Heath Curtis

Vice President of Legal and Government Affairs, Hampton Lumber

Portland, OR

August 24th, 2025

On a balmy Sunday morning, as the sun begins to creep over the Douglas Firs and Oregon White Oaks of the Zena Forest, Heath Curtiss graciously sits with us in the chair circle to discuss his instrumental part in the creation of the Private Forest Accord, a historic agreement between lumber companies and conservation organizations that brings benefits to both timber companies and environmental groups.

Heath explains how his youth spent hunting and fishing in Montana helped nurture his immense love for nature. He goes on to describe how he quickly saw nature not only as a place to recreate, but as a means to make a living.

A delicate balance can be achieved between conservation and resource use in forests, and Heath is committed to overcoming the ways timber companies and conservation groups have deadlocked in the past. Heath argues that this impasse does more harm than good, and often leads to a black and white solution in a very grey area in today’s environment. Passionate about his neighbor’s ability to make a living, but also about preserving forests for generations to come, he tells us about his role in brokering compromise.

By playing a crucial role in the development of the Private Forest Accord (PFA), Heath worked to find common ground between opposing sides. The PFA mitigates the timber industry’s effects on streams and their resident organisms by increasing stream buffers and implementing a more environmentally-conscious pesticide application system. In return, the timber industry receives immunity from EPA lawsuits concerning the endangered species act, leading to more stable regulation surrounding their business.

Heath left us with the final thought that everything has tradeoffs, especially in his line of work. However, if both sides are willing to sit down and have difficult conversations, everyone can walk away in a better place than where they started.

By Griffin Arnett