A cross-section of county commissioners, judges, and chairs visited Tillamook County in early June for a peer-to-peer learning event, the Tillamook Working Lands and Waters Tour.
Held Sunday, June 5 – Monday, June 6, the event offered a variety of local, innovative industry perspectives to highlight how land and water impact the economic engine of a rural county, and how the county supports preservation and restoration efforts.
Tillamook County Commissioners Mary Faith Bell, Erin Skaar, and David Yamamoto, and the county; the Tillamook Area Chamber of Commerce; Oregonians for Food and Shelter; and Tillamook Working Lands and Waters Cooperative (TWLWC) opened up their tour to county commissioners, judges, and chairs across the state’s 36 counties through the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC).
“Tillamook County is doing incredible things, and our local economy benefits from our abundant, balanced, and well-protected resources,” said Bell.
The tour began with a dinner and opportunity to engage with the Tillamook Creamery Association Visitor’s Center building on Sunday evening. Participants were able to see and taste products from one of the primary industries supporting residents of Tillamook County.
“We were excited to be able to share this now world famous product with our fellow commissioners, judges, and chairs. Each county is unique, and to be able to share the key resources that make Tillamook County — Tillamook County is pretty special,” said Skaar. “It also allows us to highlight what’s at stake — what we’re working to preserve in the county, and how we work with our legislative partners to do so.”
The tour continued on day two covering key policy issues, including carbon, stream restoration, timber, and more. Participants were able to visit Tillamook Lumber, the brand new, state of the art Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Trask Fish Hatchery, managed forests in community watersheds, the Bewley Creek Stream restoration project, and Kuipers Farms LLC, Dairy.
“Tillamook County is a leader when it comes to clean water, habitat restoration, and fish recovery,” commented Yamamoto, a key organizer in this semi-regular tour. “Being able to demonstrate that through this tour helps highlight how counties can be supportive and successful in striking a balance between preservation, restoration, and creating a strong economy locally.”
Yamamoto noted the partnership of state agencies and other invested groups such as the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregon Department of Forestry provide a collaborative and beneficial environment for achieving common goals, and fostering a successful shared environmental and industry model. Partners were available on the tour to help answer technical questions.
“This was an incredible experience. AOC serves as a body to connect county elected officials, share knowledge, best practices, and unite in advocacy efforts,” commented AOC Executive Director, Gina Firman Nikkel. “Tillamook County offers some great tools and resources for others who are looking for innovative ways to balance economic needs with environmental support.”
Contributed by: Megan Chuinard | Public Affairs Associate