From kevin.weeks at state.or.us  Fri Sep  3 08:46:59 2010
From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin)
Date: Fri, 3 Sep 2010 08:46:59 -0700
Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Safe Harbor Agreement Advances Northern
	Spotted Owl Conservation
Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B666FF4F15@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US>

A joint announcement of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Oregon Department of Forestry.

September 3, 2010
Media contacts:  Janet Lebson, FWS, (503) 231-6179 or janet_lebson at fws.gov<mailto:janet_lebson at fws.gov>
  Kevin Weeks, ODF, (503) 945-7427 or kevin.weeks at state.or.us<mailto:kevin.weeks at state.or.us>
              Sara Magenheimer, NRCS, (503) 414-3250 or sara.magenheimer at or.usda.gov<mailto:sara.magenheimer at or.usda.gov>

Safe Harbor Agreement Advances Northern Spotted Owl Conservation, Offers Regulatory Assurances and Financial Incentives to Private Forest Landowners

Federal and state agencies have reached a landmark agreement that assures private forest landowners can continue to manage for long-term, sustainable timber harvests while also enhancing northern spotted owl habitat.

The entirely voluntary statewide Safe Harbor Agreement features conservation efforts coupled with federal financial incentives and technical assistance to landowners.  This is the broadest effort in Oregon to enhance the contribution of non-federal lands to spotted owl recovery since the Pacific Northwest forest raptor was listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1990.  The agreement is a coordinated effort among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), and USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Landowners who enter into the Safe Harbor Agreement will be able to develop or conserve spotted owl habitat, with the assurance that if the property eventually attracts owls, timber harvest or other activities could continue, as long as the land is managed to provide a net conservation benefit to the species.  The agreement is intended to encourage landowners to pursue conservation values while also deriving the economic return they need to continue to manage their land for a range of benefits.

"This Safe Harbor has the potential to be a pivot point in the northern spotted owl's recovery in the State of Oregon," said Paul Henson, State Supervisor of the Fish and Wildlife Service's Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office.  "Inviting more involvement from citizens and non-federal partners is just one way we're addressing one of the Northwest's biggest conservation challenges with pragmatic approaches to endangered species recovery."

"This agreement gives much greater assurance to forestland owners and managers in Oregon's spotted owl territory and will serve to increase participation, enhance protection, and stimulate productivity on these landscapes," said Johnny Sundstrom, forest landowner and past President of the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts.  "Surely this is a win-win for all of us who care about these private, working-land forests and their crucial importance to our state."


The three agencies will provide technical assistance to private forest landowners as they establish a balance between timber harvest to support local communities and the unique requirements of sustainable spotted owl habitats in the Northwest.

Working with local staff, landowners also have the opportunity to apply for financial incentives to support selected forest practices.  Participation in Safe Harbor on Oregon forestlands is accomplished through development of a stewardship agreement between the landowner and ODF.  A stewardship agreement is a voluntary written plan where a landowner agrees to meet the natural resource protection standards of the Oregon Forest Practices Act through alternate practices.

"Oregon's policy is to promote a balance of environmental, economic, and social benefits from our forests," said Marvin Brown, Oregon State Forester.  "Safe Harbor supports that balance.  It allows landowners to protect owl habitat, with the assurance that they can also continue to manage their land for other benefits."

NRCS' Healthy Forest Reserve Program is a voluntary conservation program under the 2008 Farm Bill established for the purpose of restoring and enhancing forest ecosystems. In Oregon, the focus of this program is to support private forest landowners to manage their land for sustainable, profitable timber harvests while promoting habitat for the threatened northern spotted owl.  Participating landowners will receive assurances under the Safe Harbor Agreement and are compensated for enrolling forests in permanent easements and agreeing to manage those lands using sustainable forest practices.  The program has been implemented in only eight states across the nation, with Oregon added in 2009.

"Private landowners and the lands they manage are critical for the recovery of the northern spotted owl," said Ron Alvarado, State Conservationist with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service. "In order to involve landowners, they must be able to effectively make a living on those lands.  This agreement allows landowners to manage their lands sustainably while also protecting an iconic western species, resulting in a positive outcome for Oregonians."

