Most people living in the Pacific and Inland Northwest are at least somewhat familiar with the infamous Timber Wars. Local “tree huggers” organized to save the elusive spotted owl and clashed with loggers who fought back to save their way of life. It was a time in history that still dictates the way we understand cultural division and conflict in our rural forested communities.
But in reality, the modern history of our forests is far more complex and dynamic than most of us are led to believe. There was strife and a clashing of cultures, of course. But there is also a rich history of collaboration between the timber industry, conservationists, and government entities like the Forest Service.
Horses graze among remaining stumps A clearcut in the Priest River Valley Workers inside the Humbird Mill
These intertwining roots of collaboration and conflict have led us to the community-driven forest management that exists today. To preserve the vitality of our forests and our communities for decades to come, we must look deeper at our history, before and beyond the Timber Wars.
To uncover the modern history of our rural forested communities, FSPW has partnered with The Sandpoint Reader to develop a multi-part series titled: “Conservation: From the Timber Wars to Collaboration.” Authored by Zach Hagadone, the articles rely on archival research and expert interviews to uncover the rich history of our communities and forests.
You can read the first publication in this series online or in print in the Feb. 3 edition of The Reader. Stay tuned for the next publication, which will be featured in the Feb 10th edition of The Reader.
This project was made possible thanks to funding from the Idaho Humanities Council. A special thanks to Bonner County Historical Society and East Bonner County Library for making available the archival material necessary for this deep historical dive.
