Rural Economies

The State of Washington has maintained it "trust" lands that were deeded to them by the federal government when it became a state.  These trust lands are required by federal law to maximize income for education, and thus, the trees are managed under a sustained yield model and sold for timber to the highest bidders.  Funds are then used for local schools and state universities and colleges.

However, with the economic meltdown, projections of income from these state trust lands has greatly diminished.  The state trust lands, which are distinct from other state own forest lands and federal forests, provided some of the last places where small timber companies and family owned logging operations could find, log, and mill wood.  Unfortunately, these small operations will probably not last during this recession.

What concerns me are the attitudes from primarily urban based environmental folks who see this decline and probably demise of small logging and milling operations as a good thing.  I could go on a rant about this, but only want to suggest that if we want to think about buying local as a good thing, then we ought to remember that includes wood products.  

As we begin to unravel what is in the economic stimulus package, I hope we begin to realize all boats are rising and falling on the same tide.  Rural, suburban, urban.  No one is better, all of us can be worse.