Starker Forests, Inc.

We Grow Forests, Not Just Trees

  • Home
  • About Us
    • History of Starker Forests
    • Sustainability
    • Then and Now
    • Executive Team
  • Land Access
    • Recreation and Hunting Permits for Starker Forests Lands
    • Fire Season Information
  • Education
    • Starker Forestry Trail and Field Trips
    • Tree Planting Day 2020
    • Lesson Materials
  • FAQs
  • News
    • Starker Summer Crew Blog
  • Jobs
  • Contact
    • Newsletter Signup

Gary Springer touched many with his humor, love for forestry

June 2, 2021 by maria

Gary Springer, an integral part of Starker Forests from early 2003 to his retirement in fall of 2019, has left his mark upon earth with healthier forests and heartier friendships.

The late Barte Starker knew Gary would be great addition to the Starker Forests team because of his commitment to sound forestry practices and his knowledge about Oregon forest policy.

 

In recent years, many people remember Gary for always volunteering to drive the “Starker bus” for forestry field trips for both forestry groups and the public.

We at Starker Forests, Inc. will greatly miss Gary’s frequent visits, in spite of his being “retired.”

 

Gary Thad Springer

October 4, 1948 – May 25, 2021

Heaven got a little goofier on May 25th when Gary Thad Springer of Corvallis, died peacefully with his daughters by his side. The son of Thad and Beverly Springer, Gary entered this world on October 4th, 1948 in Corvallis, but spent his childhood and most of his career in the woods of Harlan, Oregon. He excelled both in basketball at Eddyville High School and shenanigans, fondly reflecting many years later to his children about that time he pulled the fire alarm at school (but to be fair nobody has since been able to confirm this and it’s possible he created this story as a source of inspiration for their own high school shenanigans).

 

Gary graduated from Oregon State University in 1970 with a degree in Humanities and a concentration in Journalism, which he made good use of as he penned articles, emails and letters to the editor about sound forestland management. He had probably planned to do something more than that with this degree but he’d spent his summers during college working on the tree farm back home, and by the time he graduated, he realized there was no place in the world he’d rather be. In 1975 he married Anne Lloyd of Corvallis, and together they raised three perfectly amazing children in Philomath, Mandy, Morgen and Scott (one or more of them clearly in charge of writing this obituary).

A career forester, Gary spent the first thirty years after college working alongside his dad, and for a time, his sister Diane, with their contract timber business Springer Logging. He took a special pride in working with his dad, a man he looked upon with reverence his entire life, so much so that he even forgave him that time he put a chainsaw through his shoulder! In 2003, Gary took a position at Starker Forests as a policy advisor who also managed public outreach. There he spent the final sixteen years of his career earning accolades and appointments he wouldn’t want us to mention, but will do anyway (and he’d certainly be rolling his eyes at how badly we will screw up the order of these things here in a minute). Here he made lifelong friends and truly cherished the years he spent with his Starker family.

Throughout his nearly fifty year career he volunteered much of his time to the causes he loved most, including (buckle in for this) serving several years on the Oregon Small Woodlands Association (OSWA) Executive Committee, volunteering on the OSWA Board and serving on the OSWA Governmental advisory committee; serving on the Committee for Family Forestlands and on the Oregon Forest Resources Institute; serving as a member of the Research advisory committee with the College of Forestry at OSU; serving on a forest landowner committee to advise Governor Kitzhaber in the development of the Oregon Salmon Plan; serving on the Oregon Society of American Foresters executive committee and the Mary’s Peak Chapter of Oregon Society of American Foresters executive committee; appointed to the Board of Forestry where he played a major role in finding a balanced approach to the new Salmon, Steelhead, and Bull Trout (SSBT) forest practice riparian rules implemented in 2017, and served as the liaison between the Board and the Environmental Quality Commission as they addressed meeting the state Protecting Cold Water Standard. In May 2016, he earned the Oregon Society of American Foresters Tough Tree Award and in 2017 was recognized as an ambassador for the advancement of forestry through the National Society of American Foresters Fellow Award.

