A perfect storm of common crises facing us
The freak windstorm, beginning Friday, March 13, was one of the most severe that this lifelong North Idaho resident has ever experienced. While paling in comparison to the personal hardships caused by the storm (damaged homes, buildings and vehicles), regional timberland owners also incurred losses of epic proportion. This was a perfect storm in the sense that it happened in a season strong northerly winds don’t usually occur. With no frost mantle to secure roots and total ground saturation, the oldest, largest and tallest trees were especially hard hit. On Gollen trust property, and many neighboring properties, the majority of downed trees were Ponderosa pine. Because of their disease and fire-resistant qualities (and relatively low market value), most forestland owners have regarded Ponderosa Pine as a favorable leave tree species, allowing them to grow and tower above surrounding trees; so, it’s logical that they would become casualties of a sustained high-wind event.
At the same time, we began dealing with this regional crisis, another perfectly terrible storm was gaining strength worldwide. COVID-19, a new virus with no acquired immunity was exploding, wreaking havoc on humanity and crashing economies globally. The timber economy was no exception — lumber prices began to fall nationally, especially pine lumber prices, to the point that local sawmills would no longer buy Ponderosa Pine logs off the open market.
We’ve all heard the timber company’s radio ads encouraging us to consult their experts who will “teach us how to manage our forestlands for maximum yields and health and put money in our pockets!” So far, the only advice I’ve been given is “Don’t cut ‘em off the roots, in case the market comes back.” Experience has shown me that this practice (which amounts to doing nothing), might only add a month to the marketable life of downed pine logs. I also know that a month of warm, humid spring weather will spawn hordes of bark-boring beetles, intent on drilling pine and depositing their larvae. This begins the natural process of biodegradation. One more month of summer heat will render the logs not marketable and turn acres of unmanaged slash into explosive brown tinder, primed for any ignition source. The potential for a third storm — a firestorm — which could be exponentially worse for all of us than the windstorm, is right in front of us!
The timber company has funded some really awesome projects in our communities in recent years, benefiting us all. The facelift at Kootenai County Fairgrounds and the bleachers at Sandpoint’s Memorial Field come to mind.
It seems to me that it would also be in the timber company’s best interest for our communities to offer a limited, one time, emergency purchase of downed pine logs to avert a worse crisis. Kiln-dried pine lumber could be stored until the market returns, insect and fire abatement could be accomplished and future resources for the sawmills could be insured.
Best of luck to all our neighbors as we endure these common crises.
ARCHIE GOLLEN
Sagle