Smoke rises from clear-cut land and mixes with fog at an industrial forest in Oregon’s Coast Range.
Oregon lawmakers set out to increase the timber industry’s tax bill. Instead, they cut it again.
Legislators cut taxes for the owners of Oregon’s private forests, which helped fund university forest scientists. Now taxpayers will pick up the tab.
Latest Stories
After our investigation, Oregon House moves to curb forest institute’s power and budget
One lawmaker called the changes a ‘critical correction to an agency that veered far off course.’
‘Timber Wars’ episode 1: The last stand
The behind-the-scenes story of how a small group of activists and scientists turned the fight over ancient trees and the spotted owl into one of the biggest environmental conflicts of the 20th century.
‘Timber Wars’ bonus episode: Wildfire
The fight over wildfire and forest management is the newest front in the Timber Wars, so after a year of record fires, we take a deep dive into OPB's reporting on wildfire and what we should do about it.
‘Timber Wars’ bonus episode: Big money bought the forest
Reporter Tony Schick and "Timber Wars" host Aaron Scott discuss OPB's private forestry investigation with ProPublica and The Oregonian.
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‘Timber Wars’ episode 7: A way forward
A group of loggers and environmentalists have found some semblance of common ground in the midst of the Timber Wars.
‘Timber Wars’ episode 6: The backlash
A congressional push to bring back logging triggered a return to the barricades in the Timber Wars.
‘Timber Wars’ episode 5: The plan
The Timber Wars reached a scale that the president held a first-of-its-kind summit to broker peace to an environmental conflict.
‘Timber Wars’ episode 4: Mill City
Before the protests and court cases, Mill City lived up to its name as a place where sawmills created plenty of jobs.
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‘Timber Wars’ episode 3: The owl
How a reclusive bird halted the march of chainsaws through the Northwest's last stands of ancient forest.
‘Timber Wars’ episode 2: The ancient forest
How did we go from seeing forests as crops to viewing them as ecological wonders?
Oregon’s timber industry says it can’t afford new taxes, despite record profits
Lobbyists claim the timber industry is "up against the ropes." Here's what they're not saying: Lumber prices are at record highs and profits are soaring.
Listen: ‘Timber Wars,’ a new podcast from OPB
OPB's seven-episode podcast "Timber Wars" tells the story of how a small group of activists and scientists turned a fight over ancient trees and the spotted owl into one of the biggest environmental conflicts of the 20th century, and in the process redefined the very way we see—and fight over—the natural world.
Timber tax cuts cost Oregon towns billions. Then clear-cuts polluted their water and drove up its price
Rural communities in Oregon are being saddled with millions of dollars in costs to provide their citizens with clean, safe drinking water because the state isn’t protecting their watersheds from logging-related contamination.
What’s changed in Oregon since the Timber Wars?
What's changed in the 30 years since Oregon was thrust into the spotlight during the "Timber Wars"? Three "Oregon Field Guide" stories reflect on the spotted owl, the culture of the timber community of Philomath and whether one successful effort to find a compromise in John Day can reveal a path forward.
Reporting on timber lobbying prompts Oregon Gov. Kate Brown to call for audit of state institute
The Oregon Forest Resources Institute worked to undercut academic research and acted as a lobbying and public relations arm for the timber industry. Now, the governor has asked for an audit.
OPB explores our region's relationship with its forests. That relationship has been evolving for 30 years — ever since a mild-mannered bird called the northern spotted owl landed on the endangered species list.
