|
|
|
DONATE |
THE LOGGING ECONOMYWe have done a study on a typical National Forest and the Montana county that derives a major part of its economy from that forest.
The falling yellow line represents local income derived from federal timber harvest. Almost 80% of the land in Flathead County Montana is public land managed by the Flathead National Forest. In 2007 there is very little private timber left to harvest. NREPA will reduce the available lands for timber harvest on National Forest by 22% not counting corridor and recovery areas.
The 25% Fund is money taken from federal timber receipts to partly reimburse the counties for federal lands that do not pay property taxes. Timber counties use this money to help pay for roads and schools. The Secure Rural Schools Act was intended to help make up the shortfall in decreasing 25% Fund payments. It was not renewed.
Flathead County earnings have been falling since 1979. This is because Flathead economy never recovered from the Carter recession of the late 70s and early 80s due to the fact that the high paying jobs in the timber industry began disappearing during this time because of mill closures due to the recession and a lack of timber supply. Since the late 70s five mills have closed in Flathead County Montana. There are only three left.
|
This truck is called "The Grim Reaper" It is owned by Jim Hurst, a partner in the locally owned sawmill in Eureka, MT The Grim Reaper has led several convoys around the west as well as a trip to Darby, Ohio to support local efforts to resist the closure of public lands and the takeover of private lands by the federal government. In this picture, the Grim Reaper and these folks are about to leave on another convoy. The truck is painted with the names and dates of all the Montana lumber mills that have closed since 1988. The Owens and Hurst mill is now closed as well
|
