Note: This is the second part of the interview that didn't make it into the radio version.  The podcast version includes the entire interview.

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Biomass energy, that is, burning pelletized wood for electricity generation, is a classic false climate solution.  It has been devastating forests and communities in the Southeast for years, and the Biomass industry is dead set on expanding into the Pacific Northwest. 

We did a deep dive into Biomass a couple of years ago, which you can find in the Coast Range Radio podcast feed.

But with the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans (along with some Democrats) attempting to gut protections for forests, now is a good time to learn from activists in the South and check in on the state of Biomass here in the Northwest.

So I’m joined by two amazing guests, Dr Treva Gear with The Dogwood Alliance, and Brenna Bell of 350PDX.

While you’re here, please make sure you're subscribed, and consider leaving us a nice review on your podcast app!

My email is [email protected], reach out anytime with questions, feedback, or just to say hi.

Show Notes:

https://dogwoodalliance.org/

https://350pdx.org/ax-drax/

https://www.nobigbiomasspnw.org/

"Burned: Are Trees the New Coal?" - https://burnedthemovie.com/

Support the show

https://www.instagram.com/coastrangeradio/

Biomass energy, that is, burning pelletized wood for electricity generation, is a classic false climate solution.  It has been devastating forests and communities in the Southeast for years, and the Biomass industry is dead set on expanding into the Pacific Northwest. 

We did a deep dive into Biomass a couple of years ago, which you can find in the Coast Range Radio podcast feed.

But with the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans (along with some Democrats) attempting to gut protections for forests, now is a good time to learn from activists in the South and check in on the state of Biomass here in the Northwest.

So I’m joined by two amazing guests, Dr Treva Gear with The Dogwood Alliance, and Brenna Bell of 350PDX.

While you’re here, please make sure you're subscribed, and consider leaving us a nice review on your podcast app!

My email is [email protected], reach out anytime with questions, feedback, or just to say hi.

Show Notes:

https://dogwoodalliance.org/

https://350pdx.org/ax-drax/

https://www.nobigbiomasspnw.org/

"Burned: Are Trees the New Coal?" - https://burnedthemovie.com/

https://www.instagram.com/coastrangeradio/

This show has been pretty Oregon-centric, but I’m told there is a large landmass just north of us that also has a lot of amazing people doing environmental and climate justice work.  

So I’m putting my Oregon bias aside for today to learn more about one of the most exciting and effective climate forest campaigns in the Pacific Northwest - Washington Legacy Forest Defense Campaign!

To find out what a legacy forest is, and how folks are working to protect them, I’m joined by Joshua Wright with the Washington Legacy Forest Defense Coalition.  I’m also joined by Lee First with Twin Harbors Waterkeeper, to learn about the great work they do to protect Washington’s coastal waterways and watersheds.

Please help me out by sharing texting the link to this show to a friend or two (or sharing any other way!).  And we have a new instagram page, just in case you're into that sort of thing...

Show Notes:

https://twinharborswaterkeeper.org/

https://www.wlfdc.org/

https://www.instagram.com/coastrangeradio/

Today, to celebrate the first independent episode of Coast Range Radio, we are going to try something new! 

Sometimes its important to step back and place our work, and ourselves, in a larger context.  And even amidst the relentless assaults we are currently facing, I think this is one of those times.

So I am thrilled to be joined by bestselling Oregon author, John Larison, to talk about his transcendent new book, The Ancients.  It is, among many other things, a deeply moving allegory on the climate crisis, deep time, and the resilience of life.

More importantly, it is a thrilling and beautiful story, and I cannot recommend it highly enough!  The Ancients is available at local bookstores and online. 

The new show email is [email protected], reach out anytime with questions, thoughts, and show ideas!

https://www.instagram.com/coastrangeradio/

On March first, the president issued two executive orders designed to dramatically increase commercial logging on our public lands.  These executive orders are bad news on their own, but the situation is actually even more dire.

These orders are part of a decades-long effort by industry, the ultra wealthy, and radical right wing anti-government legislators to privatize our public lands and extract maximum profit for the wealthy few. 

And look, I know that there are a million attacks and assaults that are demanding your attention.  I’m not here to tell you that forest policy is more or less important than anything else.

But we in the Pacific Northwest have way more agency and influence over our public lands than most of the other battles being waged.  And in the age of spiraling climate chaos, any intact or recovering forest that is logged is a forest that may never come back.

Last week, Oregon Wild put on a fantastic webinar where they went into detail on the executive orders, federal legislation, agency sabotage, and other ways that this Republican government is working to destroy our public lands.

But they didn’t stop at the doom and gloom.  They talked extensively about a wide variety of actions that we can take to fight back. They were kind enough to let me air clips of that webinar for today’s show.  

