Newsletter Newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Forest Service Retirees—Fall 2007
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OldSmokeys Newsletter Newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Forest Service Retirees—Fall 2007 President’s Message — John Poppino Summer is behind us and it’s Fall. The OldSmokeys had a great picnic with Jim List as our chair again. Now I’m looking forward to the Fall elections—for OldSmokeys, not Congress! Bruce Hendrickson has agreed to put his name in as President-elect. You will find his biography and the ballot on page 10 of this newsletter. Thanks, Bruce! The next item on my agenda was to find a replacement for Archivist Dave Kolb and Jane, his trusty computer operator. They have done a yeoman job on this assignment for the last several years. I was looking for someone to keep track of some old records (not all, Bev has a file cabinet full) and collect obituaries from many sources and get them to Les for the newsletter. Just as I was wondering who this might be, Ray Steiger volunteered! Thanks Ray! Now the Archivist position is filled, we’re looking for volunteers to “understudy” for some of the Board of Directors positions and committee chairs. Jim List would like to “mentor” someone in becoming an outstanding Picnic Chair. Emil and Dorine would be glad to show someone the ropes for the Banquet Chair. In a couple years, Bev and Vern could be looking for replacements. Give it some thought and be ready with a positive answer when the time comes any of you are asked to step up. Another big volunteer effort is the Pacific Northwest Region centennial history project. We have a committee, an author in Jerry Williams, an agreement with Region 6 to cover most of our out-of-pocket costs, and we’re on our way. The first four chapters are being reviewed, photographs are being gathered, and we’re on track for a 2008 publishing date. The Forest Service Reunion 2005 DVD is now available through an order form on the OldSmokeys web site. While we—the OldSmokeys—are not handling this project and are not deriving any funds from the DVD sales, we think it is important to inform everyone that the set of two DVDs showing the activities and participants at the reunion is available. The cost, which includes shipping, is $15.00. John Poppino In This Issue… Forum: Dick Buscher on “An Agency to Match the Mountains?” ……………………………………………………………………..2 OldSmokeys News: Carroll Brown’s 100th...OldSmokeys Summer Picnic...Bend Silviculture Laboratory Reunion...more……3 Forest Service News: Transformation Program...Mount St. Helens Summit Meeting…NAFSR Annual Meeting...more……….6 Feature: Joe Higgins: From The Bronx to the Wilderness……………………………………………………………………………….8 Election 2007: Ballot to Approve PNWFSA Nomination of Bruce Hendrickson as President-elect………………………………10 Changes: Updates to the Membership Directory……………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 New Members: Introductions of New OldSmokeys and Recruiting New Members………………………………………………….12 Memories: Recollections of the Recently Deceased...Orm Doty...Mealeyisms………..……………………………………………..13 Letters: Recollections of Friends and Family…………………………………………………………………………………………….16 Books: Les Joslin’s Ponderosa Promise and Terry C. Daniel et al.’s People, Fire, and Forests…………………………………..17 Uncle Sam’s Cabins: Historic Elk Lake Guard Station, Deschutes National Forest………………………………………………18 The Way We Were & Out of the Past: Adventures in Slash Burning by Richard H. Woodcock………………………………….19 Visit the Pacific Northwest Forest Service Association website at: www.oldsmokeys.org 2 Forum Reflections on “An Agency to Match the Mountains?” I fully endorse and support Les Joslin’s thoughts on what is needed to return the agency to one that did “match the mountains” (“An Agency to Match the Mountains?” OldSmokeys Newsletter, Spring 2007, pages 8-9). His emphasis on the need to emphasize identity by a return to the “green fleet” and the wearing of the uniform at all times is obvious to those of us who did so. I have the following thoughts to add to his thought-filled commentary. The Forest Service I knew for 34 years no longer exists! Will it again? Well, that depends on whether you are an optimist or a pessimist. Being neither, I can only hope so! Should it? On that, I have a firm “You’re damn right!” Why? Because the Forest Service I knew was the finest example of what the public should expect from all agencies it employs to serve them. It was peopled by dedicated, capable, and determined individuals who believed in and understood the honored traditions that preceded them. They signed on to “care for the land and serve the people” long before that became the official mission state- ment. I truly believe that today’s Forest Service personnel would flunk a test in Forest Service history. That is