We Grow Forests, Not Just Trees
Gary Blanchard could have retired a long time ago. But he’s still on the job at Starker Forests, providing a living link between the company’s past and its future.
Blanchard went to work part-time for Starker as a 19-year-old in 1958. Three years later, after earning his degree in forest management at Oregon State University, he became the Philomath timber company’s first full-time employee — and he’s been working there ever since.
Read the entire article Here.
We want to remind our permittees about the high fire danger during this extreme fire season. Our land is currently open for walk in access only and we hope to keep it that way. However, things are very dry as we’ve not had any significant rain in over two months. Please keep this in mind when recreating on our land.
No smoking allowed on our lands
Do not park in tall grass
Do not block any gates
Carry a shovel and a 2 ½ lb. fire extinguisher or 3 gallons of water in your vehicle Please inform us if you see anything that will put our forests at risk
Check our website for any updates. If conditions worsen and we have to shut our lands to public access, we will let you know by email.
Thank you,
Starker Forests, Inc.
From our friend Helen Higgins, CEO, Corvallis Boys and Girls Club of Corvallis.
Barte was born in Corvallis to Bruce and Betty Bond Starker. He graduated from Corvallis High School in 1968 and from Oregon State University in 1972 with a degree in forestry. At age 22, he entered the family business, Starker Forests, and worked there until his retirement. In 1978, he married Patricia Lemon. They raised two daughters and hosted several exchange students from around the world.
Barte served on many forestry boards and committees throughout the state including the Oregon Board of Forestry, the Oregon Natural Resources Education Fund and the Oregon Forest Resource Institute. He was also involved with the Oregon Coast Aquarium, the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation, Rotary and the Boys and Girls Club of Corvallis.
He is survived by his wife, Pat, his daughters Sally Starker (husband Zach) and Wendy Little (husband Matt), three grandsons, and his brother, Bond Starker.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 6, 10:30 am at the Philomath Scout Lodge, 660 Clemens Mill Road, Philomath.
Memorial contributions may be made to:
Corvallis Boys and Girls Club Teen Center, 1112 NW Circle Blvd., Corvallis, OR 97330.
or
The Oregon Community Foundation (specify the Oregon Natural Resources Education Fund or ONREF) at The Oregon Community Foundation, 440 East Broadway, Suite 160, Eugene, OR 97401.
It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Barte Starker, on December 12, 2017. Barte was an inspiration for all of us who worked with him at Starker Forests, Inc.. His passion and love for forests and active forest management was contagious. That legacy will live on in his family and many colleagues. Barte was a great man.
Here is the article by Bennett Hall from the Gazette Times newspaper.
October 11, 2017
Fire season and regulated use are over. We will start opening gates for drive in hunting starting today. The gates will be open as we get around to different areas. Please be patient as it may take a couple days to get to them. All the gates that are going to be open should be open by Friday afternoon. Please make sure you have your permits to access our lands and remember to be safe and courteous to others!
October 3, 2017
We are still waiting for ODF to declare an end to fire season on the West Oregon District, where most of our lands are located.
September 5, 2017
Smoky greetings to our Starker Forests recreation and hunting permittees,
Red Flag Warnings continue across most of Oregon today, as well as continued extreme heat warnings and air quality alerts. Conditions on the ground remain ideal for new fire starts and extreme fire behavior on existing fires. Human-caused fires have continued to be an issue on Oregon’s forestlands. Please do all you can to help prevent human-caused wildfires. Know and follow the fire restrictions and closures for where you are located or will be traveling. To find that information on ODF-protected lands, go to http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/Pages/Restrictions.aspx.
There is a good news – bad news scenario shaping up for later in the week. We could get some moisture in some areas, but there is a chance it could come with lightning. The forecast this morning indicated that we could move out of the Red Flag conditions for very dry and unstable conditions, to a Red Flag for thunderstorm on Thursday.
We are at a critical drawdown level for the ODF West Oregon District this morning. This means fire fighting equipment and personnel are elsewhere. With the significant growth of the Eagle Creek fire in the Columbia River Gorge, ODF West Oregon District sent two engines that way this morning. ODF is slowly getting some of their other resources back from other fires (that have timed out after 14 day assignments), but the call for resources on all of the fires is still outpacing our ability to meet all the needs. Many of the other large fires that have been on the landscape for a while saw significant growth yesterday and last night.
