From Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us Wed Sep 3 13:49:03 2008 From: Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 13:49:03 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Updated ODF Watersheds POP Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B636204777@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> ODF Private Forests News list members: ODF has posted an updated version of the Budget Backgrounder describing the Watershed Research Cooperative policy option package (POP) for the proposed 2009-2011 Oregon Department of Forestry budget to the ODF Web site. The previous edition contained a minor spelling error. The updated version of the Budget Backgrounder can be found on the ODF Web site at: http://egov.oregon.gov/ODF/budgetdevelopment.shtml Kevin Weeks ODF Agency Affairs / Private Forests Division (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us Thu Sep 4 09:22:19 2008 From: Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2008 09:22:19 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Governor's Fund grants available Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B6362F4511@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> ODF Private Forests News list members: This news release about conservation and restoration grant opportunities is forwarded at the request of the Governor's Office. Kevin Weeks ODF Agency Affairs / Private Forests Division (503) 945-7427 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> NEWS RELEASE September 3, 2008 Contact: Krystyna Wolniakowski, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, 503-702-0245 Lee Folliard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 503-231-6179 Oregon Governor?s Fund for the Environment Grants Available For Restoration Projects Court settlements with polluters benefit fish and wildlife The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced the availability of grants through the Oregon Governor?s Fund for the Environment. Pre-proposals for conservation and restoration projects are due by Oct. 24, 2008. ?We are inviting pre-proposals requesting funds from $5,000 to $50,000 and priority will be given to projects that improve conservation on private lands through incentive programs for private landowners,? said Krystyna Wolniakowski, Director of the Foundation?s Western Partnership Office. Application guidelines are available at http://www.nfwf.org/orgovfund ?These funds are an opportunity to implement ecosystem conservation measures and make significant contributions to protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and habitat resources in Oregon,? said Ren Lohoefener, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Pacific Region.. A $2 million court settlement with an international shipping company resulted in the creation of the Oregon Governor?s Fund for the Environment, which is a sustained granting program to benefit Oregon?s rivers and streams. The grant program makes up to $300,000 a year available for projects that will restore the quality of Oregon?s rivers and associated fish, wildlife and plants. The people living in or near such habitats are intended to be the beneficiaries of the fund, on behalf of the habitats and their species. Continuing on the progress of the first three years of this grant program, which focused on the Willamette River basin, the fourth year of funding now available will also help finance projects in the Willamette region that meet the following purposes established in the settlement agreement: ? Develop and implement strategies to eliminate and/or reduce pollution and otherwise restore the quality of Oregon?s rivers, streams and coastal areas; ? Restore and conserve fish, wildlife and plant resources critical to Oregon?s rivers, streams and coastal areas; ? Identify continuing sources of pollution of Oregon?s rivers, streams and coastal areas; and ? Improve state and local criminal enforcement of environmental and wildlife protection laws intended to protect Oregon?s rivers, streams and coastal areas. Projects that could be funded through the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) are not encouraged; however, projects that would fund an outreach, education and/or technical assistance component for an OWEB-funded project will be considered. During this fourth round, priority consideration will be given to projects that request funds to: ? Provide technical assistance to private landowners to address environmental issues. Technical assistance may include conducting landowner workshops, community meetings and/or direct meetings with landowners. Specific projects could include engagement of landowners in pollution reduction or prevention efforts, toxic use reduction or abatement efforts and pesticide collection efforts. ? Provide technical assistance to small municipal governments to address non-point source water quality issues. Specific projects could include development of TMDL implementation plans and non-point source abatement plans, design and implementation of sustainable stormwater management approaches and development and design of non-point source reduction projects. ? Encourage participation and additional enrollment in landowner incentive programs available through the Farm Bill (such as CREP, WRP etc) or other similar state and federal programs. ? Provide public awareness through outreach and education on the significance of aquatic