Chris Evans

PHILOMTH, Oregon — A shuttered sawmill that left more than 100 people without jobs has found a new life as a mass timber manufacturing facility, offering hope to a rural community. The US Forest Service says many of the millions of acres of American forests are overcrowded with smaller trees, increasing wildfire risk, and recommends tree-thinning projects that support rural economies. …In 2024, the Interfor mill in Philomath, Oregon, closed, eliminating the only mill within city limits in the town of just under 6,000 people. Six months later, the Portland-based company Timberlab purchased the facility to manufacture mass timber products. “When that Timberlab news came in, I think there was a sort of breath of new life, like, ‘Oh, wow, OK, this isn’t over yet,’” Christopher McMorran, Philomath’s mayor, said. …While the exact number of returning jobs remains unclear, local officials are optimistic about the model’s potential.