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Swaths of clear-cut forests are visible along the Oregon Coast Range in Lincoln County. (Photo by Google Earth)

A bird's-eye view of Oregon's clear-cuts

Street Roots
Google Earth reveals large swaths of the state wiped clean of forest
by Street Roots | 2 Mar 2018

The best way to see the extent of clear-cutting in Oregon is to take a look at the satellite imagery in Google Earth. 

While the Northwest Forest Plan, enacted under President Bill Clinton in 1994, stopped massive clearcuts on most publicly managed forestland, it did little to slow down clear-cuts on private land across Oregon. Citizens in rural counties have been coming together to say these forest practices are threatening their driking water sources, as well as proving disatrous to many wildlife species. 

This is the message behind Oregon Wild's newly relaunched campaign, "Welcome to Oregon, Home of the Clear-Cut." Throughout March, a giant image of clear-cut forests will confront Portland commuters as it rolls around the city on the side of a MAX train and on the backs of 20 buses. (Read Street Roots' interview with Oregon Wild's Jason Gonzales in the March 2-8 edition of the newspaper.) 

According to Google, most images in Google Earth are between 1 and 3 years old.

Siletz Gorge clear-cuts
The Siletz Gorge in Lincoln County is covered in clear-cut land.
Photo by Google Earth

Clear-cuts east of Seal Rock
A large patch of clear-cuts is visible east of Seal Rock, Oregon.
Photo by Google Earth

Clear-cuts east of Cannon Beach
Clear-cuts are shown east of Cannon Beach in Clatsop County, Oregon.
Photo by Google Earth

Southwest Clatsop County clear-cutting GIF
This images shows a time lapse of Southwest Clatsop County. Over 16 years, most of the landscape is clear-cut.
Image by Jason Gonzales/Oregon Wild via Google Earth

FURTHER READING:

• Is it time for a cultural shift in how we think about logging, forests?

• How today’s timber wars are playing out in Portland’s backyard

• The thinning debate: Does logging help or hurt fire mitigation?


Street Roots is an award-winning, nonprofit, weekly newspaper focusing on economic, environmental and social justice issues. Our newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Learn more about Street Roots

 
Tags: 
forestry
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