It was too long to play in its entirety for our format, so unfortunately I wasn’t able to include the sections where they talked about strategies for contacting legislators, using social media, and other tactics.  But you can watch the entire webinar here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO35KTq3CK8

You can also find a really useful activism toolkit they put together at oregonwild.org/activist-toolkit/

What you’re going to hear today is a breakdown of what is happening at the federal level, including with these recent executive orders, and I hope you’ll feel angry and inspired to take action.

Show Notes:

• Webinar on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO35KTq3CK8
• Oregon Wild Activist Toolkit: https://oregonwild.org/activist-toolkit/
• The public lands privatization game plan: https://www.andykerr.net/kerr-public-lands-blog/2025/2/28/the-monetization-of-public-lands

Trump Timber EOs:

• https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/immediate-expansion-of-american-timber-production/
• https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/addressing-the-threat-to-national-security-from-imports-of-timber-lumber/

https://www.instagram.com/coastrangeradio/

The Forest Service is using the threat of wildfires to justify a drastic expansion of commercial logging on our public lands. 

That is the contention in an investigative reporting series from Nathan Gilles at Columbia Insight.  Many of us in the environmental world have long thought this to be the case, and this series brings the receipts, including internal Forest Service documents, emails, and more.

The Forest Service has received billions of dollars in recent years on top of their normal budget specifically to protect communities from wildfire.  If they are using those funds to push commercial logging, they are not only not making communities safer, they may very well be putting communities and forests at greater risk by using methods that increase the risk of high severity fire. 

We go deep on Nathan's reporting on the scandal, as well as some of his other science reporting.

*** Quick Reminder to take action to push the Forest Service during the Northwest Forest Plan Amendment comment period.  That comment period ends on March 17th, so please take just a few minutes to speak up for our forests.  See below for links and resources.

Cascadia Wildlands NWFP Action Page: https://www.cascwild.org/weigh-in-on-the-future-of-northwest-public-forests/

Tribal sign on letter https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdybP5o7aSUBUaBuHV2MpZER54vX-Twmoi72DGJDPqX7jJeNA/viewform

My email is [email protected], I love getting feedback and show ideas so drop me line!

Show Notes:

https://nathangilles.com/

USFS investigative pieces

• Part 1 https://columbiainsight.org/exclusive-the-forest-service-is-using-the-threat-of-wildlfires-to-meet-timber-targets/
• Part 2 https://columbiainsight.org/a-mount-hood-forest-fuel-break-project-could-remove-old-growth-trees/

Other Stories

• Assisted Migration Primer: https://columbiainsight.org/what-is-assisted-migration-and-what-are-the-risks/
• Fungi and Assisted Migration: https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/even-trees-need-friends
• How Hot Is Too Hot? https://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/magazine/entry/between-hot-drought-and-heat-waves-climate-change-is-killing-trees#%23

https://www.instagram.com/coastrangeradio/

This episode is part three of our deep dive into the Forest Service’s proposal to amend the Northwest Forest Plan, which covers 24 million acres over 17 nation forests spread across Oregon, Washington, and Northern California. 

As I've said before, it is one of the primary reasons we have any intact or recovering forests left in the Pacific Northwest. So, kind of a big deal…

What we haven’t gone in depth with yet is the conservation and environmental perspective.  So for a completely non-biased, totally neutral take on the good, the bad, and the “it’s complicated” of the northwest forest plan, and so much more, I’m joined by Grace Brahler, wildlands director at Cascadia Wildlands.

Before we get started, and I’m not about to ask for money, but if you appreciate Coast Range Radio, please help me grow our audience.  Thank your local radio station for carrying the show, share your favorite episode with your friends, go on apple podcasts or spotify and give us a 5 star review.  

All of those things really do help, and best of all, they are quick and free!  And my email is [email protected], please reach out anytime with feedback, guest ideas, or just to say hi!

(Note: this episode was produced before Trump's Executive Orders on timber production.  We will talk about those in a future episode)

Action Links:

Cascadia Wildlands NWFP Action Page: https://www.cascwild.org/weigh-in-on-the-future-of-northwest-public-forests/

Tribal sign on letter https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdybP5o7aSUBUaBuHV2MpZER54vX-Twmoi72DGJDPqX7jJeNA/viewform

https://www.instagram.com/coastrangeradio/

We are going to have a couple banger episodes on the Northwest Forest Plan in the coming weeks, but I’m recording this on February 24th, just over one month since Trump’s second term began, and I think we need to step back and take stock for a minute.   

Don’t worry, this episode is not going to be all about the dark lord, but the administration’s actions have already had huge consequences here in the Pacific Northwest, so we need to address it.

Most of what Trump and his court of billionaires and white supremacists/facists have done so far has not surprised me, even though it has been every bit as bad as I feared.  

But I have to admit, I was caught off guard by how obsessed they have been with DEI.  

