Origins of the Old-growth Forest ConfUct (1971-1989): A New Model for Resource Allocation by Mark Shelton Wilson A Thesis submitted to Oregon State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Completed January 7, 1994 Commencement June 1994 APPROVED: 6-. Gordon E. Matzke, Ph.D., Assocsate Professor ofeosciences Department o Geosciences 17 -,-,------- - - . Thomas Maresh(,Ph.D., Dean, Graduate School Date thesis is presented January 7. 1994 Typed by Mark Shelton Wilson for Mark Shelton Wilson AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Mark Shelton Wilson for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Geosciences presented on January 7, 1994. Title:Oriciins of the Old-growth Forest Conflict (1971-1989): A New Model for Resource Allocation Abstract approved: Gordon E. Matz The old-growth forest conflict is part of the evolving debate over how to use the federal public lands. This study documents the origins and development of the old-growth issue through 1989. The controversy began in the early 1970s when scientists initiated studies of old-growth forests and northern spotted owls, and the land stewardship policies of the U.S. Forest Service were challenged by both preservation and timber industry interests. This thesis identifies the participants in the old-growth issue along with their views concerning the physical attributes of old-growth forests, values associated with these forests, and the appropriate use of old-growth forests. The timber industry viewed old-growth as a raw material for mills while preservationists primarily valued old-growth as wildlife habitat. The conflict was complicated by the use of different parameters for definitions of old-growth, land ownership, land-use, geographic area, forest type and year of data collection. All sides in the issue tended to view the federal resource management agencies, particularly the Forest Service, as biased or incompetent. Preservation and timber industry interests, agency personnel, and federal judges felt only Congress could provide a solution to the conflict. The various views of old-growth affected behaviors that influenced policy development to advance different ideas of appropriate old-growth use. Preservationists were very effective at using administrative appeals and lawsuits of agency decisions to create a regional timber supply crisis in 1989 and move the issue from a regional level to the national level. The increased level of intensity of the conflict forced both preservation and timber interests to form new coalitions to advance their agendas through their supporters in Congress. Based on the interactions of old-growth issue participants within and among the four elements of competing interest groups, congressional committees and subcommittees, the federal courts, and the federal natural resource management agencies, a new model of policy development "the wobbly diamond" was designed to analyze issue participants' behaviors and the policy development process. Although there was no explicit policy shift at the end of 1989 when Congress passed legislation relevant to the conflict, the result of the overall policy process during 1989 was a dramatic decrease in the amount of federal timber sold and a situation created wherein Congress would be involved in the issue for many years to come. CCopyright by Mark Shefton Wilson March 2, 1994 All Rights Reserved ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people contributed to this research project In a wide variety of ways. Although I cannot acknowledge them all in this small space I would like each individual to know that their contribution no matter the magnitude was Important in the completion of this project.I would first like to acknowledge the support given to me by my wife Joan Tyson and my parents Margaret and John Wilson.Dr. Gordon Matzke in the Department of Geosciences served as major professor and it was in one of his courses that I was first introduced to the field of environmental perception and behavior.I appreciate his careful and thoughtful comments, and suggestions on draft versions of the dissertation.Drs. Philip Jackson and Kieth Muckleston served as committee members from the Department of Geosciences and It was In their courses I learned about the complexities of land and water use Issues and policy development. Dr. William Lunch from the Department of Political Science also served as a committee member and it was through his courses and counseling that I became aware of the realities and intricacies of the American public policy making process. Dr. N.S. Mansour from the Department of Horticulture served as the Graduate School representative and provided several helpful suggestions. There were many lndMduals associated with the preservation movement and the timber industry who provided me with information. In particular I would like to thank Dennis Hayward of the North West Timber Association, which no longer exist, for providing me access to that organizations files and newsletters and Karl Huber of the Sierra Club who encouraged me to become an active member of that and other organizations.I met many fine, hardworking, sincere