Royce Cox, Rob Pierce, Charlie Pottenger and Keith Brink (l to r) at the paper arrow placed near Meadow Creek.
Searching for a snag
Another glimpse into the work and experiences of Royce G. Cox, Potlatch Forester
By Charlie Pottenger
Royce Cox became a friend in 1975 when we first met while both were employed by Potlatch Corporation. Probably everyone whose path has crossed Royce’s has the same impression. Late this summer we met again at a weekly luncheon for retired Potlatch employees. Royce shared his passion for forestry history and some of his experiences which were reported in the Clearwater Tribune’s county fair edition in September.
At that time, Royce revealed one of his life-long projects which had begun early in his Potlatch career, the photographic diary of forest regeneration as it evolved under the professional forest management of Potlatch Corporation. The concepts of managing forest land to achieve healthy forest growth after harvest or fire.
It turns out that Royce was deeply involved in the forestry efforts of Potlatch beginning with his arrival in Clearwater County in 1940, as reported earlier. As the company developed strategies to reforest harvested or burned sites, Royce began developing locations he calls “Photo Points” from which he took sequential photographs showing the results as the forest rapidly grew from stumps to merchantable timber in his lifetime! He had taken repetitive photos as these forests grew and had a true record, proving that forests are indeed “renewable resources.”
As we discussed these experiences, a plan evolved to attempt to go out together and take new pictures of at least two of his oldest “Photo Points,” “Meadow Creek” and “Camp 52.” Royce had done this previously in the early 2000’s and had secured a helicopter from which to take aerial photos after going into the woods and placing large white paperboard markers on the ground. This time the plan was to use my plane, which was easily available, to obtain new pictures and add to the chronicle which Royce hopes to publish as a tribute to the pioneer foresters and pioneering forestry work done under the management of Potlatch.
First a contact was made with Clearwater Paper Company (formerly part of Potlatch) to obtain a gift of white paperboard which would be used to create ground markers which would be visible from the air and locate the on-ground “Photo Points” which are now in such large timber that ground level photographs no longer can give a sense of progress because the trees are so large and beautiful. This took a couple of weeks and resulted in a small roll of paper and our great thanks to a wonderful company.
Then, discussions were held with Potlatch Corporation and Idaho Department of Lands to assure access to the forest sites. The Meadow Creek site was formerly Potlatch-owned and was subsequently traded to Idaho as part of a land swap. By this time the plane was due for annual re-licensing which brought us to late October.
Finally, with all equipment ready and the necessary contacts established, your reporter and 94 year old Royce Cox set out to trek into the forest to find photo points established as early as 1949!
We rented a four-wheeler with side by side seating and trailered it along with lunches, soft drinks, axes, chainsaws, Royce’s maps and former photos, plus Royce and me. Royce had arranged to meet Keith Brink, Senior Resource Specialist, Idaho Lands Department and Rob Pierce, Field Forester, Potlatch Corporation at the company’s Headquarters office. We received a hearty greeting upon arrival demonstrating the respect for Royce among foresters still managing forest resources in Idaho’s vast timberlands.
After reviewing Royce’s plan for the day, we headed for the woods following their trucks with our truck and trailered ATV. Not too far from Headquarters, we reached the trailhead of an old skid road which would lead us to the “Meadow Creek’ site. It was a fine entourage – consisting of Keith leading on his ATV, followed by Royce and me on our big ATV, and Rob bringing up the rear. We drove and cleared windfalls, blocking the trail with the axes and chainsaw, until after about one and one-half miles we came to the point Royce believed to be his Meadow Creek Photo Point. Sure enough, after dismounting, Royce was able to peer through the timber and discern an old orange painted tree trunk labeled “PP2,” his Meadow Creek photo point.
Remember, Royce is 94 years old and walks with the aid of two canes! We assumed that we would place a huge white paper arrow in a small opening so we would better be able to pin-point his photo point from the air later. But we soon learned that nothing could prevent him from realizing his dream to be photographed next to the “snag” which had been the land mark in his photo chronology of the ability of nature, assisted by forest managers, to regenerate a forest. He insisted we all climb down a slippery, wet, steep hill to the point where he began recording forest growth about 1949!
We protested, Royce persisted, and we began the descent. Soon it became apparent that the 200 yard trek, descending to the “snag” and then returning, was going to involve helping Royce, keeping him from sliding down the steep, really steep grade. A rope and a spunky, determined 94 year old forester solved the problem. Royce dubbed the solution a new form of “Rope a Dope!” Royce was literally tied to a rope and with just a slight pressure to stabilize him and eliminate his tendency to slip. Three of us, Royce, Rob, and Charlie made it to and from his goal.
Finally, at the bottom of the descent, Royce was able to walk over, secured by his rope, to the ancient, charred snag which he has visited frequently over the years since 1949 when reforestation of this site began. To say he was happy would be understating his joy; to say he was ecstatic would still be an under statement. He had fulfilled a dream!
We also located Royce’s “Camp 52, Photo Point” but it was simple. We drove right to it in the truck and placed the white Paper arrow, no sweat!
One month later we pushed and squeezed Royce into a small plane and flew four hours searching for the Meadow Creek paper arrow marker. We found it three separate times and circled to try to include it as a reference in an aerial photograph of Royce’s site. However, we never caught the Meadow Creek marker in the photographs. We flew over four hours and took dozens of pictures, many of which definitely include the vast green of a healthy maturing forest of towering trees, the forest Royce helped to grow! We were successful in finding the roadside “Camp 52” marker.
Royce is working to catalog all of his forest progress photographs and his adventures in forestry in a soon-to-be-completed book. When Royce publishes his book, this author promises to bring it to Clearwater Tribune readers’ attention.
While Royce realized part of his dream at age 94, to revisit these two other photo points, Keith Brink, Rob Pierce, and the author had an unforgettable experience with a living legend!
Royce Cox at his PP2 Meadow Creek photo point marker.
Royce Cox enjoying his rope adventure.
Rob Pierce and Keith Brink clearing windfalls from the trail.
Royce Cox deplaning after a four hour adventure in the skies over Meadow Creek. Royce Cox, Rob Pierce, Charlie Pottenger and Keith Brink (l to r) at the paper arrow placed near Meadow Creek.