Covering the range of the spotted owl throughout the state, the Safe Harbor Agreement is focused on forest landowners with 5,000 acres or less and has a 50-year duration.  In addition to special incentives provided under ODF and NRCS land stewardship programs, those who participate gain formal assurance from the Fish and Wildlife Service that they will not face future regulatory restrictions on the use of the land enrolled if they agree to improve its habitat value for spotted owls.

Here's how it works: the voluntary agreements would encourage long-term conservation benefits such as extended timber harvest rotations, forest management strategies that develop spotted owl habitat characteristics, and maintenance of owl habitat conditions for the duration of the agreement and possibly beyond.  The agreement helps implement several recovery actions identified in the 2008 Northern Spotted Owl Recovery Plan related to encouraging habitat conservation on non-federal lands to benefit the owl.

Toward the end of the agreement period in 2060, participating landowners have the option of continuing their conservation measures on the enrolled land, returning it to baseline conditions that existed at the beginning of the agreement, for example, by increasing commercial logging activities, or anything in between.

The main threats to the spotted owl are habitat loss and competition from barred owls, which are native to eastern North America but moved into the range of the spotted owl over the last century.  The most recent analysis of data on spotted owl demographics such as occupancy, survival, reproduction, and movement indicates that the owl continues to decline in seven of 11 study areas in Washington, Oregon, and California (populations are stationary in the other four).  The overall rangewide spotted owl population is declining at an average rate of nearly 3 percent per year.

There are currently three other Safe Harbor agreements for the spotted owl:  one signed in 2002 with Forster-Gill, Inc. covering 236 acres near the town of Blue Lake in northern California; a second signed in 2009 with the non-profit Pacific Forest Trust, a land conservation group that manages the 2,200-acre Van Eck Forest in Humboldt, Calif.; and a third, for the owl and the threatened marbled murrelet, signed in 2009 with Port Blakely Tree Farms covering 45,000 acres in Lewis and Skamania Counties in southwestern Washington.

Further information about the program is available from ODF at www.oregon.gov/odf<http://www.oregon.gov/odf>.  For additional information regarding assistance from the NRCS contact your local USDA Service Center or visit www.or.nrcs.usda.gov<http://www.or.nrcs.usda.gov>.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov<http://www.fws.gov> and in Oregon, http://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/

NRCS-Helping people help the land.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people
conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.  For additional information, please visit the Oregon NRCS website at: www.or.nrcs.usda.gov<http://www.or.nrcs.usda.gov>
The Oregon Department of Forestry serves the people of Oregon by protecting, managing, and promoting stewardship of Oregon's forests to enhance environmental, economic, and community sustainability.  For additional information, please visit http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/

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From kevin.weeks at state.or.us  Wed Sep  8 13:41:28 2010
From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin)
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 2010 13:41:28 -0700
Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Board approves land exchanges in western & NW
	Oregon
Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B666FF531D@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US>

Oregon Department of Forestry - NEWS RELEASE(S)

Board of Forestry approves land transfers in western Oregon

September 8, 2010
Contact:         Mike Totey (541) 929-9151 or Kevin Weeks (503) 945-7427
NR10-48

The Oregon Board of Forestry today approved the exchange of forestland located in Benton, Lincoln and Polk counties, where similar amounts of state land will be exchanged for private land.

The land exchange involves about 1,904 acres of state-owned land and 2,095 acres of forest owned by Starker Forests Incorporated. The land values, including harvestable timber, are approximately equal, according to an independent appraisal. Third-party assessments also were conducted for sensitive plant, fish and wildlife habitat on affected forest lands. ODF completed an assessment of recreational values.

The forestland acreage in the land exchange approved Wednesday includes:
Lincoln County: 1,024 acres of state land and 1,070 acres of Starker land.
Benton County: 484 acres of state land and 696 acres of Starker land.
Polk County: 396 acres of state land (includes 40 acres of Common School Fund land) and 329 acres of Starker land.

The land exchange yields a net increase of 191 additional acres in state ownership of forestland, producing additional economic, environmental and social benefits to Oregon and local county services.

ODF began negotiations with Starker Forests in 2008 regarding a potential exchange of lands for the purpose of consolidating respective ownerships and to increase management efficiency and effectiveness in forest management by both parties.

