Mike Newton Oral History Interview, June 5, 2008

Partial Transcript: I'm Mike Newton. I'm a Oregon State University retired prof who owes a great deal of his forestry development to the Starkers starting way back in 1958.

Segment Synopsis: Mike Newton introduces himself as a retired Oregon State University professor with deep roots in forestry, owing much of his knowledge to the Starker family, particularly Bruce Starker, whom he considers a crucial mentor. Originally from Vermont, Newton describes his early experiences, including his first summer job with Bruce Starker in 1958, which marked the beginning of his forestry education. He reflects on the significance of the Starker family's insights and professional integrity in shaping his career over the last fifty years. Newton explains that he comes from a family of teachers and highlights his transition from a student at Oregon State University to a faculty member, providing him a unique opportunity to work with the Starker family and their crew for five decades. He emphasizes the rewarding aspect of working with former students like Gary Blanchard, who succeeded locally, partly due to Newton's association with the Starker family. The speaker introduces his family, including his wife Jane and three children, Dan, Melinda, and Tom, all of whom are woodlot owners. Newton describes the location of their family property near Eddyville, Oregon, emphasizing its potential for tree growth due to deep soil and a favorable climate.

Partial Transcript: When we bought this place, it belonged to the Hunt family who homesteaded it in 1905.

Segment Synopsis: Newton recounts the acquisition of their property from the Hunt family in 1905, highlighting the extensive forest management they undertook on the initially brush-occupied land. He describes the invasive Scotch broom that covered much of the property and how dealing with it led to a career in vegetation management and reforestation. Next Newton discusses the challenges of passing on the family forest to future generations while maintaining its value. He talks about a trust system they adopted, selling immature trees to a trust and freezing the property's value at 1980 prices. This mechanism allowed them to pay for it over time, with the growing stock they didn't want to harvest during their lifetime removed from their estate. By employing this strategy on their 300 acres, Newton and his colleagues aimed to preserve the value of several million board feet of timber. Newton emphasizes that small trees with no significant value were sold to the trust, allowing them to retain control over the forest and ensuring its future for generations to come.

Partial Transcript: Only we saved the thinning rates of the stuff that was old enough so that we would get to thin it in our lifetimes.

Segment Synopsis: Newton describes his forest management approach, explaining that he retains sixty of the largest trees per acre for future thinning after their lifetime. The strategy aims to maintain the land within the family and ensure the optimal growth of Douglas fir trees. Newton notes the dual purpose of their approach, both personal and societal. On a personal level, they want to prevent excessive cutting for tax purposes when passing the land to the next generation. On a broader scale, Newton sees this as beneficial for society as it allows them to sustain a high-yield flow of quality softwood, particularly Douglas fir. Newton provides an example of a section of their property that was initially a brush field with large hardwoods. Through the use of herbicides and strategic planting, they successfully transformed the area into a mixed stand of Douglas fir and hemlock. Newton explains that he tries to prioritize sustainable forestry practices.

Partial Transcript: So this is a good example of how being involved in the rehab personally has taught me some fundamental principles of how you can reach that kind of an objective on purpose and instead of by preservation of a structure that is eventually going to die.

Segment Synopsis: Newton discusses his personal involvement in forest rehabilitation and shares fundamental principles he’s learned. He explains that what remains after logging, such as stumps, slash piles, and disturbed ground, becomes the basis for a new forest. Newton notes that post-logging areas support a variety of wildlife, including black-tailed deer and elk. He also mentions the challenge of invasive species like Scotch broom and discusses efforts to control them. The discussion concludes with a focus on wildlife and the coexistence of native and non-native plant species.

Partial Transcript: There are good and bad elements of wildlife management, and one of the elements of logging and clearing and creating a lot of vegetation out in clear cuts is that everybody shows up to feed on it.

Segment Synopsis: Newton discusses the challenges and consequences of wildlife management, particularly in areas affected by logging and clearing. He describes the impact of deer and elk overpopulation on tree growth, and talks about the importance of knowing what to prioritize in vegetation management. He concludes by mentioning a three-year-old Douglas fir that has been sprayed for two years and is now recovering, expecting significant growth in the current year.

Partial Transcript: Okay. Now, I would say that maybe I was standing about here.

Segment Synopsis: Gary Blanchard joins Mike Newton to discuss their forestry experiences, including their memories of early reforestation efforts and experiments conducted on Starker Forests properties in the 1960s. They highlight the significance of seedling size in reforestation success, emphasizing the importance of larger trees for better growth and competition with vegetation. Blanchard and Newton reminisce about various projects, such as machine planting with herbicide application in 1961 and experimental plantations from 1968 to 1971. The experiments revealed insights into weed control and tree growth optimization. Additionally, they mention the educational impact of these experiments on training students in successful reforestation techniques.

Partial Transcript: We are on Starker Forests' Norton Hill Tree Farm.

Segment Synopsis: In this segment, Newton and Blanchard discuss an area on Starker Forests called Berquist Bench, specifically focusing on its history and rehabilitation efforts. They show pictures taken in 1975, 1991, and 2008 that demonstrate the transformation of the site from a clear cut with bare vegetation to a thriving stand dominated by Douglas fir trees, some reaching 15 to 16 inches in diameter. Newton and Blanchard highlight the challenges faced in the initial stages, including extensive brush cover and the need for a rehabilitation program. They also describe the various rehabilitation interventions they’ve employed over the years, such as aerial spraying, mechanical clearing with a crawler, and planting Douglas fir. The discussion also touches on the impact of herbivores, such as deer, on vegetation recovery, emphasizing the importance of understanding the role of animals in rehabilitation efforts.

Partial Transcript: This is Berquist Bench in June of 2008.

Segment Synopsis: In this segment, Blanchard and Newton discuss Berquist Bench in June 2008 and share a series of pictures taken from the Steve Rice heliport, showcasing the transformation of the area. They emphasize the benefits accrued to local communities because of the Starker forests, including scenic value, wildlife resources, and high-quality softwood lumber production. They highlight the renewable nature of forests, emphasizing their significance even beyond economic fluctuations. Newton and Blanchard conclude by expressing satisfaction with their commitment to preserving and managing the forest for the long term.