Tree Farming in the Douglas Fir Region: An Evaluation

Abstract

1955of Pacific Coast Geographers21 TREE FARMING IN THE DOUGLAS FIR REGION: AN EVALUATION J. Granville Jensen Oregon State College The tree farm movement which began in 1941 as a public relations idea has become one of the most potent forces assuring the future of forest productivity in the Douglas Fir Region. It is certified evidence of management on private lands. A tree farm is land that has been dedicated to continuous commercial production of forest commodities. There is no size qualification' and tree farms range in size from four acres to several hundred thousand acres. There is no tax benefit. To display the tree farm label an owner must be living up to five basic requirements. 1.Maintain the land for production of forest crops. 2.Provide reasonable protection from fires, insects, disease, and from excessive grazing. 3.Harvest timber crops in a manner that will assure future crops. 4.Have at least a five year plan of forest management. 5.Furnish information on his progress, future plans, improvements in protection, or cutting practices. In Washington and Oregon tree farms of the Douglas Fir Region are inspected annually by foresters of the Industrial Forestry Association. In British Columbia the certifying agency is the Tree Farm Committee of the Canadian Forestry Association of British Columbia. In California the principal Douglas Fir area is within the region under sponsorship of the California Redwood Association . Failure of an owner to meet minimum standards of forest practice may result in certificate cancellation. Sale of the property also results in cancellation, although the new owner may apply for a new certificate. In Oregon and Washington there have been twenty one cancellations to date. 22 Yearbook of The Association Vol. 17 1120»I TREE FARMS DOUGLAS FIR REGION ^m TREE FARMS E22 NATIONAL PARKS OSSI NATIONAL FORESTS NATIONAL PARKS 1 OLYMPIC 2 MT. RAINIER 3 CRATER LAKE NATIONAL FORESTS I MT. 8AKER 2 OLYMPIC 3 SNOOUALMIE 4 GlFFORD PINCHOT 5 MT. HOOD 6 WILLAMETTE 7 UMPOUA 8 ROGUE RIVER 9 SISKIYOU 10SIUSLAW OTHER PUBLIC FORESTS CROPLANDS I___I OTHER MAINLY FOHEST IN CANADA ONLY TREE FARMS ARE SHOWN SOURCES 'tree farms= UNPUBLISHED MAPS OFindustrial forestry association canadian forestry association" public forests = u.s. forest service map 1951 croplands: atlas of pacific northwest, r.m.highsmith, editor O MILES 40 80 =1 LAMBERT PROJECTION 1120" J.G.J 1955of Pacific Coast Geographers23 Beginning and Growth The term "Tree Farm" was first used to include 120,000 acres, just south of Elma in Western Washington, about half of it belonging to the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company. Here on a large area of cut-over land, repeated fires, mostly caused by hunters and berry pickers, were interfering with regeneration of the forest Finally in an effort to gain public cooperation in a program of fire control, the idea was conceived to call the area a "Tree Farm." The term was an inspiration which spread throughout the nation and has done much to help the public and the forest owners appreciate the nature of forest land management . In the Douglas Fir Forest Region most of the forest lands managed under the tree farm certificate are in Western Oregon and Washington. Recently the movement has spread into the Douglas Fir area of British Columbia and northern California. Washington and Oregon — In 1942, 16 tree farms, including nearly two million acres were certified in Washington and Oregon. Since then growth has been steady. In 1955, 185 tree farms include nearly 4/2 million acres. Three types of properties are recognized: 1, Industrial properties owned by various segments of forest based industry, 2, investment properties, and 3, farm properties. Eighty two industrial properties under 46 ownerships account for 98 per cent of the area They average nearly 100,000 acres per ownership and about 56,000 acres per tree farm. Pulp-paper and integrated companies which produce more than lumber, hold 60 per cent of the industrial properties, an indication of the compelling concern for the future felt by companies having large capital investment in established plants. There is an encouraging and significant acceleration in interest by small forest owners. In the past two years over 90 non-industrial properties have been certified Many are...