Alterations of Wilderness: The Logged Landscape of Oregon is a documentary series about the effects of logging and deforestation on the natural landscape. Each landscape represents a story about the history and human impact on the environment due to logging and human interference. This body of work showcases the juxtaposition between the man-altered logged landscape and the pristine wilderness that is untouched by man, highlighting how human interference impacts the environment. This series is the groundwork for essential education and awareness that is needed to help sustain a healthy balance between preserving the pristine wilderness and supporting human life and evolution on the planet.
"Road to Devastation" Tillamook, Oregon
"Toxic Cut" This area in Tillamook was sprayed with toxic chemicals before and after it was cut to kill off wildlife and unwanted plant species. Those chemicals sink into the soil which contaminates the drinking water for nearby coastal communities.
"Kindling Mountain" Cottage Grove, Oregon. Oftentimes, debris from a clear-cut remains with the intention to be burned or disposed of. While the debris is beneficial for regrowth, it is extremely dangerous to leave kindling basking in the sun during the hot summer months without any sort of forest canopy shading it.
Tree rings can tell us their age and what the weather was like during each year of the tree’s life. The light colored rings represent wood that grew in the spring and early summer, while the dark rings represent wood that grew in the late summer and fall. One light ring plus one dark ring equals one year of the tree’s life.
"Misplaced Mountain" Noti, Oregon.
"Climates at the Capital" Salem, Oregon.
"Umpqua River" Glide, Oregon. The Bureau of Land Management plans to salvage log 6,200 acres of this area close to the Umpqua River. Logging burned, old growth forests is harmful to the natural regrowth process and pollute the river with sediment runoff.
"Holiday Farm Fire" Vida, Oregon Along Highway 126 west of the McKenzie Bridge to Vida, Oregon, the Holiday Farm Fire burned over 170,000 acres of land in 2020. Oregon's Labor Day Fires took place on some of the most heavily logged timberlands in the state.
"Archie Creek Fire" Glide, Oregon Private land, which is mostly owned by timber companies, accounts for 46% of the forested acres burned in the 2020 wildfires. This is much higher than the 7% average private land percentage for the past 10 years.
"Salmon Creek Rd & NF-2408" Old growth trees, with their thick bark and tall trunks, are much more fire-resistant than smaller, younger trees with thin bark and dense canopies close to the ground.
"Progression of Progress" Willamette National Forest, Oregon. Restoration of the burned forest after a wildfire is vital to the successful regrowth of the habitat. Trees that are severely damaged by fire but not killed immediately usually die within 2 years. Dead needles fall to the forest floor during this period, followed by small and then larger branches. The snags that remain provide habitat for wildlife and a long-term source of nutrients to the forest floor when they eventually fall.
The Willamette National Forest is home to over 300 species of fish and wildlife. This sacred land allowed indigenous people to exchange news and goods in the area. The Kalapuya, Molalla, Sahaptain and Chinook peoples traveled and traded here, perhaps on their way to obtain obsidian in the high Cascades or to gather huckleberries.
"Scott Lake Trail" Sisters, Oregon Sitting in the high Cascades at 4,800 feet, Scott Lake is a popular summer destination for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy hiking, camping, kayaking, and fishing.
"Lower Proxy Falls" Willamette National Forest Not only are Oregon’s waterfalls located in pristine, untouched wilderness areas that are aesthetically profound, their benefits for reducing stress and anxiety are prevalent. Natural flowing waterfalls release negative ions that have been found to create calmness and also improves cell metabolism in the human body as well as strengthening our immune systems.
"Forest Sunrise" Windberry State Recreation Site, Lowell, Oregon
"Protect What's Left" Alsea, Oregon. Over 90% of Oregon's old growth forests have already been logged. Those that remain provide us with some of our cleanest drinking water and best habitat for fish and wildlife.
"Precision" Alsea, Oregon Over 10 million acres of Oregon’s forests are owned and managed by private landowners. Part of privately owning this land for commercial use of its natural resources is reforestation practices to maintain the ecosystem.
"Decker Tree Farm" Recognizing the importance of replanting, Van Decker focuses on erosion control, low use of pesticides and a higher emphasis on safety on his tree farm in Benton County, Oregon. Conscientious owners of timber property like Decker recognize that replenishing the trees for future generations and keeping the impact on land low, can benefit both the property and their business.
Reforestation is the process of establishing a new stand of trees on a previously forested site following a disturbance, either man-made or natural.
"Future of the Forest" Benton County Small Woodlands Association holds regular tours of tree farms, lectures, and other educational events to support responsible forest management, network, and share knowledge. Many of the education offered to tree farmers in this association focus on environmentally sound practices for logging and replanting.