Public hearings on the proposed land transfer occurred in April 2010 in Newport, Corvallis and Dallas. Additional public comment on the proposal was accepted during May 2010 and the proposed land exchange was approved by the Board of Commissioners in Benton, Lincoln and Polk Counties during June 2010.

The 40-acre parcel of forest in Polk County under Common School Fund ownership proposed for transfer from the Department of State Lands to Starker will be reviewed by the State Land Board this fall. The Board of Forestry voted 5-0 to approve the land exchange, with board member Gary Springer abstaining due to his employment with Starker Forests.

ODF manages 848,000 acres of state forestland to provide social, economic, and environmental benefits to local communities throughout Oregon. Additional information, including maps of the land exchange areas, is available on the Oregon Department of Forestry website, www.oregon.gov/ODF

###

Board of Forestry approves land transfer with Cannon Beach

September 8, 2010
Contact:           Ron Zilli (503) 325-5451 or Kevin Weeks (503) 945-7427
NR10-47

The Oregon Board of Forestry today approved the transfer of several hundred acres of forestland located within Cannon Beach's watershed to the City in exchange for several forest parcels within Clatsop County that are owned by the city moving to state ownership.

The land exchange approved Wednesday transfers one 805-acre contiguous block of State Forest land (Ecola Tract) which encompasses a majority of the City of Cannon Beach's watershed, for eight parcels totaling approximately 720 acres in City ownership.

"The primary purpose of the exchange is to consolidate ODF lands managed by the Astoria District which will improve the social, economic, and environmental benefits provided from public forestlands, and makes management of these lands more economically feasible," said Ron Zilli, Assistant District Forester for ODF's Astoria District. "The high quality salmon habitat on this forest parcel will be managed for conservation under a stewardship plan being developed by the City.  This land exchange is a win-win for Oregon."

The 805-acre Ecola Tract was recently appraised at $2,570,000 while the 720 acres of City-owned land have a market valuation of $2,519,000. The $51,000 difference in land value will be resolved through a one-time payment made to ODF by Cannon Beach.

"An independent appraisal found the land values, including harvestable timber, are approximately equal," said Zilli. "Third-party assessments were conducted for sensitive plant, fish and wildlife habitats while ODF completed an assessment of potential impacts and benefits of recreational values."

The land exchange process has been underway since 2008 when Cannon Beach officials approached ODF about the proposal to consolidate land within ODF's Astoria District and provide City ownership of the watershed. A public hearing on the proposal was held in Astoria during May 2010 with public comment accepted on the proposal until June 2010. The exchange was approved by Clatsop County's Board of Commissioners in June 2010.

ODF manages 848,000 acres of state forestland to provide social, economic, and environmental benefits to local communities throughout Oregon. Additional information, including maps of the area within the land exchange, is available on the Oregon Department of Forestry website, www.oregon.gov/ODF

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From kevin.weeks at state.or.us  Wed Sep  8 13:44:46 2010
From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin)
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 2010 13:44:46 -0700
Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Committee for Family Forestlands meets
	September 15
Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B666FF531F@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US>

Committee for Family Forestlands meets September 15 in Salem

September 8, 2010
Contact:         Kevin Weeks (503) 945-7427

Family forest owners have a voice in Oregon's forest policy development through the 10-member Committee for Family Forestlands, which serves an advisory role to the Oregon Board of Forestry regarding issues of concern to Oregon's family-owned forests.

The Committee for Family Forestlands will meet at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday September 15, 2010 at the Oregon Department of Forestry headquarters in Salem, 2600 State Street (Operations Building D, Santiam meeting room).

The agenda for the meeting is under development.

The membership of the Committee includes family forest landowners, forest industry representatives, environmental community and public members, and staff representing the Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon State University and the Oregon Forest Resources Institute.

Members of the public are invited to attend and participate in the meeting. The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. Questions about accessibility or special accommodations for the meeting can be directed to the Oregon Department of Forestry at 503-945-7502.

One-half of Oregon's 61 million acres are forested, with 60 percent of Oregon's forests under federal ownership, 35 percent privately-owned while state, tribal or local government ownership accounts for the remaining five percent. Oregon's forests are among one of the state's most valued resources, providing a balanced mix of environmental, economic and social benefits.