unfortunate since there is much to emulate and, of course, some to avoid repeating. A reality. Since the time of undersecretaries Culver and Cutler, the Forest Service has become increasingly politicized until the current occupant of that office fancies himself as the Chief, with devastating results. Will that change? I don’t know, but the answer is a clue to whether we can return to the agency we once were. What do I think would bring us back to that agency we once were? First. Redevelop respect for the district ranger position as the key member of the Forest Service hierarchy. Who else has the “hands on” ability to care for the land and serve the people? The district ranger position is not a training position for entry into the “lowerarchy”—the S.O., R.O., and W.O. positions. I mean no disrespect, but only emphasize that these levels exist to support and inspire the district rangers and their people in achieving the work of the Forest Service. Only top performing and experienced people should attain the district ranger position. It should be a career goal that is attained by outstanding performance and experience in previous assignments. The increase in grade for district rangers should be based on per- formance in place and not on transfer to the “lowerarchy.” For too many times in my last years in the outfit, I heard the complaints of county commissioners, cooperating agency personnel, community leaders, and just plain folks that they didn’t even get to know the district ranger before he or she was transferred. This is not how it was, and this is not how it should be! I also believe that anyone who accepts the responsibility of the district ranger position accepts the responsibility to live in the community where the ranger station is located. They must accept that, to be successful, they must be an integral part of—and in many cases, leader of—that community. That is how it was, and that is how it should be. Second. The Forest Service must acknowledge that the annual appropriation by Congress is to achieve work on the national forests (on this I agree with George Leonard), and therefore it would be distributed on a first priority basis to the ranger districts that do that work. The remainder would be distributed to the support levels—the S.O., R.O., W.O. It becomes obvious where the appropriate and cost-effective cuts would be made. Third. It is obvious that there is a vigorous non-harvest policy being pursued by some members of the “environmental” commu- nity. This should be exposed for what it is—“blind stupidity”! These forces fight any success to the contrary such as the “Quincy Library Group” or the “Santa Fe Coalition” which brought together citizens of differing views into compromise solutions only to be stymied by appeals and litigation. It is vital that the Forest Service aggressively pursue success in these local coalitions that with- stand challenge and reverse this “do-nothing” effort. A personal note. I have great confidence that the stupidity surrounding the management of our most treasured and productive natural resource—the National Forest System—will be refuted and common sense will prevail! I hope to live that long. -- Dick Buscher This page is for expressing your opinions or sharing your ideas. Send your Forum inputs to the editor: Les Joslin, 2356 NW Great Place, Bend, Oregon 97701, or [email protected]. “I may disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” -- Attributed to Voltaire 3 OldSmokeys News Carroll E. Brown to Celebrate 100th Birthday on December 8 OldSmokey Carrol E. Brown, supervisor of the Rogue River National Forest from 1957 to 1967, will celebrate his 100th birthday this year to swell the ranks of PNWFSA centenarians to two. Carroll was born on December 8, 1907, in Vancouver, Washington. As an Oregon State College student, he worked seasonally on the old Columbia (now Gifford Pinchot) National Forest and the Mt. Baker National Forest from 1928 to 1933. He graduated with a forestry degree in 1933, and was appointed in the U.S. Forest Service on the Nicolet and Chequame- gon national forests in Wisconsin overseeing Civilian Conservation Corps crews and serv- ing as an assistant ranger. He returned to Region 6 in 1938 to work on the Wenatchee, Mt. Hood, and Columbia national forests and in the R.O. in State and Private Forestry and Rec- reation. Carroll became district ranger on the Hebo Ranger District, Siuslaw National Forest, in 1940, and later served as a staff officer on the Olympic, Fremont, and Gifford Pinchot na- tional forests. He was appointed forest supervisor of the Rogue River National Forest in June 1957 and remained in that position until he retired in December 1967. After retirement, he remained in the Rogue Valley and wrote a two-volume history of the Rogue River National Carroll Brown, Forest Supervisor, Forest.