Idaho Statesman Logo

Statesman Editorial: Kudos for collaboration and common sense | Idaho Statesman

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Archives
    • Buy Photos and Pages
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletters
    • Newspaper in Education
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Services

    • News
    • Boise
    • West Ada
    • Canyon County
    • Crime
    • State News
    • Nation/World News
    • Databases
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Idahoans in the Military
    • Weather
    • Traffic
    • Helping Works
    • In the Classroom
    • Our Community
    • Sports
    • Boise State Football
    • Boise State Basketball
    • Idaho Vandals
    • High Schools
    • Bronco Beat
    • Chadd Cripe
    • Varsity Extra Blog
    • NFL
    • NBA
    • NHL
    • MLB
    • Golf
    • Idaho Politics
    • Elections
    • Government and Business
    • Capitol & State
    • Letters from the West
    • National Politics
    • Business
    • Business Insider
    • Business Columns & Blogs
    • Personal Finance
    • Legal Notices
    • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Bill Manny
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Guest Opinion
    • Submit a Letter or Opinion
    • Entertainment
    • Events Calendar
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • Arts and Culture
    • Festivals
    • Movie Reviews
    • Movie Showtimes
    • Music
    • Television
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Horoscopes
    • Puzzles
    • Words & Deeds
    • ArtsBeat
    • Outdoors
    • Playing Outdoors Blog
    • Biking
    • Camping
    • Fishing
    • Hiking and Trails
    • Hunting
    • Winter Recreation
    • Living
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Treasure
    • Pets
    • Religion
    • Travel
    • Best of Treasure Valley
    • Heart of the Treasure Valley
    • Margaret Lauterbach
    • Tim Woodward
    • Carolyn Hax
  • Obituaries

  • Contests
  • Advertise
  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Place An Ad

  • About Us
  • Mobile & Apps

Editorials

Statesman Editorial: Kudos for collaboration and common sense

    ORDER REPRINT →

September 23, 2015 12:07 AM

We are doubling down on kudos today because there are two public lands efforts positively affecting forest and wildlife management in Idaho and the West that are deserving of note and our appreciation.

The first is to acknowledge the quick and common sense approach being employed by the Idaho Department of Public Lands to expedite its timber salvage sales process to allow for clear cuts of 100 acres or more on fire-ravaged parcels it manages.

Though this may not be the standard policy for regular timber sales with live trees, it is just what is needed to get in and harvest the estimated 60 to 80 million board feet that could be realized from the 76,000 acres of timber that burned on IDPL lands so far this fire season, according to an Associated Press story of last week. .

AP also reported that normally the Department of Lands workers would get piecemeal permission to do clear cuts of that size, but the up front and overall approval by the board — which includes Gov. Butch Otter, Atty Gen. Lawrence Wasden, Sec. of State Lawerence Denney, State Controller Brandon Woolf and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra — will facilitate the best return because it allows loggers to proceed more quickly and salvage before insects intervene and reduce the value of the timber.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Idaho Statesman

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

This is an example of how nimble and effective a state agency can be when something needs to happen quickly without getting bogged down in layers of bureaucracy. Idaho and the Land Board’s benefactors will be the winners.

Another expression of common sense is collaboration, and that was clearly on display as the U.S. Bureau of Land Management evaluated dozens of management plans affecting greater sage grouse and other wildlife across 173 million acres in 11 states (including Idaho) — and concluded with the news Tuesday that it would not be necessary to protect the bird under the federal Endangered Species Act.

That news came as a result of a lot of work in Idaho and the other Western States where management plans were forged, and showed that the layers of government and the private sector can find a sweet spot of flexibility and progress when they want to.

In Rocky Barker’s story in the Statesman Tuesday, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell referred to the months and years of work as “the largest conservation effort in history by the BLM and U.S. Forest Service, state agencies, private landowners and other partners to conserve its habitat.”

Though there is plenty of work to be done, this is where the West wanted to end up — pursuing voluntary measures in efforts to preserve the sage grouse.

Statesman editorials are the unsigned opinion expressing the consensus of the Statesman’s editorial board. To comment on an editorial or suggest a topic, email editorial@idahostatesman.com.

  Comments  

Videos

See the ‘Firefall’ at Yosemite National Park

2019’s Most Sinful States in America by WalletHub

View More Video

Trending Stories

Boise Hawks’ stadium to host big rock festival. Free beer in ticket price? Cheers, punk

February 19, 2019 11:58 AM

The million-dollar Boise home? Ho-hum. See who’s buying houses for $2 million and up

February 19, 2019 10:18 AM

Meridian wants an overpass fast, but road agencies don’t. So Meridian may cough up cash

February 19, 2019 01:05 PM

Oregon man saw Idahoans trespassing, so he held them at gunpoint until police arrived

February 19, 2019 03:35 PM

Federal judge in Idaho denies company’s bid to get back truck it says is filled with hemp

February 19, 2019 07:53 PM

Read Next

Idaho legislators have a duty to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers

Editorials

Idaho legislators have a duty to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers

By Statesman Editorial Board

    ORDER REPRINT →

January 27, 2019 05:00 AM

Responsible gun owners have nothing to fear from Idaho legislation that keeps firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers, the Idaho Statesman’s editorial board writes.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Idaho Statesman

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE EDITORIALS

Listen up, IFF: Idahoans should get what they voted for with Prop 2

Editorials

Listen up, IFF: Idahoans should get what they voted for with Prop 2

November 17, 2018 06:00 AM
Vote no on higher car fees

Latest News

Vote no on higher car fees

November 04, 2018 03:22 PM
Not sure who to vote for? Here are the Idaho Statesman’s Editorial Board’s endorsements

Editorials

Not sure who to vote for? Here are the Idaho Statesman’s Editorial Board’s endorsements

October 30, 2018 06:00 AM
College of Western Idaho fills a critical need as state’s economy grows

Editorials

College of Western Idaho fills a critical need as state’s economy grows

October 28, 2018 06:00 AM
Idaho schools deserve better leadership — with Cindy Wilson

Editorials

Idaho schools deserve better leadership — with Cindy Wilson

October 21, 2018 05:28 PM
Pragmatic and responsible, Brad Little is ready to lead Idaho

Editorials

Pragmatic and responsible, Brad Little is ready to lead Idaho

October 21, 2018 05:27 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Idaho Statesman App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Information
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
  • Place an Obituary
  • Today's Circulars
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story