Researcher(s):
Roan Shea
ENVS course(s): 350 Initiated: April 2016 Completed: April 2016 Go to project site
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In her book, "The Dappled World", Nancy Cartwright is interested in this question: “How can the world be changed by science to make it the way it should be?” This question is extremely pertinent to Environmental Studies in more than one way. Firstly, there is the question of how to most effectively use our wealth of scientific knowledge on environmental issues to come up with comprehensive solutions, and secondly; what is "the way it should be"? Douglas County, Oregon is in the thick of O&C logging disputes and is racked by these exact questions. Deforestation and habitat destruction are big concerns, but so is the economic health of the county. The "way it should be" is fiercely debated. 90 percent of old growth forest in Oregon has been cut by the logging industry, and yet the standing board feet of these forests has grown under the O&C act, which allowed for heavy clear cutting. In some ways, both sides of the debate around land management have science on their side. Different organizations interpret and use scientific evidence in different ways, always for a purpose. To me, this controversy brought up some questions: When can science provide a definitive answer to environmental issues, and to what extent is scientific evidence subjective to individual values? With these in mind, I developed framing and focus questions to guide my project:
Framing Question
How can we use scientific evidence to arrive at effective policy?
Focus Question
In Douglas County, Oregon, what are the different ways of discussing logging practices and how do opposing sides of the logging debates use science to convince others?
I explore these questions in my project by examining sources within Douglas County, namely the Umpqua Watersheds Non-Profit organization and the county government, through commissioner Chris Boice.