BLM records breakingtimber sale generates $70 million in economic activity
Bend, ORE. (KTVZ) — The Bureau of Land Management’s Pumpkin Pi timber sale in western Oregon brought in nearly $10.6 million and will produce 23.5 million board feet of timber across 400 acres. The sale surpassed the federal agency’s previous record for the region by nearly 5.5 million board feet.
The auction was part of a larger series of timber sales across approximately 1,400 acres in western Oregon during August. In total, the agency sold more than 40 million board feet of timber, earning over $17 million. Officials estimate the August timber production will generate enough material to construct 2,500 single-family homes while supporting 550 jobs.
Revenue from timber harvested on Oregon and California lands is split between the U.S. Treasury and 18 western Oregon counties. Local government officials use these funds to build county facilities, fairgrounds, museums, libraries, schools and jails, as well as flood-control dams and reservoirs.
Steve Pearce serves as the director of the Bureau of Land Management. Pearce discussed the broader financial impact of the transaction on the surrounding region.
“This record-breaking timber sale is a major boon for western Oregon’s economy,” Pearce said. “Beyond the revenue shared with 18 counties, this sale will generate more than $70 million in local economic activity.”
Forestry programs in western Oregon are governed by the Oregon and California Revested Lands Sustained Yield Management Act of 1937. Additionally, under the Secure Rural Schools Act, revenue from public timber harvests helps fund emergency search and rescue operations, federal land restoration projects and local wildfire protection initiatives.
Pearce attributed the increased volume and revenue to public land policy changes.
“Under the Trump Administration, streamlined approvals and expanded tools for public land managers helped make record setting sales like this possible, strengthening America’s domestic lumber supply, supporting rural economies and reducing reliance on foreign sourced building materials,” Pearce said.
The BLM oversees 2.4 million acres of forest land in western Oregon. According to the agency, its forestry management operations focus on reducing wildfire risks, improving fish and wildlife habitats and lowering energy production costs.
Click here to follow the original article.