Douglas Timber Operators

05/28/2026

Thank you Douglas Forest Protective Association for Rory Collins' and Rachel Pope's presentation to our Roseburg breakfast meeting today. We appreciated the clear outlook on our early, above-average fire season, the updated regulations, prevention messaging, Firewise updates, and all the hard work your team and partners put in to keep Douglas County safe. Grateful for your aggressive initial attack, strong prevention efforts, and great local collaboration!

05/26/2026

This is an alarming statistic: the rate of su***de among those working in Oregon's forest/farm sector is 7.5 times higher than the national average. "...Beyond the uncontrollable stresses of weather and fluctuating commodity prices...they may also be under stress of loss of identity, loss of reputation in their communities if they have to quit or go out of business."

Mental Health Awareness Month also draws attention to Oregon’s overall su***de rate, which is 50% higher than the national rate.

05/19/2026

Our monthly guest speaker in Coos Bay was Melissa Cribbins, Executive Director of the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port project in Coos Bay. Melissa provided an update on the status of the PCIP, including funding secured and positive interest from federal agencies. Construction is targeted to begin in three years.

05/14/2026

Wildfires don’t just burn our forests—they send sediment, chemicals, and warmer water into rivers and streams, harming fish habitats for years afterward.

Research shows that wildfires are causing more debris, sediment and chemicals to enter waterways, harming fish and other aquatic life.

04/29/2026

Please join us as we come together to celebrate the life and legacy of our dear friend, Paul Beck.

04/23/2026

We're seeing the same trend on federal lands in SW Oregon, where repeated wildfires convert conifer forests to brush fields which could persist for hundreds of years, if not longer.

California has one of the highest rates of wildfire-driven deforestation in the world, and the trend has accelerated over the past three decades, according to a study from the University of California, Davis. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, assessed the st...

04/22/2026

The Celebration of Life for Jim Dudley will be held this weekend.

03/12/2026

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of one of our Swanson Group family members, Jim Dudley.

If you were fortunate enough to know Dudley, you understand the profound loss and heartbreak being felt across our company, throughout the industry, and most importantly by his family and friends. He had a genuine soul and a heart of gold.

Dudley was one of a kind, and his presence will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

03/11/2026

It is with profound sadness that we share this statement regarding the tragic passing of our dear friend, colleague, and dedicated board member: Jim Dudley.

No words can convey what Jim meant to our industry, timber communities throughout Oregon, and to this organization. He made remarkable contributions to all of them, and to many of us personally.

02/25/2026

"...what’s happening on the land isn’t right. We’re not producing timber anywhere near [the level] it grows, we’re not managing lands after they burn, and we’re leaving hundreds of thousands of acres of dead trees to burn again and again and again and suffer the human health consequences and emergencies associated with those wildfires.

"What’s happening on federal land is not working, and we need a better solution, and the Trump administration is trying to do that with this plan, but it probably won’t be the last."

This interview originally appeared on New Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN’s Inside Douglas County and has been edited for brevity and style.