News and Updates for LCSWA Members

  Linn County Small Woodlands Association Board of Directors meeting Wednesday March 3, 2021 Location: Cota-Melcher barn off Berlin Ridge Road Attendance: Tim Otis, Jim Cota, Katie Kohl, Bonnie Marshall, Lee Peterman, Larry Mauter, Shirley Holmberg, Jonathan Christie (via zoom) Mike Barsotti (3 p.m.) Meeting called to order at 2:30 p.m. by board President Tim Otis Minutes of Dec. 2, 2020 — Lee Peterman move, Tim Otis 2nd, approval of minutes from 12-2-2020 with correction of day of meeting to Wednesday, not Thursday; unanimous approval. Old Business  Annual meeting results — Tim Otis and board members agreed COVID-driven post card annual meeting was “well organized” and success. About 60 ballot returned with total membership about 110. Shirley Holberg and Jim Cota elected to thee-year terms ending in 2024.  Discussion followed. Tim Otis said Jim Merzenich has asked to vacate board seat. Motion suggested that board refuse resignation and vote to keep Merzenich on board

By Tim Otis LCSWA President Carpe Diem (Latin: Seize the day , phrase used by the Roman poet Horace to express the idea that one should enjoy life while one can.) A few years ago I read the book “The Wild Trees,” by Richard Preston.  In it, he tells the almost unbelievable story of Steve Sillett (and a few other botanist’s) exploration of the largest and tallest trees in the world.  These are the coast Redwoods of Northern California.  They explored and measured the height of these trees by climbing them.  Many memories and emotions washed past as I read this book.  I was repeatedly amazed that these young explorers did not think “there is nothing new to learn,”did not believe that there was no new place to explore.  They went where others refused to go.  They invented new ways to climb these massive trees with ropes.  On May 11, 1998 Steve Sillett and Michael Taylor pushed, crawled and fell through a part of the Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park, in search of large redwood trees, or

By Bonnie Marshall LCSWA Director The 26 th Annual Linn County Small Woodlands Association Seedling Sale is one for the books — with record sales and Covid challenges. Almost 250 pre-orders were delivered via curbside pickup within 5 hours by our dedicated and masked volunteers.  As one satisfied customer told us after the sale, “We hit it out of the park” with our well-planned and executed Covid-safe delivery of seedlings.     Fay Sallee, volunteer coordinator, was as diligent as ever rounding up Linn County Small Woodland members, 4-H members and their families, and scholarship recipients.  Despite fewer volunteers, social distancing requirements and expanded work areas, our volunteers rose to the challenge with long hours (a 13-hour day for some) and staggered shifts.  Early Friday morning Don and Carol Cree, Jack Lowers, Jim Cota, and Lance Marshall picked up seedlings at the various nurseries while some of Friday’s 33 volunteers helped set up tables in preparation for the see

By Larry Mauter LCSWA director Long before the term “influencer” became common lexicon, Sherm Sallee was one. Sallee, long-time Linn County Small Woodlands Association member and first editor of The Quarterly Bark, died March 4, 2021. He was 78. Sallee was born Dec. 17, 1942 in Enterprise, Oregon. He was a 20-year veteran of the United States Air Force. He served in Vietnam. Among his many woodlands-related passions — Sallee and wife of 54 years Fay — supported the Linn County Extension 4-H forestry program. He was a 4-H leader for more than 35 years. Sallee and Fay also started and for two decades coordinated the annual Linn County Small Woodlands Association seedling sale. “Among the many legacies that Sherm left behind, one was the seedling sale, now in its 26 th year,” said Bonnie Marshall.  “When my husband and I took over the helm five years ago, we were fortunate to experience first-hand Sherm’s organizational skills, encouragement, and mentoring,” Marshall said. “He e

  Long-time Linn County Small Woodlands Association member Sherm Sallee died Thursday March 4. A 20-year veteran of the US Air Force, Sallee was born Dec. 17, 1942 in Enterprise, Oregon. A remembrance service at the Happy Valley Tree Farm is planned for Saturday, June 26. Details to follow. Sallee and wife Fay started the annual seedling sale to raise scholarship money for Linn County forestry students and 4-Hers. The 26th annual sale was held last month. Sallee was active in forestry education issues, 4-H, and the Linn County Fire Protection Agency. He started the Quarterly Bark newsletter and is an editor emeritus of the publication.  

 The board of directors for the Linn County Small Woodlands Assoc. will meet this week for its quarterly meeting. Board members will gather Wednesday March 3 at the Fun Forest open-air barn off Berlin Ridge Road. The meeting is to start at 2:30p.m. Among agenda items will be updates and financial results on the annual seedling sale. The 26th annual sale was operated under COVID rules this year. Another agenda item will be an update on the Bob Mealey Sunnyside Park project. Ponderosa pines are expected to be planted later this week at the park. The board is also expected to discuss operation of the chapter website. The group is looking for a person to become webmaster as well as updating the existing HTML site. All members of the association are welcome to attend the board meetings. Contact any director for directions if needed.

Shirley Holmberg and Jim Cota have been re-elected to the Linn County Small Woodlands Association board of directors.  Some 60 ballots were returned to board Secretary Jonathan Christie. Membership overwhelmingly supported the board recommendation to re-elect Holmberg and Cota for three-year terms. Holmberg is the association treasurer. There were also write-in votes in support of Mike Barsotti. He is a past board member and has recently stepped away from the state-wide OSWA presidency.  Long-time board member and past president Jim Merzenich is leaving the board. Most recently Merzenich has been membership chairman. Current membership is about 110 families, with another 40 or so associate memberships on the books.