Starker Forests lands remain open to walk-in recreation and hunting. Please help us continue to have no fire starts on our lands this year.
July 26, 2017
Due to increasing fire danger the Oregon Department of Forestry has, on July 17, 2017, ordered new regulations on forestlands protected by the department in our area. All Starker Forests lands are covered by these regulations.
Under this order it is unlawful to be in violation of the following restrictions:
Free guided tours of beautiful Starker Forests are available in July and August. Starker Forests Tours are about three and a half hours long and begin when you’re picked up in front of the Corvallis Comfort Suites Inn lobby at 12:45 and transported to Starker Forests for your tour. 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. Remember to dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes! You’ll return to the Comfort Suites Inn around 4:30 pm.
Seating for the tours is limited so reservations for all Starker Forests Tours are required. Please call Visit Corvallis at 800-334-8118 or 541-757-1544 to make your reservation. Please be sure to call Visit Corvallis if you need to cancel, so we can make room for those on the waiting list. Please try to call by the Tuesday before your tour, by 5pm if you need to cancel. 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.)
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. You’ll be picked up at the Corvallis Comfort Suites Inn at 10:30am and whisked away to tour the mill. Afterwards, it’s off to the forest for the guided tour. Bring a lunch with you to enjoy on the drive! You’ll be back by around 4:30, as usual, and dropped off at the Comfort Suites Inn.
No children under 12 are allowed on this all-day tour, as the Georgia Pacific 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. 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.
Starker Forests is pleased to announce the appointment of Jake Gibbs as President and CEO of our 81 year old family owned company. Jake is a forester with over 20 years of experience at Lone Rock Timber Management in Roseburg. Starting as a tree planter, Jake was most recently the Director of External Affairs at Lone Rock, another long standing family owned forest management company in Oregon.
Jake said “I am excited to be joining the Starker team and am looking forward to continuing the long standing Starker Forests commitment to the forest industry, the communities where we live and work and the people dependent on our forests.”
Jake is replacing Bond Starker, who announced his retirement earlier this year. He has lead the company since 1981.
Welcome to the Starker Forests family, Jake!
Company Actively Seeks New CEO
12/7/16
After 41 years following in his family’s legacy, Starker Forests, Inc’s Chief Executive Officer and President, Bond Starker, will retire this coming spring. Bond is the grandson of Thurman James (T.J.) Starker who started the family business more than 80 years ago with a visionary approach to purchasing second-growth forests in a time when logging old-growth timber was common. Bond and his brother Barte, who retired in 2015, have carried their grandfather’s innovative traditions forward since they assumed leadership roles in 1975 to make the company the fifth-generation successful business that it is today.
“One of the trademarks of my grandfather’s accomplishments was his foresight and ability to plan for the future,” Bond said. “That’s a value that our family has maintained for decades – from our forestry practice to our commitment to this community – we’re in it for the long haul, and that won’t change. I’m looking forward to watching the next generation of leadership at Starker Forests continue to implement those strongly-held values and ingenuity in a way that will continue to sustainably grow our forests and communities.”
In preparation for the leadership transition that will take place when Bond retires, Starker Forests is seeking the best person, whether they be internal or external, to carry forward the stewardship of the Starker family culture and the implementation of the Starker Forests Inc. strategic plan. For more information on the position and instructions for interested applicants, please visit www.starkerforests.com/jobs
Starker Forests, Inc. is well-known for producing sustainable timber, wildlife habitats, clean water and recreation on more than 87,000 acres of forestland in Oregon. What is perhaps lesser known is its dedication to serving the communities of which it has been a part for the last eight decades.
Founded in 1936 by T.J. Starker, the company is one of the true pioneers of the Oregon timber industry. The company also was engaging in sustainable forest management before the method was considered popular. Through its business and philanthropic practices, Starker Forests had earned a reputation as one of the most widely-respected family-owned timber companies in Oregon.
For its commitment to the community “ as both an environmentally-conscious forester and philanthropic corporation “ Starker Forests has been named the 2016 AFP Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation. The award recognizes a business that, through their foundation, corporate giving program or their employees, commits significant financial or in-kind resources to assist organizations in meeting community needs “ an entity that is a solid community-minded corporate citizen.