Eden Valley by Max

Thuja plicata or Western Red Cedar is a common specimen in the Pacific Northwest. Growing readily amongst the damp moss and ferns it stretches high above the undergrowth alongside Douglas Fir and Hemlock. 

Cedar has long been a valuable natural resource in this area. Native American communities have utilized cedar wood for houses, canoes, totem poles, and ceremonial objects as well as weaving the bark into baskets, bowls, ropes, clothing, and blankets. In modern construction, cedar is used primarily as outdoor timber because of its high resistance to rot with common applications for decking, fencing, siding, and roofing. 

A Big Leaf Maple sporting a thick coat of moss

In pursuit of this extraordinary timber, the Skotheim clan has embarked on a mission of selective logging. Beginning three years ago with Ben and my dad, a plan was put into action to harvest trees from our grandpa's 52 acre property outside of Port Angeles (known as Eden Valley). For decades the property has provided access to a pristine slice of the Olympic forest habitat and an unending supply of firewood for our stoves. 

A bit of fall color on the property

Our goal now is to log the woods of a small fraction of their abundant cedar supply and profit from the land without the harsh effects of clear cutting. This entails selecting cedars based on size, health, and proximity to other cedars. 

Once a tree is dropped and limbed, it is skidded to the road for pickup

Pizza break! Working close to grandparents has its benefits

This process of small scale logging has been an exciting learning experience. There is nothing like working outside in such a beautiful place. Until the winter rains fully saturate the ground and we are forced to leave the trees, logging on the peninsula will be our home away from home.