Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read defends vote to sell Elliott State Forest
When Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read voted to move forward with the sale of Elliott State Forest, he instantly became a villain for Oregon’s conservation community.
The Democrat was the swing vote in the State Land Board’s 2-1 decision to approve selling the 82,500-acre forest to a Roseburg-based timber company. He joined Republican Secretary of State Dennis Richardson and split with Democratic Gov. Kate Brown.
Oregon’s environmental groups loudly denounced Read, demanding he reverse course on a decision that will ultimately be made April 11. Five environmental groups and around 120 people plan to visit the Capitol on Thursday to urge Read to change his mind.
In an interview, Read said his decision wasn’t something he was happy about, but that he had a “legal responsibility to generate revenue for the state’s school children.”
“I’m a strong supporter of public lands and I don’t like the situation we’re in,” he said. “I’ve been asking for months for another plan — a detailed plan with actual dollars attached to it. Presently, I don’t see another viable path.”
The Elliott, near Coos Bay, was created in 1930 to fund public education through logging and timber sales. Timber harvests steeply declined following lawsuits under the Endangered Species Act, causing the Elliott State Forest to lose money.
The board voted in August 2015 to sell the property for $220 million. The only bid came from a partnership of Lone Rock Timber Management Company and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians.
Read offered amendments to the deal — including allowing Oregon to buy back some of the land for recreation — but that did little to mollify environmentalists who’ve fought every effort to sell the forest.
“His vote came as a shock and a huge disappointment,” said Bob Sallinger, conservation director with the Audubon Society of Portland. “We’re going to convey to him that this action will live on as his legacy. His decision to sell off this ecological treasure will follow him for the rest of his career.”
Read said he was open to alternate solutions, but said nobody had come forward with a realistic plan that generated the revenue for schools that’s constitutionally required.
A plan by Brown proposed borrowing $100 million in bonds to buy a portion of the forest and remove its obligation to fund public schools. Read said he didn’t see the "dollars associated with that plan that allows us to live up to our responsibility."
“It has to be a real plan,” he said. “It can’t just be statements and ambitions and promises. As state treasurer, I have to make sure it generates an actual return for Oregon school kids.”
While the environmental community opposed the decision, the Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA) supported Read.
"Treasurer Read's action in making sure the sale of the Elliott can move forward is encouraging, and we greatly appreciate his efforts," OSBA's executive director Jim Green said in a statement. "The Elliott State Forest has caused a loss in value to the Common School Fund for several years and to allow that to continue would violate the State Land Board's duty."
Read more:
Land board votes to sell Elliott State Forest, but decision not final
Letter accuses Oregon environmental groups of 'white privilege' on Elliott forest sale
Gov. Brown proposes new direction for Elliott State Forest
Zach Urness has been an outdoors writer, photographer and videographer in Oregon for eight years. He is the author of the book “Hiking Southern Oregon” and can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.