Melissa Cribbins said she didn’t hesitate when offered the position of executive director of Communities for Healthy Forests, a nonprofit group whose mission is to advocate for forest management that produces healthier forests. Written by
Communities for Healthy Forests was founded in 2001 to inform the public and policy makers with facts supporting the need to manage forest lands before catastrophic fire events devastate the landscape, and to change state and federal policies to all for the restoration of forest lands after fire. This non-profit was started by a group of leading citizens of Roseburg, Oregon, after they participated in a Chamber forestry tour and found that their surrounding federal forest lands which had been severely burned by forest fires were not being restored. They saw significant erosion, dead trees falling and boulders across roads. The worst part was fires in some parts burned these lands a second time causing more severe damage.
It was decided these forests should be restored to be enjoyed for future generations.
Communities for Healthy Forests represents rural communities. Our support and direction comes from many types of organizations with a variety of backgrounds. We are supported by unions, private business owners, banks, education, utilities, individuals, and community agencies. CHF is also funded through donations from local business, private individuals, utilities, tribes, and several counties, including Douglas County.
CHF advocates for sensible, balanced legislation with more local control. Science supports our philosophy and practices. The public wants the benefits of healthy forests. We believe we cannot have truly healthy communities without healthy forests to support them.
Forest management includes what happens before, during and after a fire. Correct management of forests can prevent future fire and build resilience in our forestlands
A healthy environment is necessary for healthy communities. Healthy communities produce healthier people. A lack of management leads to the loss of rural jobs. More state and federal legislators should be educated about how active forest management can benefit local communities.
Communities for Healthy Forests wants to see more aggressive fire suppression efforts on our public lands. We advocate for developing partnerships between public and private landowners for maintenance on the ground before fires start.
Education isn’t just for kids in school. Lawmakers, local elected officials and the general public need to learn how we can strike an enlightened balance between extreme environmental and harvest/restoration practices. Education of the impact fire has on communities can start in the classroom, but more people need to understand the situation.
CHF wants to see support for policy changes to allow for suppression of fire before the burn, recovery of salvageable timber after fires and restoration through replanting after fires are out. Many people assume these practices are in place on federal forest lands. They are not. However, science and the best practices of private timber owners prove that restoration efforts lead to the benefit of all.
Join our effort to change policy, educate the public and lawmakers, and turn the tide back in favor of balanced, science-based restoration practices that can reduce fuels, save property, and keep our communities and forests healthy and prosperous.
