Friendly Swap
A Unique Idea
In 1994, Aaron Jones became concerned with the confrontation and
dissension between the forest products industry and some preservationist
organizations, relating to their perceived differing approaches to
ecosystem management of our forest lands. He also felt the attitudes
between Government and the interests of timber, ranching and other uses
in the eleven Western States had been one of conflict for too long.
Because he believed that no type of relationship can or will succeed if
this negative attitude prevails; especially on complicated issues
relating to ecosystem management of our forest lands and other natural
resources, he began working on a concept to peacefully solve the
problem.
Aaron told other timberland owners, "I invite the Government of
the United States to come upon my lands to take whatever lands it needs
to create an ecosystem management program of the proper magnitude to
protect our national environment.
"I envisage the Government acquiring the necessary riparian
areas, wetlands and critical habitat areas from the highest point of
water flow to the sea. In return, I would expect an exchange with the
Government - a friendly swap - of non-critical lands of equal value and
substance. This would allow us to continue the business of managing our
remaining lands, and newly acquired lands, for tree farms and timber
harvest on a sustained-yield basis."
History
Land ownership in the Western United States is fragmented. Federal,
State, County and private lands are intermingled across watersheds and
ecosystems. Since wildlife and fish ignore property lines and Government
jurisdictions, fragmented land ownership patterns present obstacles to
broad agency and community goals like ecosystem management and watershed
restoration. Private landowner cooperation is needed.
A Simple Solution
The premise of Aaron's concept is simple: a voluntary exchange of
environmentally sensitive lands in private ownership (such as river
bottoms, wetlands and other endangered species habitat), for less
environmentally important lands in Federal ownership that has been
designated as suitable for commercial timber operations. The
accompanying result would be a reduction in the need for additional
regulation of private lands. This idea would solve many current and
potential problems associated with managing the environment and
providing a reliable supply of timber. The following items are listed as
examples:
 | Voluntary land exchanges could improve the ecological health of
the basin, while providing a more stable timber supply. |
| Exchanges would involve only willing participants. |
| By providing needed habitat in critical areas, regulatory burdens
on non-Federal lands could be stabilized. The State Forest
Protection Act and other current environmental restrictions would
continue to exist. |
| Private landowners would know they could manage their lands for
long-term timber production. |
| Land exchanges can provide locally based solutions to resource
management challenges, and do so for much less cost than Government
regulation or multiple-owner plans. |
| Exchanges would create larger blocks of land under single
ownership, enhancing effective resource management by both public
and private landowners. |
| It would allow public owners to acquire and manage environmentally
sensitive timberland at no added cost to the public. All lands would
be exchanged requiring no additional personnel to manage nor
increased taxes. |
| It would provide to private forest products companies the security
of a known timber base on which to operate providing long-term
certainty in forest products output, related employment and
timber-dependent community stability. |
| It would solidify the Government and private timber owners as one
to provide a united front to the world on how industry can work in
concert with Government in achieving meaningful environmental and
economic goals. |
This potential "friendly swap" program could be
straightforward to implement, and would achieve an ownership and
management structure that would benefit all our natural resources.
Aaron's Friendly Swap is now called The Foundation for Voluntary Land
Exchanges, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The FVLE has been
working with the Government and private landowners to establish a pilot
project for the Umpqua Basin in Douglas County, Oregon.
________
For more information on this subject, contact the Operations Director,
Rob Gill, at the Foundation for Voluntary Land Exchanges, 4033 SW Canyon Road,
Portland, Oregon 97221, Phone (503) 274-2855.