After a long career of winning awards and serving on probably more committees than actually mentioned above, Gary amassed a huge collection of friends and family who came out in droves to show their support and love when they heard the news of his illness and then of his passing. If you asked any one of them how they would describe him, they would undoubtedly include the attributes intelligent and funny. And he was these things and so much more. But if we didn’t emphasize his humor here, we would not be doing this thing any justice. Gary was witty and a little weird and a lot hilarious. Rarely a day would go by without one of his daughters receiving an obscure/bizarre news article or fact of the day (Florida Man defrosting his Thanksgiving turkey in his swimming pool? Hard hitting news. International Warthog Day? Yeah, he knew that one, too.). He was inquisitive and curious, too. He loved geology and writing and shared both of these passions with his daughter Morgen. He loved photography, and especially loved taking pictures of his favorite places: Lincoln City and Arches National Park in Utah. Gary was a diehard OSU football and basketball fan and spent a whole lot of hours rooting for the Blazers as well. Sports was a passion he loved to share with his daughter Mandy and she will forever remember going to see these games live with him. He was also a huge music lover and he passed this love of music onto his children, as well as a penchant for smart assery, which they have no choice but to continue in his honor.

Gary is survived by his daughter Mandy Springer (Nicholas Borchers) of Stayton, daughter Morgen Springer (Sean Donovan) of San Ramon California, grandchildren Drew, Brooklyn, Parker and Brynnlee, and Ollie (grandog), father Thad Springer of Harlan, sister Sharon Springer of Corvallis, his niece Joey Wiseman of Newberg, his nephew Cole Ratliff of Bend, brother-in-law Lance Stein of Corvallis, his dear “Chain Gang” friends Jerri, Sarah and Barb, and countless other friends at Starker Forests, OSWA, and others all over Oregon. He is preceded in death by his son Scott Springer (2000), his sister Diane Stein (2016), and his mother Beverly Springer (2005).

A memorial service will be held in true Springer fashion at the park on the family property in Harlan later in the summer and his daughters will reach out to friends, family and colleagues in the coming weeks about that. We know we’ve left out a lot of awards and committees, so we hope to see you there to help fill in the blanks.

Dad, we tried to give you your Viking send off but it appears to be illegal in the state of Oregon. We promise to set fire to some of your ashes over a body of water at the very least. So goodbye for now, Dad. Thanks for a million memories and so much laughter. We will love and miss you always.

To plant trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.

Published by Corvallis Gazette-Times on Jun. 2, 2021.

Filed Under: News

Public welcome, permits required

November 12, 2020 by maria

More than 70,000 acres of Starker Forests’ land are available for hunting and recreation in Linn, Benton, Polk, Lane and Lincoln counties. Our lands are great for hiking, hunting, fishing, cycling and nature lovers. We issue access permits for all our property open to the public. In return, we ask that you respect the land and follow our regulations. No ATVs or motorcycles are allowed in our tree farms. Please drive only on logging roads.

Filed Under: News

Starker Forests’ Gary Blanchard receives lifetime achievement award

October 8, 2020 by maria

Gary Blanchard of Starker Forests has been presented the Oregon Society of American Foresters’ Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is presented to persons to recognize their lifetime contribution to SAF and lifetime achievement in the forestry profession by an OSAF member.

Blanchard has worked for Starker Forests for nearly 59 years.  Although semi-retired, he still comes into the office an hour or so every day as he works on two projects: 1) a book to document the history of the company’s lands, and 2) conducting video interviews of people who have been integral to the growth and success of the company.

Blanchard grew up in the small town of Mosier, Oregon, at the east end of the Columbia River Gorge. He went to college at Oregon State University, graduating in 1961 with a BS degree in Forest Management.

Blanchard worked for Starker Forests while in college. Upon his graduation, and with his wife pregnant with their first child, Blanchard was given a permanent position by TJ Starker and Bruce Starker, the first two generations of Starker Forests’ owners. He was the first non-family employee of Starker Forests. When Bruce died in an airplane accident in 1975, Blanchard became the company’s chief forester, a position he held until he “retired” at the age of 70 in 2009. Until 1972, he was the company’s only employee. Since then, another dozen or so foresters have come on board.

For all new Starker foresters, Blanchard has been a mentor. When Bruce Starker died, TJ Starker had given up his active role in the management of the company.  The leadership of the company fell to Bond and Barte Starker, the third generation of Starker Forests’ owners – both still in their 20s.  Blanchard’s leadership at the time was crucial in helping Bond and Barte successfully take on their roles as the company’s owners and managers.

Under Blanchard’s guidance, thousands of acres of Coast Range forests have been converted from underproductive brush lands into highly productive conifer forests. Many of those forests have now reached the age where they are being commercially thinned for the first time.

