Been Watching

One of the many forms of high theatre that the political system presents locally is called the Southwest Oregon Province Advisory Committee. It's function is similar to that described by Rozeff, only there is a lot of representation from all the interest groups and federal agencies involved in local forest management. This meeting was the early stages of federal policy making for an approach to Biomass. Ah bartlebey, ah buzzwordism...

The first day of the meeting included tours of the Boulder Dumont Wilderness Stewardship Demonstration and the Roseburg Forest Products Dillard Sawmill. The second day was a biomass forum - for the SW Oregon PAC members to understand the biomass situation in SW Oregon and hear about options for improving the situation.

So we heard about case studies and ethanol production - and found that the forest products industry uses pretty much all the value it can glean from the above ground portion of the viable harvest trees. The Oregon State University contingent talked about new composites and routes to ethanol, along with the need for sponsored softwood research. And the local Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians reminded everybody that this was home turf of their nation and that they were not going anywhere. In the works is a centrally located facility for handling materials. Our bio-alternatives cooperative also presented a status report on local resources and interest.

My thoughts are that as much material handling as can be done onsite where the wood is harvested, the better. We really do not wish to create a scenario where it takes more energy to bring to market the energy that is produced. But reducing the fuel load on federal forests, especially in areas where pre-commercial thins are ecologically overdue is as important as building a stable local workforce and a viable local economy. I doubt it can be done by central planning, but the investment capital for a financially unwieldy, noneconomic infrastructure maintenance project is not available locally. Hence the PAC. So now i have lots to mull over on a busy weekend.