Additional information about the Oregon Department of Forestry is available on ODF's web site, www.oregon.gov/ODF<http://www.oregon.gov/ODF>.

###

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

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From kevin.weeks at state.or.us  Tue Sep 14 12:29:10 2010
From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin)
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:29:10 -0700
Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] State Forest Stewardship Coordinating
	Committee meets September 23
Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B666FF5A1E@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US>

Oregon Department of Forestry

NEWS RELEASE



State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee meets September 23 in Salem



September 14, 2010

Contact:           Kevin Weeks (503) 945-7427



The promotion of conservation and sustainable planning for Oregon's forests will be the subject of a meeting presented by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) in late September.



Oregon's State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee will meet on Thursday September 23, 2010 from 11:00am to 4:00pm at the Oregon Department of Forestry headquarters in Salem, 2600 State Street (Operations Building D - Santiam meeting room).



The proposed agenda for the meeting includes an update on the 2010 State of Oregon Statewide Forest Assessment and review of the five conservation projects submitted to ODF for potential funding by the Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Forest Legacy Program. Project applicants will be provided time in the afternoon for brief presentations explaining their proposed Forest Legacy project.



Forest Legacy is a national cooperative forestry program of the U.S. Forest Service that seeks to conserve private forest lands in areas where forests may be lost to non-forest uses, to help protect forest resources, and enhance community forest conservation partnerships. The program is administered in Oregon by ODF. The voluntary program provides financial incentives -- using conservation easements, land acquisition or land donation -- for private landowners to protect environmentally important working forest areas that are threatened by development, fragmentation and other non-forest uses.



Members of the public are invited to attend and participate in the meeting. The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. Questions about accessibility or special accommodations for the meeting can be directed to the Oregon Department of Forestry at 503-945-7368.



Additional information about the Forest Legacy Program is available on the ODF website: http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/privateforests/forestlegacy.shtml -- additional information about the 2010 Forest Assessment Resource Strategy project is available at: www.oregon.gov/ODF/RESOURCE_PLANNING/2010fars.shtml<http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/RESOURCE_PLANNING/2010fars.shtml>



###



Kevin Weeks

Public Information Officer

ODF Agency Affairs Office

(503) 945-7427
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From kevin.weeks at state.or.us  Mon Sep 20 08:30:22 2010
From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin)
Date: Mon, 20 Sep 2010 08:30:22 -0700
Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Oregon state forester seeks applicants for
	OFRI board
Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B667047E26@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US>

OREGON FOREST RESOURCES INSTITUTE
News Release

Sept. 17, 2010
For Immediate Release
Contact: Dan Postrel, ODF, 503-945-7420
               Dave Kvamme, OFRI, 971-673-2948

Oregon state forester seeks applicants for OFRI board of directors

SALEM, Ore. - Oregon State Forester Marvin Brown is seeking applications from qualified individuals to serve on the board of directors of the Oregon Forest Resources Institute. OFRI is a semi-independent state organization dedicated to forestry education.
The state forester will fill two vacancies created by board members whose terms expire in January 2011.

Persons interested in being considered for positions on the OFRI board now or in the future should contact Dan Postrel at the Oregon Department of Forestry, 2600 State St., Salem, Ore., 97310, or by e-mail at dpostrel at odf.state.or.us. Completed applications for the upcoming two vacancies must be postmarked by Oct. 15, 2010.

According to Oregon law, the state forester appoints 11 of OFRI's 13 board members. Two other members serve ex officio: the dean of the Oregon State University College of Forestry and a public representative who is appointed jointly by the president of the Oregon Senate and the speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives.

Board representation includes small, medium and large forest products producers that pay dedicated forest products harvest taxes to support OFRI's programs. The board also contains one member representing small woodland owners and one representing forest sector employees.
The two upcoming vacancies are for representatives of small and medium forest products producers.

The two board members who will leave after their terms expire in January are Sara Leiman, Coast Range Conifers, representing Class 1 producers; and Pete Sikora, Giustina Resources, representing Class 2 producers. The terms of two other members - W. Ray Jones, Class 3, and Bill Kluting, employee representative - also will expire, but both are expected to seek reappointment.
                Producer class specifications include:
*             Class 1 - Producers of less than 20 million board feet per year
*             Class 2 - Producers of at least 20 million board feet per year, but less than 100 million board feet per year
*             Class 3 - Producers of at least 100 million board feet per year

The small woodland owner representative must own between 100 and 2,000 acres of forestland and have no direct financial interest in any forest products processing activity.

