By Timothy Coleman, Executive Director
Former U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicky Christensen called collaboration in the Colville National Forest (CNF) “the gold standard.” It appears that standard is in steep decline.
Months and after months of pressuring Northeast Washington Forest Coalition to give me – one of its founding members – the boot off the board of NEWFC. After 20 years of faithfully serving the “greater good” to further CNF forest restoration work, Supervisor Rodney Smolden was incensed that Kettle Range Conservation Group (KRCG) had filed a lawsuit challenging the Sanpoil Timber Sale in Ferry County. Smolden was livid that KRCG had used “NEWFC” in litigation filed in May 2021.
In March, Smolden announced he nor other CNF staff no longer will collaborate with NEWFC because I am too closely tied to NEWFC with no way to exclude me from the conversations with CNF.
Smolden’s pressure tactics finally achieved its objective – NEWFC Board set a date to vote on my termination from its board membership for challenging a CNF project that it itself had filed a formal administrative Objection to, giving it a “low” approval rating. In keeping with longstanding NEWFC agreements to support its member challenges to projects receiving low or moderate level of support, KRCG’s attorney Animal & Earth Advocates challenged this project.
NEWFCs “Thirds” was about BALANCE and Restoration as defined by Russ Vaagen, et al, was “park it out and back it out.” Active Management was in the “already roaded areas.” We have had a 21” (now 20”) upward limitation on tree cutting and we’ve maintained a maximum 5 acre opening size but majority <3 acre openings – for a long time. The CNF ignores NEWFC Agreements, it ignores our collaborative input and it has tried and apparently succeeded in forcing out board members. Endorsement of CRLRP while James was refusing NEWFC demands not to cut big trees in Bulldog was hypocritical. During the Sherman Pass Project (NEWFC/CNF) field trip in June 2019, NEWFC Board members challenged me for complaining about 20, 40 and 60 acre clearcuts. NEWFC did not challenge the CNF for failing to abide by its (James’) own promise to retain natural large ponderosa pine clumpings NEWFC had requested.
For 17 years, NEWFC participated in revised Forest Plan planning, crafting its own management alternative, participating in CNF-led public planning meetings – including the Forest Summit (March 2016 to January 2017) where its Blueprint was fully vetted before the public and was hugely popular. Nevertheless, NEWFC did not publicly denounce the CNF’s selection of Alternative O over NEWFC’s mischaracterized Alternative B. NEWFC did attack me for saying the CNF had “stabbed collaboration in the back” regarding FS selection of Alternative O. NEWFC opposition to Alternative O was little more than a “squeak” and its silence and intimidation of its own members for challenging FS violating NEWFCs agreements demonstrates its felicity regarding CNF actions.
NEWFC board members made promises to our community to work together for BALANCE. That was violated with release of the revised Forest Plan and NEWFC complicity then and now.
Resignation
The only “winners’ in the collaboration game have been the timber industry, CMR and Forest Service. Rick Brazell and Laura Jo promises were temporary but unspoken. Rodney Smolden is the Chosen One. Timber lied to conservation about Rodney who has returned us to the days of old. So be it! There is no reason to continue what has been a ruse-laden organization. One of the most powerful employers in the county, Vaagen Bros. Lumber, personal friends of Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers and where President George Bush visited during his presidency, could not press for and achieve a Wilderness bill. NEWFC was told again and again, that commissioners needed certainty, needed a least 10 years of certainty before they would support a Wilderness bill. The lie rolls on like a river of sludge, dragging all that attends it to the bottom.
