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L/FOG Temp: 46 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Friday, November 22, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend October 2, 2002 Conroy ready to get to the root of forests challenge By PAUL FATTIG Mail Tribune Scott Conroy knows he is on the hot seat as the new supervisor of the Rogue River and Siskiyou national forests. After all, the largest fire in the United States this year continues to burn in the Siskiyou forest, albeit it is expected to be controlled by Nov. 1. The debate is heating up over President Bush’s Healthy Forests Initiative, which he announced late in August during a visit to the Rogue Valley. And environmental issues continue to flare, as reflected by tree sitters currently opposing a logging operation in the Prospect Ranger District. But Conroy, who began his job three weeks ago, is warming up to the task just fine, thank you. "Challenges energize me," he said. "This is a large area that is extremely diverse in terms of natural resources with a lot of different opinions on how it should be managed. But I like working with employees and with communities." The third supervisor to head the forests since the two staffs were combined in 1999, Conroy will oversee the management of some 1.73 million acres of forestland from the high Cascades to the coast. He also will supervise a staff of more than 400 employees. "I’ve been very impressed with the caliber of employees we have here," he said. "They are highly skilled and experienced with a lot of energy." When Conroy arrived, the staff, along with firefighters from across the country and other nations, had been battling the half-million-acre Biscuit fire since mid-July. The fire is the largest in Oregon since 1865. "I had expected a little burnout from the employees," Conroy acknowledged. "But they were excited about the challenges ahead." Those challenges include restoration and rehabilitation to protect wildlife and fisheries habitat. "We have a huge job in terms of post-fire restoration," he said. "We also have a lot of standing dead trees. There is the issue of how much of that is a benefit and how much is a liability." There is also the issue of the Healthy Forests Initiative, which is now being debated in Congress. The goal of the program is to reduce fire hazard, improve forest health and increase the efficiency of federal land management agencies, Bush said. "We haven’t seen any results on the ground yet, but I expect we will in the near future," Conroy said. Conroy most recently worked in Washington, D.C., steering the agency’s roadless area conservation project and working on legislative issues, policy analysis and strategic planning out of the national headquarters. He prefers working at the forest level. "One expectation I have is that we will have an open and public process," he said, adding that will begin with the restoration work in the aftermath of the Biscuit fire. "I want us to be talking to the communities and interested citizens to understand what they see as opportunities and future possibilities in the Biscuit fire area," he said. "We need to find out what the community priorities are so we can factor that into our assessment work." That would entail bringing various viewpoints together to gather differing opinions, he said. "People around the table need to understand each other’s values, understand why they have those values," he said. "That kind of communication can only help." That would include everyone from tree sitters trying to protect the forests from loggers’ chainsaws to the loggers themselves, he indicated. "It helps to frame the discussion so we understand where we agree and disagree," he said. "The debate is really about values, not necessarily about activities." The goal is to find common ground that can be built upon, he said. "Our job is to facilitate a discussion, bring the best science to bear that we can, help people understand that science, learn about how the communities would like to see the area managed, then ultimately make decisions based on all of that," he said. "We’re not going to get everyone to reach a consensus," he added. "The groups are too large and the opinions too diverse. But we will listen." Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S