Letters to the Editor

Steve Cook Letter to G-T Editor

In 2020 we took a GT reporter and a photographer to see some logging messes in the McDonald Research Forest. The reporter said whenever an article or LTEs appear placing OSU in a negative light, some “expert” appears to explain that OSU has always done the right thing, is doing the right thing now and will always do the right thing and anyone who says otherwise is simply wrong.

Now, OSU College of Forestry is in the midst of writing a plan for the OSU Research Forests. Several letters to the editor have criticized the process, as well as a GT article that wasn’t totally positive. And true to form, out trots OSU College of Forestry Dean Tom DeLuca to assure the world in an LTE that anyone who says anything negative about their forest planning process is simply wrong.

In his LTE DeLuca states that the planning process includes “ . . . . a committee of OSU scientists with diverse expertise.” Let’s look. There are sixteen members on the “Faculty Planning Committee” including fourteen from the College of Forestry. “Diverse expertise?” Hardly. And furthermore, eight of these members come from the CoF Department of Forest Engineering, timber industry sycophants all.

If the OSU Research Forests are university managed property, why are there no committee members from the other colleges, CEOAS, Science, CLA? This is a rigged process with a predetermined outcome, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Cat Newsheller’s GT Letter to the Editor

In his September 16th Letter to the Editor, OSU College of Forestry Dean DeLuca stated: “While not public forests, OSU appreciates that the forests are viewed as a community asset . . .” Dean DeLuca seems to forget that OSU is a public institution supported by the people of Oregon. Anything that OSU “owns” is, in the end owned by the State and hence the people of Oregon. It is not private land on which they can do what they please—they are merely the stewards. The majority of the land that comprises the McDonald Research Forest was purchased with money from Mary McDonald to promote agriculture and education at OSU. The Dunn Research Forest was a direct transfer from the Federal Government to OSU to support education.

The ORS (law) is clear on the matter of ownership. OSU is defined as a “public body” and the ORS states: “Legal title to any real property . . . . shall be taken and held in the name of the State of Oregon.” ORS also directs the trustees of OSU “to act in the best interests of both the University and the State of Oregon as a whole.” That latter implying that they must also serve the public interest.

The forests are not owned by the College of Forestry as the Dean would have us believe. Ask the College of Forestry where the money really goes and how “transparent” their forest planning process really is. It appears as predetermined as their past forest plans. PLEASE GET INVOLVED!