Tillamook Forest Committee

For more information please contact Jeff Hickman jeff.hickman@sierraclub.org

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You Can Help Save Oregon’s Largest Remaining Coastal Rainforests!

Along with amazing forests for recreation and healthy ecosystems, the state forests of northwest Oregon are home to some of the last remaining healthy populations of wild salmon and steelhead in the country. We want to keep clean water flowing to communities and salmon swimming in the waters of Oregon’s north coast. We can’t sacrifice forest and watershed health to give another handout to the timber industry.

Will you be part of the movement that saves this critical forest?

Tillamook Forest History

The story of the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forest 1951 fire

The Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests were once majestic places indeed — rainforests of mixed old growth evergreens 150 to 400 years old, so dense with flora and fauna that they were largely impenetrable to humans, including Lewis and Clark who ended their expedition in these forests.

Then, in a series of catastrophic fires in the 1930’s and 40’s, the vast majority of the forests were burned to the ground. The Tillamook Burn, as the fires came to be known, destroyed over 810 square miles of a unique temperate rainforest.

In 1948, the people of Oregon voted to tax themselves to restore this ancient forest. In the most massive forest restoration project attempted at that time, thousands of Oregonians volunteered to help replant the forest — tree by tree.

Rising out of the ashes, the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests now comprise the largest contiguous temperate rainforest in the lower 48 states. Because of the low elevation and ample rainfall, these forests are renowned for their productive ecosystems. Over 70 species of concern to biologists make their home in these forests, including the endangered Coho Salmon, Marbled Murrelet, and Northern Spotted Owl. The forests also contain some of the most productive salmon bearing coastal rivers in the continental U.S., providing Oregonians with one of the best chances to restore our salmon runs.

But there is a threat. Now that the Tillamook and Clatsop forests have come of age thanks to the money and sweat of Oregonians, timber companies and surrounding county governments are ready to claim the 50 to 60 year old trees for economic gain and the timber-biased Oregon Department of Forestry is all too ready to assist them.

But these forests belong to ALL Oregonians. Values over the last few decades have changed and now a majority of Oregonians want their public forests preserved to provide wild spaces, clean water, clean air and recreation. Protection and restoration of large parts of our state forests will diversify our economy and improve our quality of life. It’s time to let ALL Oregonians share the benefits from the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests.

Current Situation in The Tillamook Forest

While President Obama promises us that “the best available science will lead environmental policy under his administration”, a handful of Oregon’s state and county politicians are attempting to circumvent science and double the harvest from our state forests, putting the future of wild salmon and steelhead at risk. At the center of the debate are the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests. These amazing public forests encompass 518,000 acres, which makes it the largest continuous unprotected tract of coastal temperate rainforest left in the lower 48 states. It is among the most productive and least protected forestland in North America.

The 810-square-mile-area, is larger than Crater Lake National Park and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area combined. Rainfall in excess of 150 inches per year feed the legendary salmon rivers of the Tillamook—the Nestucca, Trask, Wilson, Kilchis and Nehalem. These rivers are known for producing incredible sea-run fish, but populations have declined sharply in recent years. Some species are at serious risk, including Spring Chinook, Coho and Chum Salmon. But all of the Tillamook’s rivers support sustaining runs of wild Fall Chinook and Winter Steelhead.

In 2001, the Oregon Board of Forestry (elected by the Governor to make forest policy decisions) settled on a Forest Management Plan that attempted to balance the needs of all forest stakeholders. This plan operates under the paradigm of managing the State Forests for their Greatest Permanent Value (GPV) and designates half of the state forest as older complex forest, which equates to a longer clear-cut rotation. Trees in these areas would reach 80 years of age before being harvested. Under the current Forest Management Plan, there are no areas of permanent conservation in our state forests and the only trees safe from cutting are those within the 100ft wide streamside buffers adjacent to fish bearing streams.

But this is not enough for the timber industry, they, with the help of a few county officials, are trying to use the down economy as a lever to ensure unbridled access to Oregon’s public forests.

Now is the time to act! We cannot let our guard down on the protection of this critical forest. This forest and its wildlife, rivers and their fish runs are far too valuable to gamble away for a short-term gain of timber revenues. The poor economy is not an excuse to increase harvest. Timber prices are at rock bottom and that is all the more reason to leave trees standing and stop wasting our public forests.