Lioness of Idaho: Queen of the Forest

Loggers and environmentalists are often at odds, but to Coeur d’Alene’s Louise Shadduck they were two sides of the same coin. Once called the “Queen of Idaho Forests,” she found ways to help loggers by saving forests.

Her love of trees was lifelong. As a young reporter for the Coeur d’Alene Press, she commented on the sweet smell of the lumber mill when she walked outside. Growing up riding horses on a farm, she promoted Idaho businesses by guiding business and political leaders into the wilderness on horseback.

When she headed Sen. Dworshak’s staff, one of the aides under her was Orval Hanson. A decade later, when he was elected to the U.S. House, he wanted and got Louise’s experience and quiet expertise as his right arm and head of staff.

During her years there, Louise, the one-time reporter for the Coeur d’Alene Press and lifelong promoter of journalism, was elected President of the National Federation of Press Women. In that role, she spoke in Tel Aviv at a 50-nation conference of women journalists.

In 1971, the high school graduate who always wanted to go to college was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Idaho. She was recruited as a candidate for the university’s vice president, but declined in order to continue working with the congressman.

One piece of legislation they helped pass would allow states to ease taxes for independent loggers and owners who held land for sustainable logging. Until then, owners of forest lands were assessed and taxed each year on the full value of standing timber. Under that law, over the many years it takes to grow a tree, taxes would have been many times the lumber value.

At that time, the only way to make a profit in logging was either to cut more and more from public lands, or to “cut and run,” which is to buy a piece of property, clearcut everything possible the first year, then sell the land for some other use, like a parking lot. Not only did that deplete woodlands and create pressure to cut on federal lands, but it left only decreasing prospects for future generations of loggers.

Under the new system, private landowners could actually profit by raising trees over many generations, taking some pressure off public lands. This also meant that, instead of having to clearcut for every penny of immediate benefit, landowners could choose to leave smaller trees. Not only would this help the forests replenish later, it would also keep vast acres green and fresh for wildlife and recreation. Also, the freedom to make long-term plans for their forests will give private loggers and landowners the opportunity to react to any changes in weather and wildfire.

In 1979, Louise was invited by Frank Church to be part of a trade delegation to the People's Republic of China. Relationships had been initiated by President Nixon and normalized by the Taiwan Relations Act signed by Jimmy Carter. Idaho’s U.S. Sen. Church believed relations with China held benefits for Idaho’s timber, agricultural and mineral industries. He took the heads of Morrison-Knudsen, Ore-Ida and Boise Cascade. Louise went as executive director of Idaho Forest Industries. She took forest industry contacts and samples of seeds and seedlings and even Idaho “spud” souvenir pins to give to children.

China had realized its horrible lack of trees, but had tried unsuccessfully simply to drop seeds and seedlings out of planes. Louise had tea with China’s minister of forestry to explain more efficient practices. While in China, she spoke to gatherings and set up educational programs, which would continue to teach more realistic forestry practices. On a trip to a mall there, she was surrounded by Chinese children when she started giving out Idaho spud buttons.

Louise served on Idaho’s Advisory Committee on State and Private Forestry until its charter expired in 1981. Over the following years, she traveled extensively, going back to China. On a trip to Russia, she rented a car and drove around taking tourist pictures with her hidden camera. She wrote books about Idaho’s doctors, sheep farmers, rodeo riders and a history of Coeur d’Alene.

She was tricked by being asked to speak at the dedication of a new Department of Lands building on Industrial Loop in Coeur d’Alene. She showed up, notes in hand for her speech, surrounded by forestry and state dignitaries, but to her surprise, she was the one being honored when the new building’s name was revealed. It is “Idaho Department of Lands, Louise Shadduck Office Building.”

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Mike Bullard is the local author of "Lioness of Idaho: Louise Shadduck and the Power of Polite." Bullard will give free copies of the book to anyone who donates to League of Women Voters at a book reading from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 at Coeur d'Alene Public Library.