Dear HCN,
I am quite upset about
the selective quotes from me in the article about program cuts at
the University of Washington by Kathie Durbin (HCN, 11/13/95). The
manner in which my remarks were used makes it appear that the
faculty and staff of the Center for Streamside Studies blame
Weyerhaeuser Company for the loss of the Timber Fish Wildlife
programs, and that the center is unwilling to work with the state
or with Weyerhaeuser on regional issues.
Allow me
to set the record straight. First, in my conversation with Ms.
Durbin it was clear that she was trying to make a case against
large forest product companies, especially Weyerhaeuser. I
attempted to point out that many of these companies are trying to
do the right thing in light of public attitudes about environmental
issues but that they also need to be responsive to their
shareholders. This is a difficult balance to evenly maintain for
the long-term for any organization. There are, however, some
individuals within these companies (as there are within the
university and state agencies) with whom I personally find it
difficult to agree. That does not mean they are wrong, just that we
have a different way of looking at the world. The important point
is that it is essential that divergent viewpoints be heard and that
a balanced approach be implemented if watershed management is to
work in the long term. This requires that all stakeholders and
individuals involved with watershed issues have the opportunity to
express themselves.
Second, I was expressing my
personal viewpoints on working with the Department of Natural
Resources (DNR), not that of the Center. There are many faculty and
students here who are actively involved with state agencies on
applied regional problems, and they are doing a good job. I have
come to realize, however, that these types of research problems are
not my strength. Therefore, I have chosen to refocus my personal
research program toward fundamental stream ecology. My experiences
with particular people within DNR were not rewarding; yet there are
many excellent people with our state agencies. I just happened to
encounter a couple of individuals who appeared to have their own
agendas and, unfortunately, had fiscal control over the research
programs that were eliminated.
Finally, Timber
Fish Wildlife has not been “taken over by the timber industry.”
Today members of the industry community are important players
because of their long-term investment and interest in the program
and because many of the original players have chosen to reduce
their involvement (for a variety of reasons). This is a complicated
issue that cannot be captured in one sentence as Ms. Durbin
unwisely attempted to
do.
Robert J.
Naiman
Seattle,
Washington
Kathie Durbin
responds:
It is unfortunate
that Dr. Naiman, a respected scientist whose program has made
significant contributions to public understanding of Northwest
stream ecology, now feels it necessary to backtrack and to attack
my motives.
It is patently false for him to say
that in our interview I was “trying to make a case against large
forest product companies, especially Weyerhaeuser.” I contacted
Naiman to verify the story that Steve Ralph, a biologist he
supervised, told me about Weyerhaeuser Co.” s role in the abrupt
termination of his research project. Naiman did so – and then
elaborated on the incident. It’s true that Naiman said it would be
a mistake to characterize all timber companies by the actions of a
few individuals, but he confirmed that the Center for Streamside
Studies had been hurt by pressures from some elements in the
industry. “Very much so,” he said. Naiman then volunteered the view
that “Timber Fish Wildlife (the state Department of Natural
Resources program under which Ralph’s research occurred) has been
taken over by the timber industry.” I do not manufacture
quotes.
Regarding his comments on applied
research in the Pacific Northwest, Naiman told me he was trying to
rebuild the Center for Streamside Studies and attain financial
stability by seeking money from the National Science Foundation to
replace lost state dollars. He said he had decided to “forget the
regional issues’ because of the difficulty of dealing with the
Department of Natural Resources.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Selective quotes altered timber story.
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