[ODF_Private_Forests] June 3 Forestry Board meeting

[WEEKS Kevin]

Oregon Dept. of Forestry issued this news release today.

For immediate release                           Major media distribution
May 21, 2009                                    Contact: Rod Nichols, 503-945-7425, or
09-18                                           Dan Postrel, 503-945-7420

State Forests focus of June 3 Forestry Board meeting

Management of Oregon’s state-owned forests, including a recommendation that could increase timber harvests over recent averages, will head the agenda when the Board of Forestry meets June 3 in Salem. Highlight items that will be addressed at the meeting include:

 *   State forests policy recommendations – Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) staff will propose rule changes to revise the forest management plan (FMP) to allow a different balance of economic, environmental and social benefits. Changing the goal for older forest types from 40-60 percent to 30-50 percent would result in an increase in harvests of about 7-12 percent over what was averaged from 2002 to 2006. The recommendation also establishes draft species of concern strategy as ODF’s approach to managing habitats, replacing the draft habitat conservation plan now in place.
 *   Species of concern evaluation – ODF staff will present evaluation findings about how habitats for fish and wildlife species of concern in the northwestern Oregon state forests would fare under two different management approaches. (“Species of concern” are those fish, birds, mammals and amphibians – including threatened, endangered and sensitive species – most likely to be impacted by changes in their habitat.) ODF and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife estimated trends in habitats for a list of 40 species of fish, birds, mammals and amphibians under the existing approach as compared to an alternative management regime under review by the board.
 *   State forests’ performance measures – The board will discuss a report that evaluates how each of the management approaches described above would affect achievement of a set of performance measures for the northwestern state forests. The board has established nine performance measures to gauge the performance of the Northwestern Oregon State Forests Management Plan (FMP) in providing a balance of social, economic and environmental benefits.
 *   Biennial budget update – The board will receive an update on the biennial budget process for ODF.
 *   Private Forests Program issue paper – The board will discuss a draft issue paper on current and emerging challenges to privately owned forestlands. The document addresses a number of concerns, with particular attention to the ongoing trend toward conversion of Oregon’s private forest to other uses, and alternative funding mechanisms for the Private Forests Program.
 *   District fire protection budgets – The board will consider for approval the fiscal year 2010 district fire protection budgets. These budgets fund the day-to-day wildland firefighting response conducted by the ODF field districts and fire protection associations.
 *   Mary Rellergert Forestry Education Award - The annual Mary Rellergert Forestry Education Award will be presented to outstanding forest educators selected for their contributions to forestry education over the past year. The award winners will briefly profile their work for the Board. Mary Rellergert served as the department’s education coordinator on the Tillamook State Forest, establishing a forestry education outreach that has reached thousands of students. She passed away in 2004.
 *   Board of Forestry performance evaluation – The board will conduct its annual performance self-evaluation during the meeting.


The meeting will begin at 8 a.m. in the Tillamook Room – Administration Building (C), at Oregon Department of Forestry headquarters, 2600 State St., in Salem.

The meeting is open to the public, and comments will be received on forestry-related items not included in the agenda during a public comment period shortly after 8 a.m. Members of the public wishing to comment on specific agenda items will have opportunity to address the board during the time each item is scheduled.

Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services or assistance can be arranged by calling the Oregon Department of Forestry Agency Affairs Office at least 48 hours before the meeting - 503-945-7200, text telephone 503-945-7213 (in Salem).

More information on the Board of Forestry can be found at www.oregon.gov/ODF/BOARD/<http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/BOARD/>. Background information on the agenda items is available through the 2009 Meeting Schedule link.

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ODF Private Forests News service -

Kevin Weeks
ODF Agency Affairs Office
(503) 945-7427