Blanchard was especially valuable to the company when it came to neighbor relations. He frequently stopped for lunch at small, rural cafes where he became acquainted with a lot of neighbors. In addition, he served on watershed councils.  These outreach efforts created good will with neighbors that continues to this day.

Blanchard has been a strong supporter of the Oregon Tree Farm System. For many years, he worked with a tree farm committee to choose the recipient of the state’s Tree Farmer of the Year. He also inspected and certified/re-certified several tree farms.

A mentor to every one of the company’s foresters, Blanchard encouraged them all to become active members of SAF.

To that end:

  • Gary (2003), Mark Gourley, Marc Vomocil, and Jennifer Beathe have all received SAF’s Presidential Field Forester Award
  • Gary (1988), Dick Powell, Marc Vomocil, and Gary Springer have been honored as SAF Fellows
  • Gary (1987), Bond Starker, Barte Starker, and Dick Powell were selected as OSAF Forester of the Year
  • Gary (1981), Marc Vomocil, and Dick Powell were elected as OSAF chairs
  • Gary (late 1970s), Randy Hereford, Marc Vomocil, Dick Powell, and Jennifer Beathe served as Mary’s Peak Chapter chairs
  • Dick Powell was given SAF’s Outstanding Communicator Award
  • Gary Springer and Mark Gourley (twice) were selected as recipients of OSAF’s Tough Tree Award

These awards and service to SAF culminated in Starker Forests receiving OSAF’s inaugural Heritage Award in 2016 and earned the company the national SAF Employer Support Award later that same year.

In addition to SAF leadership roles mentioned above, Blanchard served as the general chair when the Mary’s Peak Chapter hosted OSAF’s annual meeting in 2010. In 1992, he helped develop the OR Forest Industries Council’s Stream Classification and Protection System proposal. Then, in 2004, the dean asked him to serve on the OSU College of Forestry’s McDonald-Dunn Planning Team and where he helped develop the long-term management plan for the University’s forests.

Bob Alverts, Jim Rombach, and George Brown each submitted letters of support for Gary.

Filed Under: News

Sharing is caring

June 30, 2020 by maria

Filed Under: News

Permit holder thankful for respite

June 10, 2020 by maria

Filed Under: News

New CFO takes over at Starker Forests

June 8, 2020 by maria

Nicole Wallace is the new chief financial officer at Starker Forests, Inc. in Corvallis.

Wallace graduated Oregon State University after earning a degree in accounting and has worked as a certified public accountant in public accounting until moving into the private business sector.

She came to Starker in October from Kernutt Stokes.

Wallace replaces Steve Wyatt, who retired in April after 33 years with Starker.

Filed Under: News

Tree Planting Day 2020

February 17, 2020 by Jennifer Beathe

We are gearing up for one of our most fun events of the year, Tree Planting Day. This year, Tree Planting Day is scheduled for February 29th. The trees that grow in western Oregon are dormant in the the winter and that makes this time of year perfect for planting seedlings. At Starker Forests, we plant nearly 500,000 seedlings each year. Tree Planting Day was established in the early 1990’s to offer young Scouts the opportunity to plant seedlings and earn a merit badge. The event is open for registration to boy scouts, cub scouts, girl scouts and brownies and other friends of Starker Forests.

Each participant is given ten trees to plant. We have helper tree planting instructors from the Philomath High School Forestry Class. Groups of tree planters will be paired with a high school student “professional” tree planter. The species of trees are mixed but the most popular is the Douglas fir, Oregon’s state tree. Douglas fir grows well in western Oregon and is a preferred species for structural lumber and wood frame building. We also plant other species, such as western hemlock, grand fir, western red cedar and spruce.

To make sure we have a really fun event, our friends from Boys Scout Troop 2 in Corvallis build a “kitchen” where they prepare hot chocolate and hot dogs. After planting their seedlings, tree planters can come to the kitchen to enjoy a warm drink and some food. Finally, participants can stop at our t-shirt table to pick up a Tree Planting Day t-shirt.

We cross our fingers for good weather, but we remember that real tree planters plant trees in all kinds of weather, including rain. After this day, everyone can agree that they are real tree planters now.

Filed Under: News

Starker Forests Summer Tours – Every Wednesday in July and August

June 28, 2019 by Jennifer Beathe

Have you wondered how private forests in western Oregon are managed to provide timber, wildlife habitat, recreation and clean air and water? Join us for a free, guided forest tour! The 2019 Starker Forests Summer Tours begin on Wednesday, July 3rd. Each Wednesday in July and August, we will host a tour to the forests of the Oregon Coast Range. Additional Georgia Pacific Sawmill Tours are on July 10th and 24th and August 7th and 21st. For more information and to sign up go to: www.visitcorvallis.com/articles/2019-starker-forest-tours.