Since when did concepts like diversity, equity, and inclusion become radical ideas that need to be punished with the full weight of the Federal government?  And how are the witchburnings affecting the environment, climate, and social justice movements?

To answer those questions, and to discuss why DEI is so important in the environmental movement, I’m joined by aparna rajagopal.

Aparna is is a self described writer, speaker, agitator, and advisor at the confluence of movements for equity and justice within the outdoor, environmental, and conservation movements.

Before we get started, and I’m not about to ask for money, but if you appreciate Coast Range Radio, please help me grow our audience by sharing your favorite episode with your friends, and go on apple podcasts or spotify and give us a 5 star review.  

It really does help, and best of all, it's quick and free!  

And my email is [email protected], please reach out anytime with feedback, guest ideas, or even a great sourdough recipe!

Show Notes:

https://theavarnagroup.com/2-weeks-in-reflections-recommendations-resources-on-dei/

https://theavarnagroup.com/

https://www.aparnarajagopal.com/

https://www.instagram.com/coastrangeradio/

This is part two of our series on the Forest Service’s major proposed changes to the Northwest Forest Plan.  

As most of our listeners know, the 30 year old Northwest Forest Plan provides critical protections to over 24 million acres of public land in Oregon, Washington, and California.

The Forest Service has proposed sweeping changes to the Plan through their recently released Draft Environmental Impact Statement, or DEIS, and public comment is open until March 17th. The DEIS would, among other things, give them wide latitude to drastically increase industrial scale logging, including in Mature and Old Growth forests.

In part one of this series, we explored one most important, and also complex, aspects of the proposed changes - meaningful Tribal inclusion.  I highly recommend you listen to that episode if you haven’t yet. You can find wherever you're listening to this episode!

We are going to focus on two other key components of the plan, fire, and the fight to protect mature and old growth forests, in upcoming episodes.  And in the meantime, you can find guides on how to submit comments to the Forest Service in the links below.

Today we are going to explore an often overlooked issue in the Northwest Forest Plan, and Forestry in general - Labor.  And more specifically, the exploitation of immigrant labor in our forests and timberlands.

I’m joined by Manuel Machado from Oregon State University.  Manuel has done a lot of research into labor issues and exploitation of workers in the forestry sector.  

Comment Writing Guides!

• Northwest Forest Plan DEIS Engagement toolkit: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MOAORP7b1YenBZsZj27qfBJiJU4b6oXAX6vXKtqdQ-w/edit?usp=sharing
• Recommendations for Tribal Sovereignty and Environmental Justice in the Northwest Forest Plan Amendment Draft Environmental Impact Statement: https://blogs.uoregon.edu/nwfpjustfutures/resource-guide-for-making-public-comment/

https://www.instagram.com/coastrangeradio/

The Northwest Forest Plan is one of the primary reasons that we have any forest left in the Northwest.  Without it, and other protections that are now also at risk because of the Trump administration, our public lands would look no different than the industrial clearcuts and monocrop tree plantations that surround me in the Coast Range.

In December, the Forest Service released its planned amendment to the Northwest Forest Plan in what is called a ‘Draft Environmental Impact Statement’, or DEIS, and we the public have until March 17th to submit comments on their proposal.

We are going to release several episodes focusing on the good, the bad, and complexities of the Forest Service’s proposed changes, and we’ll provide as much guidance as possible for how to submit comments and get involved in other ways.

You can find guides to submit comments in the notes of the podcast version of this episode, and we will also be sharing links to comment writing guides on our website and social media very soon!

For now, I’m so excited to start this mini-series off with Ryan Reed.  Ryan is from the Karuk, Hupa and Yurok tribes in Northern California, an Indigenous Fire Practitioner, wildland firefighter, co-founder of the Fire Generation Collaborative, and a member of the Northwest Forest Plan Federal Advisory Committee, among many other things!  Ryan is a thoughtful, dynamic speaker, and I’ve wanted to have him on Coast Range Radio for a long time.

Real quick before we get started, I love to get feedback, questions, show ideas or whatever else is on your mind.  My email is [email protected].  If you appreciate what we do, please share this show with people in your community!

Show Notes:

https://www.firegencollab.org/

https://fusee.org/

Braiding Indigenous and Western Knowledge for Climate-Adapted Forests: https://depts.washington.edu/flame/mature_forests/pdfs/BraidingSweetgrassReport.pdf

Comment Writing Guides!

• Northwest Forest Plan DEIS Engagement toolkit: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MOAORP7b1YenBZsZj27qfBJiJU4b6oXAX6vXKtqdQ-w/edit?usp=sharing
• Recommendations for Tribal Sovereignty and Environmental Justice in the Northwest Forest Plan Amendment Draft Environmental Impact Statement: https://blogs.uoregon.edu/nwfpjustfutures/resource-guide-for-making-public-comment/

https://www.instagram.com/coastrangeradio/