Abstract:
This case examines how Oregon responded to a set of interconnected challenges—catastrophic wildfires, economic decline in rural timber communities, and a severe housing shortage—through an ambitious regional development strategy centered on mass timber. Following the 2020 Labor Day wildfires, state agencies, universities, and other regional partners came together to explore long-term recovery solutions. Their efforts coincided with the launch of the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC), a $1 billion federal initiative designed to support coalition-led regional industry strategies. The case follows the formation of the Oregon Mass Timber Coalition (OMTC) and its development of a “forest-to-frame” strategy linking forest restoration, advanced wood manufacturing, workforce development, and affordable housing. It explores how the coalition aligned diverse institutional interests, designed a portfolio of interdependent projects, navigated federal requirements, and secured $41.4 million in BBBRC funding. The case also examines the implementation challenges that followed, including governance, coordination, capacity constraints, and long-term sustainability. More broadly, it uses the OMTC experience to explore the promise and limitations of place-based industrial policy and the federal government’s role in fostering regional economic transformation.
Learning Objectives:
This case is designed to help students understand how regional coalitions form and operate in response to complex economic, environmental, and social challenges. Through the OMTC, students examine how federal programs shape local strategy, how organizations with different missions align around a shared vision, and how place-based policies attempt to solve collective action problems. The case also encourages students to evaluate the tradeoffs inherent in large-scale regional development efforts.
