According to recent federal data, workers in the logging industry are roughly 33 times more likely to die from a workplace injury compared to those in other civilian occupations. In Oregon, the industry has been in decline since the ‘90s due to a mix of environmental restrictions around timber harvests, wildlife protections for endangered animals and competition from lumber imports. But the lure of high wages can outweigh the physical risks loggers face, especially in rural parts of the state, as New York Times economics correspondent Kurtis Lee recently found during a reporting trip to southwestern Oregon. He joins us to share what he learned.
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