Recently, Warren Oja, District Ranger for Sam Houston National Forest (SHNF), retired from the U.S. Forest Service (FS) after working more than 45 years as a public servant. Warren spent time in Alaska and California before he came to Texas in the autumn of 2006 to assume the responsibilities of SHNF District Ranger.
One of the reasons Warren was chosen as District Ranger, was because of his ability to listen and work with people with different viewpoints. The National Forest and Grasslands in Texas (NFGT) Forest Supervisor, Fred Salinas, wanted to end 30 years of lawsuits against the FS in Texas and work with the Sierra Club, Texas Conservation Alliance, and others to manage for the federally endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker and implement ecosystem management.
Warren first met with the Sierra Club just after he assumed his position at a dinner where he and the Assistant Forest Supervisor discussed forest management in the NFGT with the Sierra Club. Warren also participated early on with the Sierra Club and others in a workshop which covered construction and maintenance of all types of trails.
Warren met many times with the Sierra Club about proposals, projects, and ideas on how to mange SHNF in a more ecologically focused manner. After having been locked out of any opportunities to suggest and make changes to FS actions for 30 years, the Sierra Club was invited by Warren to the decision table. As a result, for the first time in the NFGT, proposals were approved which left downed wood on-the-ground for its wildlife, water quality, and soil benefits instead of being salvaged logged.
Warren also protected a blackland prairie and removed a short extension of a motorized trail from a proposed horseback riding trail proposal because of possible environmental impacts and due to the lack of consensus from all concerned citizens.
Perhaps, other than listening and connecting with different people, Warren’s biggest achievement was pushed for the formation of the Sam Houston Trails Coalition (SHTC), where all trail users, hikers, bikers, horse-back riders, and motorized riders, work together on planning, trail construction, and maintenance projects. The SHTC has made steady progress over 9 years and has worked toward a volunteer and united all-user trail vision for SHNF.
Warren had to wrestle with low and fluctuating budgets, personnel cuts, position freezes, loss of key staff, staff detail to fight fires in other parts of the country, and an ever-changing FS vision and structure. Throughout it all Warren continued to work hard and provided suggestions about how the FS could more efficiently and effectively manage SHNF and the NFGT.
It is not known yet who will take Warren’s place but whoever does has “big shoes” to fill. That person would do well to review Warren’s legacy and give him a call.
Although the Sierra Club did not always agree with Warren, he allowed us to become a real participant in SHNF management. The Sierra Club salutes Warren and wishes him the best in his retirement.
Photos courtesy of Cathy Murphy