To learn more about OFRI, visit OFRI online at oregonforests.org.

-30-
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From kevin.weeks at state.or.us  Wed Sep 22 07:47:54 2010
From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin)
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2010 07:47:54 -0700
Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] OSU News: INR support to Board of Forestry
Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B667048160@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US>

ODF Private Forests News service:
This news release from Oregon State University regarding public involvement in the process to advise the Oregon Board of Forestry about forest management planning is forwarded to you at the request of the ODF State Forests Division.

Kevin Weeks
Oregon Department of Forestry
(503) 945-7427
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Institute for Natural Resources
Oregon State University
210 Strand Agricultural Hall | Corvallis, Oregon 97331-2208
T 541.737.9918 | F 541.737.1887 | http://inr.oregonstate.edu

PRESS RELEASE
Date: 20 September 2010
Contact: Lisa Gaines (541) 737-1976

Institute for Natural Resources and Science Advisory Team to meet in Corvallis regarding a review of the analysis work used to inform Oregon Board of Forestry discussions and decision making

CORVALLIS, Ore. ? The Institute for Natural Resources (INR) and members of a Science Advisory Team will hold a public meeting on Friday, 1 October 2010 from 10:00AM to approximately 12:00PM (noon). The meeting will be held in Richardson Hall, Room 115 (3180 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis) on the campus of Oregon State University.

The meeting will provide the background for conducting a review of Oregon Department of Forestry?s (ODF) analysis work used to inform Board of Forestry discussions and decision making, present the review process and outreach approach, and provide an opportunity for public comment. Written comments may also be submitted at the meeting or sent to Lisa Gaines, Institute for Natural Resources, OSU, 210 Strand Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331 or to lisa.gaines at oregonstate.edu<mailto:lisa.gaines at oregonstate.edu>.

On behalf of the Board of Forestry, ODF approached INR to conduct an outside review of the body of science considered and/or gaps in the science considered in developing and evaluating the forest management plan strategies. It is not a review of the management decisions themselves, as these are informed by policy considerations in addition to the technical information, rather the purpose of the review is to seek outside technical perspective on the information on which decisions are based.

The two primary documents that are the focus of the review are:
? The Influence of Modeled Management Scenarios on Habitat for Species of Concern (ODF, 2009); and
? The Board of Forestry State Forests Performance Measures: An Evaluation of the Achievement (ODF, 2009)

Reasonable accommodations will be provided as needed for individuals requesting assistive hearing devices, sign language interpreters or large-print materials. Individuals needing these types of accommodations may call INR at 541-737-9918 at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. INR is not able to provide parking permits for public observers. OSU parking information, permits, and maps may be obtained from Parking Services , 541-737-2583.
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From kevin.weeks at state.or.us  Wed Sep 29 15:23:10 2010
From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin)
Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:23:10 -0700
Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Forestry Board calls for public's help in
 achieving sustainable forests
Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B669A08F60@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US>

Oregon Dept. of Forestry issued this news release today.

Forestry Board calls for public's help in achieving sustainable forests

For immediate release                   Major media distribution
September 29, 2010                      Contact: Rod Nichols
                                         503-945-7425, rnichols at odf.state.or.us<mailto:rnichols at odf.state.or.us>

Are Oregon's forests being managed sustainably? A set of indicators developed with broad public input suggests that they aren't, and the Oregon Board of Forestry is inviting the public to help shape a plan to improve the health and productivity of our public and private forests.

"Based on Oregonians' own indicators of sustainable forest management, our forests are facing some significant challenges," said John Blackwell of Portland, who chairs the board. "We're updating our Forestry Program for Oregon, a broad plan to ensure that we'll always have healthy forests providing a full range of benefits. We hope Oregonians will offer their input along the way."

The Board of Forestry is a citizen panel tasked with overseeing forest policy statewide. The Forestry Program for Oregon is maintained on an eight-year cycle, with the next update due in 2011.

