to the Lakeview
Stewardship Project on the Fremont-Winema. A Deschutes National Forest
project, called Deschutes Skyline, was awarded $500,000 in 2010 and
$832,100 in 2012, giving Oregon three funded projects on east side
national forests.
The local effort was coordinated by Sustainable Northwest,
a Portland group that works with community, industry, government and
conservation interests to find collaborative solutions in what it terms
Oregon's Dry Forest Investment Zone.
On the Malheur National
Forest, the project will pay for thinning and logging operations that
bring more wood to the John Day mill.
Billman, the manager, said
the mill uses small diameter logs in its biomass operations, making
wood fuel pellets and bricks. Larger logs, primarily Ponderosa pine, are
made into lumber used by door and window manufacturers. The mill also
produces wood shavings for animal bedding.
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/02/money_allocated_for_eastern_or.html
