September 2023 Newsletter
“The state forests hold a profound place in my family's history.”
Logging the Tillamook Burn
Nancy Pyburn grew up in a ‘timber family.’ “Our life revolved around the forests of the Coast Range,” she says. Her father, Harry, logged up and down those forests as his way to be outdoors despite initially training as an accountant.
During the summer, she and her mother, Twila, would stay with him in the logging camps. “My mother used to make me lunch and then send me off into the woods to fish and explore on my own,” says Nancy. It was the beginning of a lifelong appreciation for nature's beauty.
The family also witnessed the devastation of forest fires. While Nancy watched fires burn on the Coastal Range, Harry, like other loggers, was often fighting them. As harrowing as firefighting was, that experience did not prepare Harry for his for the horrors of World War II.
"When he was drafted, he went right into the Battle of the Bulge. He was there for another year and a half in the occupation. And part of his job right after was to emancipate the concentration camps.”
“So, he saw the worst, and he came back terribly damaged, and that affected my life. It affected my mother's life. My father was remote. We didn't know what to call it at the time. Patton had called it cowardice.” Now, they call it PTSD.
"After he returned from WWII, he spent many, many hours walking and sitting in the Oregon forests. He knew every road, logging landing abandoned and current, every fire, and every creek. He hunted in the forest. He often took me to the forest with him as a child."
Nancy spent her career in education and youth development. Knowing the mental and physical benefits of spending time in forests, she says, “It’s a shame so many kids never get to even touch a tree out in nature.”
As an adult visiting her father, Nancy recalls, “We would get in his old pickup, drive up to where we could see across the valley and pick out the major mountains. And we would walk and sit in his favorite places,” she says.
Nancy and Harry about the time they discovered the TFC
A few years before he passed, Nancy and Harry discovered the Tillamook Forest Center, which became a special place for them. There, they met a volunteer, Jim, who connected with Harry. They would pour over Harry’s pictures and talk about his life, logging, and firefighting. This helped him keep his connection to the forests that had provided for his family and helped him heal from the trauma of the war.
Nancy Pyburn
In memory of her father and understanding the manifold benefits of forests, Nancy donated a commemorative bench to the Tillamook Forest Center Fund. This bench honors Harry Byrnes, symbolizing his unwavering connection to the woods and their role in sustaining his family. The state forests not only shaped their lives but also offered solace, healing, and a sense of belonging that remains an enduring legacy.
Forests Can Heal
Have you ever noticed how even a brief stroll in the forest can leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated? This sense of well-being extends beyond just escaping the pressures of daily life and the digital world. Forests possess a remarkable capacity to facilitate emotional healing and in coping with stress and anxiety. Often referred to as "forest bathing" or Shinrin-yoku in Japanese, forest therapy brings many mental health benefits.
Stress Reduction: Research has shown forests can significantly lower cortisol levels, effectively alleviating stress.
Improved Mood: Exposure to nature, specifically forests, has been linked to enhanced mood and reduced anxiety levels.
Reduced Rumination: Time spent in forests can mitigate repetitive thoughts and dwelling on negative feelings, leading to improved mental health.
Connection and Restoration: Our natural affinity for nature underscores the profound sense of connection and revitalization, fostering social cohesion and psychological restoration.
In a world increasingly aware of the importance of well-being, the therapeutic potential of spending time in forests is gaining recognition. Whether it's the rustling leaves, the earthy scents, or the soothing serenity, Oregon's state forests offer a profound opportunity for nurturing our mental health.