A 90-day public comment period for the draft 2011 Forestry Program for Oregon will begin on Oct. 1 and run through Dec. 31, 2010. A public review draft of the document, along with supporting information and instructions for submitting comment, can be found on the board's website, www.oregonforestry.gov/<http://www.oregonforestry.gov/>.

The update comes as Oregon's forests face major challenges, including:
*       Fragmentation and conversion -  Rising real estate values and inability to derive sufficient income from managing their forestlands are driving more owners to consider selling forests for other uses. This often means permanent loss of forest values such as wildlife habitat, clean water, and timber production.
*       Encroachment - Oregon's population continues to expand into forested areas. This can increase the incidence of wildfire, drive up firefighting costs, and create conflicts - for instance among neighbors primarily interested in the residential value of their lands and those whose goals include timber harvest.
*       Invasive species - A long-term warming trend has heightened the threat of disease outbreaks and insect infestations. The altered conditions are also more favorable to invasive plant species that compete with native vegetation.
*       Declining health of federally owned forestlands - These lands make up 60 percent of Oregon's forested acres, and large expanses in drier parts of Oregon need thinning and other treatments to restore their health and reduce their vulnerability to severe fires.
*       Difficulties in rural, forest-dependent communities - These include high unemployment and insufficient revenue to fund local services.

The draft Forestry Program for Oregon update proposes specific goals and objectives to address the current problems, and to set forests on a pathway to provide a steady flow of multiple benefits for Oregonians. The document's goals are linked to 19 indicators of sustainable forest management endorsed by the board. Using available data, the indicators set desired trends and monitor progress. The indicators are intended to point to a future that includes attributes like these:
*       There is no net loss in the area of Oregon non-federal wildland forest compared to 2010 levels
*       Forest-related revenues and employment contribute significantly to Oregon's economy
*       Water quality and the biological health of forest streams is stable or improving
*       Production and commercial value of Oregon wood and paper products is stable or increasing
*       The number of native forest plant and animal species at risk is decreasing.
*       No invasive species on Oregon's "100 Most Dangerous List" are uncontained in the forests, and acreage affected by invasives is stable or decreasing
*       Resiliency to wildfire is growing as excessive fuels are reduced on more forested acres.

State Forester Marvin Brown said Oregon is a leader in creating an overarching vision for the sustainability of public and private forests, and in using indicators to monitor conditions and trends. "I invite Oregonians to take a look at the new draft Forestry Program for Oregon and to offer their comments," he said. "Forests are immensely important in our state, and this is an opportunity to help make sure that they're healthy and productive well into the future."

Forestry Program for Oregon-related questions and suggestions may be directed to David Morman, Oregon Department of Forestry, 2600 State St., Salem, Oregon 97310, 503-945-7413, email: dmorman at odf.state.or.us<mailto:dmorman at odf.state.or.us>.

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From kevin.weeks at state.or.us  Thu Sep 30 09:50:48 2010
From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin)
Date: Thu, 30 Sep 2010 09:50:48 -0700
Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] New AFF report evaluates the 2008 Farm Bill
Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B669A09063@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US>

Members of the Private Forests News service:
The American Forest Foundation recently released a report evaluating the success of the US Department of Agriculture forest conservation programs called "Forest Conservation in 2009: A Farm Bill Progress Report." The report specifically spotlights programs authorized and funded through the 2008 Farm Bill, which represented the first USDA Farm Bill which fully integrated forestry into USDA's conservation programs.
Key findings:

*         The U.S. has made a significant investment in the health of its forests by partnering with private landowners.

*         The United States has 751 million acres of forest, of which 56 percent are privately owned. Of these private owners, 62 percent are "family forest owners."

*         On average, one million acres of private forests are converted to development every year.

*         More than 25 percent of our fresh water flows from and is filtered by private forest land.

*         Oregon ranked 14th in funding provided through USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) in 2009.

*         Oregon has the fourth-highest amount of private land within a state enrolled in the USDA Conservation Stewardship Program.
The full report can be downloaded from the American Forest Foundation at:
https://ssl.capwiz.com/forestfoundation/attachments/AFF_FarmBill_Report_2010_Final_Proof.pdf

Kevin Weeks

Oregon Department of Forestry

(503) 945-7427

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