Speech
Woods Products Association
Remarks of Governor Judy Martz
Missoula
8/26/2004
Thank you Steve (Marks) for that very nice introduction. It’s great to be here.
If ever I was among friends, it is with all of you today. I appreciate so much the friendships I have with so many of you and what we have accomplished during my years as governor and lieutenant governor.
It was just a little more than a year ago that many of you joined me right here in Missoula at the Healthy Forest Summit I hosted as chair of the Western Governors Association. That was a great opportunity for everyone there to sit down and have some really candid discussions with folks who haven’t always agreed with us on how best to manage our forests.
I think we accomplished a great deal at that summit. We brought together all of the stakeholders to address critical forest management issues on state and federal lands, and we showed the other side that we are willing to listen, so long as they are too. Many of you here today were there and I want to thank you again for your participation.
You know what troubles me a lot these days…that the world has become so polarized. The attitude that you are either with me or against me. To survive and move forward, we’ve got to work together.
Just like I said at the Healthy Forest Summit, we must find the common ground, even if it takes a bit longer. We have to stop this attitude that it’s my way or the highway.
As you all know, I’ve been a friend of your industry for a long time, a very long time. Our friendship wasn’t politically motivated. It was motivated by a desire to do what’s right…and I’m darn proud of it.
And, I’m really proud to have you as my friends, and so proud of what we have accomplished together. I only wish we could convince more people of our position. I think we will, but it’s going to take time.
The timber industry is part of what has made Montana such a great place to live and work and play, and I want you to know how much it hurt me each time I learned about another mill closing and that a few more of our hard working loggers would be out of work.
It hurt because these men and women know what it means to put in a good day’s work, and they earned a good living for their work, and their families depended on it. To say the least, we’ve weathered some tough times together.
It wasn’t easy cutting budgets in the early days of my administration. I didn’t make any friends doing the heavy lifting, but I did what had to be done under the circumstances. We’re now in better times at the state and I know you will be too.
The President’s Healthy Forest Initiative is law and I know it’s going to help.
In a speech last March to the Forest Management Conference, I suggested that we have a HEALTHY FORESTS – HEALTHY COMMUNITIES REPORT CARD on the implementation of the healthy forest initiative. Some of the folks in this room helped work on that idea and I want to thank you again for the suggestion.
In speaking recently with Bob Harrington, he told me his staff has just begun collecting data for the Report Card and that the first report will be published in early December. We need to keep at it, and make sure the law is implemented as it was intended, to improve the health of our forests through better management.
The President’s Roadless Initiative is another example of how his administration is demonstrating its understanding of our natural resource issues in the West and how we can solve them better than the federal government.
There is something so very special about our way of life in Montana and the Northwest, and you are a critical component of why the place we call home is so special. Our uniqueness comes from our people and our communities - communities whose core values are as deeply embedded as their determination and their pride.
Unfortunately, our very way of life can be profoundly changed by heavy-handed, top-down tactics that affect our smallest and most fragile communities in the most enormous ways.
Make no mistake about it, I believe everyone desires to protect our public lands and scenic vistas. After-all, our lands are the fabric of our very way of life. But, in that same regard, we ought to be the driving force behind our land management solutions.
We need to keep focused on reducing catastrophic fire hazards, producing valuable wood products, and improving forest employment opportunities while protecting water quality, wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities.
Each of us has a charge to lead in restoring the health of our land by the timely removal of dead and burned timber. As many, if not all of you know, I learned that first hand when we generated over five million dollars for schools from sales on the 2000 fires.
I also learned something about the federal process for environmental review on federal forestlands after those same 2000 Bitterroot Fires. The documents represented l5,000 person days or the equivalent of 57 man-years of work. Keep this in mind, 57 man-years of work were completed, and over one million dollars spent for what ended up to be 15,000 acres out of 300,000 acres of burned, dead timber. And, after all that work, the federal government still ended up in court.
I know I’ve told that story many times before, but it is so true, I can’t help but repeating it to drive home the point that from that experience I knew we had to be engaged at the federal level.
That’s why I’m so glad we worked as hard as we did on the President’s Healthy Forest Initiative. I was invited to testify three times before Congress on the Initiative and when the president made the final push for its passage a year ago, I was invited to the White House to represent the nation’s governors.
We can have exceptional water quality, abundant wildlife, flourishing fisheries and a host of other benefits, including economic opportunity through thoughtful forest management. I know it and you know it!
We all care about the environment.
And, if we do our work responsibly, as I know you do, your children and your grandchildren can care as well, because timber is a replenishing resource. You know that, but some people seem to conveniently forget it.
We have enjoyed one of the best summers in a long time. Last year at this time we were nearly three months into the forest fire season. Let’s hope our luck holds.
We are on the right track…Montana is moving forward, and together we have brought some common sense back to government. We fought hard for where we are today, and I hope you will keep up the good fight.
Just one example of how we are moving forward are the latest employment statistics from the Montana Department of Labor and Industry are one prime example of how we are moving forward.
The July report, which came out just last Friday, showed that every major Montana industry category, including Natural Resources and Mining, added jobs over the past year. In fact, over the past three and half years, we have added l6,800 jobs. Now that’s progress!
When I ran for governor I told the voters I’d work on economic development and tax reform, education, healthcare, improved relations with our tribal leaders and, of course, natural resource issues.
I’m very proud to say, of course, that in addition to the job and wage growth we’ve experienced, and the tax and capital gains cuts we got through the 2003 legislature, we’ve accomplished a great deal in each of these areas and need I tell you that one high-point has been my work with you and your industry!
As Montanans, we share many common ideals. One of them is a common bond in this land. It is home. It is where we can and should be able to provide ourselves with life-long sustenance, both in terms of financial stability and spiritual stability.
From all points of views and values, we must work together to create and maintain healthy forests and vibrant economies.
Your annual conference is a time to reflect on the past and to discuss the future, the future of our forests and what role they should play in providing this nation’s wood products’ needs, our nation’s premier recreation destinations…and our country’s unmatched environment.
My goal has been to find balance: a healthy, protected forest, enhanced by a strong timber economy. I envision a time when our Montana summers and those of our sister states in the west, bring nothing but recreation and our forests remain pristine treasures, untouched by wildfire.
We’ve been blessed this summer with very few fires in Montana. Let’s hope our good fortune continues.
As you all know, I will be leaving office in just four months but I want you to know that I will continue to work on behalf of all of you to make sure that this issue remains top of mind for all elected officials, and for the candidates for my job and the legislature.
As some of you know, I recently accepted an invitation to serve on the National Forest Counties and School Coalition Board of Directors. I consider this a real honor and an acknowledgement of my commitment to you and your industry, so thanks to those of you, who probably had something to do with this honor. I appreciate it very much!
Now, need I remind you of this year’s elections? Don’t hesitate to ask tough questions of the candidates for my job. Find out where they really stand on your issues. Nobody had a hard time asking me tough questions, and they still don’t!
And, if you are not registered to vote, get registered.
This year’s elections will be about moving Montana forward or reversing many of the promising programs and projects we’ve launched.
Finally, I want you to know how much I like your mission statement…’to promote healthy forests and healthy communities through management of Montana’s forests.” That says it all very nicely.
Ask the candidates for my job what they think of your mission statement and how it fits with their agenda for Montana’s future. Keep up the good work, and keep up the good fight! You have a strong and powerful voice, so keep on using it.
It’s been a pleasure working with Mark and Ellen and everyone associated with your organization for all opf my years in government.
So, thank you again for inviting me to speak with you today. I enjoy your company and hope we will stay in touch, long after I’m out of office.
God bless you and have a great conference.
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