ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the impact of economic change on the social ecology of a region. It aims to trace the structural change within the wood products industry has altered the social and economic landscape of Oregon. The chapter presents an overview of Oregon's wood products industry and describes the process by which technological innovation and plant modernization is transforming it. It reviews the immediate economic consequences of this transformation for individuals and communities. The chapter discusses how the direct economic impact is altering the demographic characteristics of Oregon, as well as the economic and social vitality of many of Oregon's rural communities. One consequence of the decline of the wood products industry is the concentration of economic activity in the metropolitan areas of the state. Population migration is among the most powerful forces shaping the cultural and economic landscape of an area. Oregon's wood products industry is undergoing a major transformation through technological innovation and plant modernization.