Filed Under: News

Starker Forests Appoints New CEO

June 26, 2019 by Jennifer Beathe

Starker Forests, Inc. announced today the appointment of Randy Hereford as President and Chief Executive Officer. Formerly VP Timber & Chief Forester, Hereford has served the forest management company in increasingly responsible positions since he began in September 1978.

Hereford holds Forest Engineering and Forest Management degrees from Oregon State University. He serves currently with state and national forestry organizations including National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO), Oregon Forest & Industry Council (OFIC), and OSU Institute on Working Forest Lands. He is also a board member of three forest protective associations – West Lane, Linn, and West Oregon (past president). He is a member of the Council on Forest Engineering (COFE).  In addition, he is a member of Society of American Foresters (SAF) and is an SAF Certified Forester

According to Bond Starker, Chairman of the Board, “Randy has been a dedicated and valued member of our forestry staff for over 40 years. He has served as a senior member of our management team, and we are especially impressed with his ability to inspire and develop our younger foresters.”

Hereford replaces Jake Gibbs who resigned in early May.

Starker Forests, now in its fourth generation of family ownership, will continue to be guided by our core values – environmental, economic and social sustainability – and by our strong commitment to community service, ethical conduct and the advancement of forestry education and research. We are Forest Landowners and Managers since 1936.

Filed Under: News

2019 Summer Forest and Mill Tours

May 13, 2019 by Jennifer Beathe

Take a Starker Forests Tour and tour a gorgeous working forest!

Forest Tours: July 3, July 17, July 31, August 14, August 28

GP Mill tour and Forest Tour: July 10, July 24, August 7, August 21

Free guided tours of beautiful Starker Forests are available in July and August. Starker Forests Tours are about three and a half hours long. The tour involves, among other activities, a 1/4-mile walk, where you will learn about the different practices of forest management that Starker Forests applies.

Special, all-day tours happen three times this season. On these days, you’ll tour the Georgia Pacific Mill in the morning, followed by the guided tour of Starker Forests in the afternoon.

The Starker Forests and Georgia Pacific Mill Tours are free. Reservations are required. Call Visit Corvallis at 800-334-8118 or 541-757-1544 to make reservations. For those signing up 10 or more people, please call to make arrangements to take tour on a different day of the week. (We like to leave the Wednesday tour available for those reserving for smaller groups, pairs, or by themselves.)

Afternoon Tour Details

  • Meet in the lobby of the Corvallis Comfort Suites Inn (1730 NW 9th St.) at 12:45pm. The tour leaves at 1pm.
  • Tour returns to the Corvallis Comfort Suites Inn about 4:30pm.
  • Remember to dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes.
  • If you need to cancel, please call Visit Corvallis to let us know. Call by the Tuesday before your tour, by 5pm, if you need to cancel.

 

Georgia Pacific Mill Tour Details

  • Meet in the lobby of the Corvallis Comfort Suites Inn (1730 NW 9th St.) at 10:30am. The tour leaves at 10:45am.
  • No children under 12 are allowed on the Georgia Pacific Mill Tours because the mill is a working mill.
  • Guests on this tour must remember to wear closed-toed shoes like sneakers or hiking boots, and long pants. No open-toed shoes like sandals, or shorts or skirts, are allowed.
  • Tour returns to the Corvallis Comfort Suites Inn about 4:30pm.
  • Remember to dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes.
  • Bring a sack lunch to enjoy between the mill tour and forest tour in the afternoon.
  • Unfortunately, it’s not possible at this time to sign up for only the Mill tour or only the Starker Forests tour on these all-day tours.
  • If you need to cancel, please call Visit Corvallis to let us know. Call by the Tuesday before your tour, by 5pm, if you need to cancel.

2019 Complete Starker Forests Tour Schedule

Forest Tours: July 3, July 17, July 31, August 14, August 28

GP Mill tour and Forest Tour: July 10, July 24, August 7, August 21

Filed Under: News

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 11
  • Next Page »
P.O. Box 809 | Corvallis, OR 97339 | 541-929-2477 | Contact Us

Copyright © 2023 Starker Forests, Inc.