Bob Zybach

Economy That system collapsed when harvests dropped. Federal “replacement” programs have never come close to making us whole. Bob’s answer is to restore sustained-yield management, which will protect sensitive areas while putting the rest back to work. In practical terms, that means more predictable funding for teachers, repairs for rural roads, and resources for sheriff’s deputies and emergency services. All of it will be generated here, from work done by our own people. This approach respects both the land and the taxpayer. It builds a stable foundation for essential services so families and businesses can plan for the future with confidence. Environment / Energy That means re-opening and maintaining the roads and trails that make timber harvests and stewardship possible. It means focusing on second-growth and industrial plantations where we can safely and sustainably produce the materials our mills need. Environment / Energy Catastrophic wildfires are not inevitable. For much of the last century, active forest management kept them rare. But decades of hands-off policies have left our woods overgrown and our communities at risk. Bob knows we can do better. Bob supports a much more active approach: stopping small fires before they become big ones, backed by year-round, locally based crews. Just as important, access roads and trails must be kept open so firefighters and equipment can reach a blaze quickly. Economy Bob also sees opportunity in new industries: everything from engineered wood products to cogeneration plants that turn wildfire-killed or insect-damaged trees into energy. This creates a steady demand for trucking, reforestation crews, and skilled trades. Environment / Energy True old-growth forests are irreplaceable, and their greatest threats today aren’t careful logging, they’re disease, insect infestations, and catastrophic fire. Bob’s plan starts with identifying and mapping these stands so we can protect them. That protection involves removing ladder fuels, thinning overcrowded younger trees, and maintaining healthy buffers so fire can’t race into these areas. It’s about stewardship, not neglect. Meanwhile, intensively managed industrial plantations should provide most of our timber, leaving legacy trees and the habitat around them to be preserved for future generations. This balance keeps our mills supplied while safeguarding the rarest parts of our forests.