ABOUT THE STUMP

A stump can be seen as a metaphor for a variety of things. For some it may signal an end, to some a beginning, and to others a platform to speak from. For me, it is all three and more.

The term “stump speech” is most often associated with politicians. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as “a speech that is made many times by a politician who is traveling to different places during a campaign for election.”  In early American history, it was common for those seeking political office to use a stump as a platform or podium to speak from during their campaign. Often these speeches were repeated in each new area the candidate traveled to. This has led the term to be used when someone advocating for an issue or position uses the same or similar speech or talking points in every venue they presented at.

The use of stumps was not limited to campaign speeches either. In Chehalis, Washington, there is the ‘McKinley Stump’. Originally cut in 1901 to serve as a platform for then President McKinley to be used during an anticipated visit to Chehalis in 1901. Ultimately, it was not McKinley who used the stump but rather President Theodore Roosevelt used it during a speech in May of 1903 in Chehalis. This stump was also used in 1907 by William H. Taft, then Secretary of War, for a speech during a visit to Chehalis. As a forester and timber policy person, it seemed only natural to name this show ‘The Stump’, it is my “platform” or stage to speak and engage from.

A stump can also be seen as an ending. The end of the stand of timber when harvested provides the wood products that our society demands. Wood to build our homes, our furniture, to write on, ship our packages in, and to wipe our…….. Well, you get the point. But it can also be seen as the start of something new. A newly planted stand of trees. One that will grow and over time provide a whole host of benefits, including at some point in the future, the wood our children and grandchildren will use to rebuild or build homes, furniture for those homes, and maybe even the fuel for our air travel or the ingredients for new types of batteries.

Regardless of how you see a stump. I hope you stick around and enjoy the show.

-Matt

Well, the ‘we’ right now is a ‘me’ and some technology. That is the good thing about the modern era and technology. Getting started in something that decades ago would have required a lot of financial resources and people is possible. But today for a few bucks and some time, it is possible to launch all sorts of ventures.

As for me, I am a trained forest engineer and forester with over 25 years of experience in the ‘woods’. I was fortunate to participate in a natural resources leadership program about 15 years ago, where my interest in forest policy grew. Around that same time, I became a Public Information Officer, as part of my role as a wildland firefighter for my employer at the time. This ultimately led me out of the woods to focus on the policy and advocacy side of forestry. And while my primary work is not in the ‘brush’ anymore, I still get plenty of opportunities to spend time at work in the woods.

A podcast or video show has been something I have been kicking around for a year and a half or so. In the Spring of 2022, I got the opportunity to appear on a local radio show called “Local Matters with Johnny Manson.” That 1-hour segment was focused on a forest carbon offset project and the potential impacts on jobs in the woods and sawmills. That first show went well, and I was asked back to talk about other forestry issues that could impact the local area. I now appear once per month and Johnny, the host, has informally referred to it as “Timber Talk.”

That show was the catalyst for me getting off my butt and getting going on launching this show. I have had some ups and downs and false starts with getting this off the ground. I am sure there will be more hurdles as this adventure unfolds, but time to push for the top of the hill.