people in interest groups on both sides of the Issue and it was difficuft at times to see how they could be so bitterly opposed to each other. There were many people who worked for federal and state natural resource management agencies, especially the USDA Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management who were very helpful and courteous in providing me information not directly available to the general public.I would like to note the assistance provided by John Teply of the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region Office for his assistance and the opportunity to renew the friendshipwe had growing up in a small town in Illinois. My fellow graduate students Robert Vincent, Roy Wilson and Doug Key provided valuable moral support arid our Thursday night seminars providedan extra dimension to my development as a geographer. Any project of this magnitude requires financial support and I would like to thank the following for providing me that aid: Dr. Thomas Maresh for securing me an out of state tuition scholarship; Tom Klrch of the Department of Recreational Sports for hiring me as Coordinator of the Outdoor Recreation Program at Oregon State University; the Department of General Science for providingme with a teaching assistantship in biology; Dr. George Keller, Vice President of Graduate Studies and Research, and the staff at the Research Office at Oregon State University for providing me with an asslstantshlp through which I was afforded the invaluable opportunity to work with other graduate students in securing funding for their research projects; and The Department of Geography at Humbokft State University for providing me an opportunity to develop my teaching skills and the use of their equipment in the production of this dissertation. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: RESEARCH PROBLEM AND DIRECTION 1 Introduction 1 Problem Statement 3 Objectives 5 Background Uterature 6 Procedure 10 Research and Paper OrganizatIon 13 CHAPTER 2: EVOLUTION OF THE OLD-GROWTH ISSUE 14 Eatiy Old-growth Conflicts (1891-1941) 14 Harvest and Preservation Conflicts (1942-1970) 16 The Contemporary Conflict Emerges (1971-1979) 19 Old-growth and Owls Go PublIc (1980-1983) 24 Uncertainty Develops in Federal Land-use Allocation (1984-1988) 27 The Old-growth Issue Is Nationalized (1989) 38 CHAPTER 3: PERCEPTIONS OF THE OLD-GROWTH RESOURCE 56 Introduction 56 Preservationists' Views 56 Timber Industry's Views 69 Scientists' Views 79 Views by Members of Local and State Governments 92 Federal Natural Resource Agencies' Views of Old-growth 101 Views by Members of Congress 115 Views by Federal Judges 120 Public Opinion Survey Results 122 Variation in Parameters for Estimating How Much Old-growth Existed 125 Summary 140 CHAPTER 4: VIEWS ISSUE PARTICIPANTS HAD OF EACH OTHER 142 Introduction 142 Preservationists' Views of Other Participants 142 Timber Industrys Views of Other Participants 149 Scientists' Views of Other Participants 152 Views by the Forest Service of Other PartIcipants 152 Views by Members of Congress of Other Participants 153 Federal Judges' Views of Other PartIcipants 156 Public's Views of Other Participants 157 Summary 158 CHAPTER 5: SOCIO-POUTICAL BEHAVIORS AND INTERACTIONS 159 Introduction 159 Interactions Within Elements 159 Interaction Among Elements 168 Individual Participant Dynamics 176 Summary 176 CHAPTER 6: THE FEDERAL PUBUC LANDS POUCY PROCESS 178 Current Environmental Policy Models 178 Wobbly Diamond Old-growth Issue Network Model 180 Wobbly Diamond Model as a General Model 186 Summary 190 CHAPTER 7: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS 192 Introduction 192 Materialism 194 Social Change and the Policy Process 201 Defining the Public's Interests 206 Conclusions 214 NOTES 219 UTERATURE CITED 223 APPENDICES 268 APPENDIX A: Chronological Summary of Major Events In the Evolution of the Old-growth Issue by Participant Type 268 APPENDIX B: Ust of the Principal Interest Groups, Organizations, Government Agencies and Institutions, and Associated Old-growth Issue Leaders and ActMsts by Participant Type 273 APPENDIX C: Movement of Selected Old-growth Issue Participants Within the Issue Network 283 APPENDIX D: Federal Lands of Western Washington 284 LiST OF FIGURES Figure Page Federal public lands In the Douglas-fir region of Oregon and Washington. 2 Percentage of county Iandbase managed by the U.S. Forest Service and 4 BLM in the counties of western Oregon. Estimated annual harvest of sawtimber in the Douglas-fir region of western 17 Washington, western Oregon, and northwest California from national forests and all ownerships from 1870 through 1950. Frequency of major articles on old-growth forests and/or spotted owls, 57 and frequency of articles that mention old-growth forests and/or spotted owls in the Northwest regional newsletters (Northwest Conifer and Oregon Conifer) of the Sierra Club from 1957 through 1989. Frequency of major articles on old-growth forests and/or spotted owls, 58 and articles that mention old-growth forests and/or spotted owls In the newsletter (WM Oregon) of the Oregon Natural Resources Council from 1975 through 1989.