Forest Collaboration Celebrates 10 Years

Siuslaw group continues decade of pioneering work and picks up an award in the process.

A collaboration between the U-S Forest Service, conservation groups, timber companies and local landowners celebrates 10 years this week. The Siuslaw Stewardship Group will be recognized with a national award.
 
The Siuslaw Stewardship Group was formed in 2001 to improve the health of the Siuslaw National Forest. The group has worked together to restore salmon streams, forest habitat and provide jobs to local residents. Chandra LeGue with Oregon Wild says the group has worked well together because everyone has the goal of making up for past damage to the coast range forest.
 
LeGue: "When you come to the table with that assumption that you're working to help those resources recover from what we've done to them in the past you can find a lot of common ground. In some other places we're still fighting over logging our last ancient forest."
 
A 10 year celebration is Wednesday near Walton. The Siuslaw Stewardship Council will be presented with the Two Chiefs Award, a national honor presented by US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell and Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Dave White.