Anytime you want to study square miles full of riparian
zone with a zero-foot buffer, come to Pacific county -- we've
got lots of it!

Alan Richards / Naselle WA
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Alan,

Sadly I confess to summer work for Weyerhaueser when in college. Harvesting
the lovely 2nd growth on the summits of the Willapa range and in awe of the
magnificent old growth laying in the streams discarded because of twist or
size.

It was then that Weyerhaueser was proclaiming sustainable forestry on 40
year cycles of harvest. 20 years later I visited the area and the hills
were monoculture plantations which were not yeilding the board feet expected.
The mills closed, opened, closed again, but the good logs continued to
be shipped from the port to asia.

This study should have statewide significance, if in doing nothing more than
establishing a process that Weyerhaueser follows in future harvest practice.
The Shoreline Management Act is statewide. It is fortunate that King County
is represented by the Vice-chair of the Timber, Fish and Wildlife commission
as that adds to the state-wide application of the process.

I agree with Dennis that professional salaried staff would be better than
volunteers. However, there may not be funding available and this is an
opportunity to bring more habitiat considerations into the SCUP process.
The environmental and ornitholigal societies are being given an opening
into changing timber harvest practice everywhere. I do hope we don't
miss it.

Steve Hallstrom