The Chamber Minute 10/13/23

The Chamber Minute

We live in an area rich in natural resources with our forests, sand dunes and ocean. Why 85% of Coos County is forest land. So, it makes a lot of sense that your Chamber would have a Natural Resources Team.

Before the pandemic, our team held a joint monthly meeting with the Douglas Timber Operators. We are scheduling both our own sessions and joining with  DTO as it has revived its coos county meetings. Those sessions, and our present gatherings, have an educational and action focus on current resource management plans and issues.  In the past couple years, we have dealt with the Western Oregon State management plan, a proposal from the Dunes National Recreation Area concerning off-highway route designations, the State’s Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) process and wildfire protection funding on a statewide basis, just to name a few.

But we don’t only have a tree focus. The Team supports the local STEP programs, and especially the Coos Basin Salmon Derby which takes place each September. These programs not only provide hands on fishery education for our students and increase fish stocks in the region, but also bring many tourism dollars to the area.

We monitor the wind and wave energy projects proposed along the southern Oregon coast and the potential impact they can have on commercial and recreational fishing. The Team supports our commercial fishery and its efforts to encourage state and federal agencies to actively manage the ocean stocks so we can maintain this historic and sustainable industry.

So Chamber member, if this sounds like something you want to be part of, our Natural Resources Team is currently meeting virtually each month and looking to resuming in person sessions. Give us a call and we will line you up to participate.  

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