I just read a 2005 study entitled
“The Impact of California’s Changing Environmental Regulations on Timber Harvest
Planning Costs” by Cal-Poly at San Luis Obispo. The study tracked the increase in the
cost of preparing a typical California private land Timber Harvest Plan (THP) from $2,200
in 1973 to $30,000 in 2004 – more than a 1,200% increase over a 30 year span. This
figure did not include special considerations for salmonids, which can increase the cost
up to another $15,000.
The study stated that the reasoning behind environmental laws is that
the social welfare benefits from improved human health and well-being; an improved legacy
of natural resources to be handed down to future generations; and retention of aesthetic
beauty far outweigh the economic, social and environmental costs of the regulations.
California has taken a mandatory, process-oriented approach in
regulation. These restrictive regulations micro-manage for: “forest health, wildlife
habitat, water and air quality, archaeological sites, land use patterns, and respect for
community sentiments.” On the other hand, the Southern states have chosen a
voluntary, best management, outcome-based approach and have faired much better in overall
results.
The report indicated that the by-products of California’s
approach have been: an increase in imports of wood products; an export of jobs; disruption
of community stability; reduced forest health; and increased fire risk. The cost of the
THP per unit has produced a trend toward larger scale harvests and more frequent
conversion of small woodland into residential or other uses. The reason behind this effect
can be seen in a recent presentation by Charlie Brown of Fruit Growers Supply, where the
market price for logs was shown at $400 per thousand board feet, and the cost to harvest
them in spotted owl/salmonid country was from $300-375 per thousand board feet.
The trend has been the closure of small local mills that sawed larger
trees, to be replaced by a few larger, more efficient mills designed for smaller logs.
Since 1988, 49 lumber mills have closed in the State. Since 1973, California’s share
of the softwood timber market by volume has declined from 25% to 15%. In an international
market place, forest practices and environmental regulations have been determined to be
the most important issue affecting the California industry’s competiveness.
Locally, the impacts have been severe. According to a study by
Registered Professional Forester Mike Duguay, Siskiyou County has lost 80% of its logging
jobs since 1989, (from 951 jobs in 1989, to 331 in 1995, to 186 in 2004.) Timber harvest
during the same period has declined in total million board feet from about 550 in 1989, to
150 in 1995, to about 230 in 2003. Harvest on public land alone during this period of time
has declined in million board feet from about 320 in 1989, to 20 in 1995 to 35 in 2003.
Population changes in Siskiyou County since the Northwest Forest Plan
indicate that along the Klamath River
corridor, the population declined 22% between
the years 1990-2000. The number of residents aged
0-4 and 20-29 dropped by over 50%, while age 5-19 and 30-44 dropped 45%. Age 45-64 grew
86%. There was a 41.8% drop in school enrollment. Median household income declined from
$31,236 to $20,924, (a drop of 33%.) The number of households earning less than $10,000
grew by 24%. Unemployment climbed from 16.18% to 19.60% in 2000.
On the other hand, Scott Valley
saw a population replacement effect of new retirees during the 1990-2000 period. The
population actually slightly increased. The number of residents aged 0-4 dropped by
31.63%, aged 30-44 by 28%, Those age 45-64 grew 46.65% and those 65 and over grew by
27.27%. There was a .72% drop in school enrollment. Median household income increased
9.53% from $27,888 to $30,545. Unemployment increased from 7.95% to 9.32%. The number of
households earning less than $10,000 decreased 21%.
It appears that "benefits" and "costs" of this
policy are not evenly distributed across the state. |
