![]() As he traveled through a "gigantic fine cedar forest" near the Nisqually River, he encountered trees that "although they are sapplings, were 6 feet in diameter and upwards of 200 feet in height." He stated, "I could not control my astonishment" at the size of the trees. Aboard the Discovery, British explorer George Vancouver traveled along the southern shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca in 1792 and described the landscape as "luxurious." "The whole had the appearance of a continued forest extending as far north as the eye could reach," he wrote, "which made me very solicitous to find a port in the vicinity of a country presenting so delightful a prospect of fertility." Vancouver described other parts of the Puget Sound region as "inpenetrable wilderness of lofty trees, rendered nearly impassable by the underwood, which uniformly incumbers the surface." As Commander of the United States Exploring Expedition of 1838-1842, Charles Wilkes visited the Northwest and made similar observations (see document 2). The extent of the forests and the height of the trees amazed them. Many white explorers made special note of the vast stands of trees in the Pacific Northwest. Out of the forests, the Salish and other Northwest Indian peoples actively created an environment that sustained their communities. Setting fires also improved hunting opportunities by maintaining and augmenting the amount of open land used by game animals. For instance, the Salish who inhabited Whidbey and Camano Islands burned the forest underbrush to increase the supply of berries and camas. In addition, Indians set annual forest fires in order to encourage the growth of certain food crops. James Swan, a visitor to the Northwest in the mid-19th century, described, in intricate detail, the labor involved in canoe construction (see document 3). The red cedar was particularly important for the construction of homes and canoes. Many Indian groups along the Puget Sound and the Pacific Coast used wood for harpoons, baskets, and mats. The postwar years also witnessed the growing power of the environmental movement, which sought to keep loggers out of large sections of Washington's forests.Īlthough Indian peoples did not harvest trees at the rapid rate of later lumbermen, they did actively manage the forests. Even as timber harvests reached record levels during and after the Second World War, the industry lost its position as the state's largest employer. The last phase, from 1940 until the present, brought a decline in the lumber industry's relative importance to Washington's economy. Labor unions also became active, demanding higher wages and better working conditions. Government implemented many reforms to ensure that the supply of trees would not be depleted in the future, and it preserved some forested areas from further development. This period of time was also characterized by the increasing involvement of government and labor in the lumber industry. The expansion of the railroad to the Northwest fueled this process. The third era, from 1883 to 1940, produced technological developments and large capital investments, which allowed lumber companies to intensively log areas they could not reach before. At this time several outside investors, most from San Francisco, built mills along Puget Sound, propelling the lumber industry into the dominant role in the area's economy The beginning of the California Gold Rush in 1848 brought the second phase. ![]() During this first period the lumber industry was still in its infancy, with the Hudson Bay Company erecting the first mill in the Pacific Northwest at Fort Vancouver in 1828. Until 1848 the vast forests sustained several Indian tribes and fascinated Anglo explorers. ![]() The history of Washington's forests can be divided into four broad periods. Washington's forests have been-and continue to be-contested and coveted by many competing groups and individuals. Attitudes toward and uses of the trees have changed dramatically over time. Nonetheless, the long history of Washington's forests demonstrates that there has never been a simple, singular vision for this resource. The forests have helped define the identities of many Washingtonians and have served as a symbol for the Evergreen State. The presence of these trees has shaped Washington's economic development for decades. Ponderosa pines were prevalent in areas east of the summit of the Cascades. ![]() Until the past 120 years, tall and dense stands of Douglas fir, hemlock, spruce, and cedar blanketed most of the area from the crest of the Cascade Range to the water's edge. Washington's forests have always been a prominent element of its history. ![]() Seeing the Forest for the Trees: Placing Washington's Forests in Historical Context ![]()
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