The Restoration Bargain · Episode 2 of 13 · 14 min
The Four-Inch Bet
The Colville National Forest's timber program collapsed in the 1990s, and most accounts get the reason wrong: the forest lies outside the spotted owl's range and the Northwest Forest Plan, so what broke it was paperwork. A volunteer campaign called Forest Watch filed administrative appeals against individual sales. The episode follows the 2003 mill closure in Republic and Vaagen Brothers' counter-bet on small-diameter logs.
Who's who
- Duane Vaagen+4 more episodesVaagen Brothers Lumber president who committed the company to small-diameter wood
- Bert VaagenCo-founded Vaagen Brothers Lumber around 1952
- Bud VaagenCo-founded Vaagen Brothers Lumber around 1952
- John OsbornPhysician and conservation organizer who assembled the seven-group coalition
- Barry Rosenberg+1 more episodeVolunteer who coordinated the Forest Watch appeals campaign
Where it happens
- Colville National Forest, Washington+8 more episodesForest whose timber program collapsed in the 1990s
- Republic, Washington+1 more episodeMill town where 87 jobs were lost in 2003
- Colville, Washington+3 more episodesHeadquarters and flagship mill of Vaagen Brothers
- Usk, Washington+1 more episodeStud mill acquired by Vaagen in October 2006
Timeline
- 1989Vaagen employs 495 people and buys 128 million board feet from the Colville
- February 13, 1992Seven groups move to block a proposed cut of 123 million board feet
- 1994Eastside Screens impose interim standards, including the 21-inch rule
- February 7, 2003Vaagen mill in Republic closes, eliminating 87 jobs
- October 2006Vaagen acquires the Usk stud mill
- 2020Vaagen employment reported at about 260
Still debated
Sources disagree on how low the Colville's cut fell, citing 15, under 20, and about 40 million board feet. Whether the Eastside Screens formally applied to the Colville is an inference, and Duane Vaagen's account of his own motives is largely his own later telling.