resources and the importance of environmental laws to protect those resources. Specific projects could include outreach and/or education about the causes and consequences of non-point source and point source pollution. ? Develop landowner involvement and designs for projects that would increase floodplain connectivity and channel complexity for the mainstem Willamette River. Projects that are consistent with the Special Investment Partnership of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board or the Willamette River Basin Restoration Initiative of the Meyer Memorial Trust will be given priority consideration. Pre-proposals should be submitted to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Pre-proposals will be evaluated and ranked in November 2008. The strongest projects will be invited to submit full proposals due in December 2008. Full proposal applicants will be notified of grant awards by April 2009, with funds available for projects shortly thereafter. Approved projects should be completed within two years. The ranking and selection of projects will include consideration of each project?s relevance to the program purposes stated above, quantifiable and measurable long term benefits to fish, wildlife and/or habitat and inclusion of partners and volunteers. Projects should define outcomes and successes clearly, employ creative and innovative methodology and replicate previous successes in new geographical areas. Successful proposals will demonstrate minimized administrative costs and maximized conservation investment. Those who may apply for grants include non-profit conservation organizations, watershed councils, soil and water conservation districts, tribes, schools, local, state and federal government agencies and other special districts. Grant funds may not be used for political advocacy, litigation expenses, terrorist activities, legally required mitigation, equipment purchases not primarily related to the direct completion of the project, improvement of natural resources for commercial or private profit, required habitat Conservation Plan activities, indirect general administrative and overhead costs, website development, or videos. While matching funds are not required, applicants are encouraged to include them where possible. These matching funds can come from federal and non-federal sources, cash or in-kind contributions. Applicants should log onto the Foundation?s website: www.nfwf.org, go to Special Grant Programs, select the Oregon Governor?s Fund for the Environment and use the online process to submit a pre-proposal. The Oregon Governor?s Fund for the Environment program webpage can also be found at http://www.nfwf.org/orgovfund. A nonprofit established by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation sustains, restores and enhances the Nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Through leadership conservation investments with public and private partners, NFWF is dedicated to achieving maximum conservation impact by developing and applying best practices and innovative methods for measurable outcomes. Since its establishment, NFWF has awarded nearly 10,500 grants to over 3,000 organizations in the United States and abroad and leveraged ? with its partners ? nearly $600 million in federal funds into more than $1.4 billion for on-the-ground conservation. For more information, visit www.nfwf.org. The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, 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. ### From Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us Fri Sep 5 14:13:32 2008 From: Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 14:13:32 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] July update of Forest Practices Act Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B6363614C7@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> ODF Private Forests News members: The July 2008 update of ODF's Combined Administrative Rules & Forest Practices Act Rulebook -- what many have come to know as the "newsprint" version of the Oregon Forest Practices Act -- is available on the Oregon Department of Forestry web site. The revised FPA rules can be downloaded from the ODF web site at: http://egov.oregon.gov/ODF/PRIVATE_FORESTS/docs/fp/FPArulebk.pdf The comprehensive publication takes into account the following amended, adopted or temporary rule changes from 2007: * OAR 629-600-0100(39) Effective January 8, 2007. * OAR 629-635-0200 Effective October 1, 2007. * OAR 629-640-0110 Effective January 8, 2007. * OAR 629-640-0105 Effective January 8, 2007. * OAR 629-640-0210 Effective October 1, 2007. Applicable July 1, 2008. OAR 629-623-0400 was amended and 629-623-0500 was suspended through the temporary rule process. The changes are effective July 18, 2008 through January 13, 2008, or until rescinded by permanent rule, whichever comes first. OAR 629-635-0100 and 629-635-0110 were amended and became effective October 31, 2006, but the changes were inadvertently omitted in the January 2007 publication of the rules. The following Oregon Revised Statutes were amended during the 2007 regular and 2008 special sessions of the Legislature: * ORS 527.670, 527.687, and 527.755 Effective January 1, 2008. * ORS 527.736 Effective March 3, 2008. Kevin Weeks Public Information Officer ODF Agency Affairs / Private Forests Division (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us Tue Sep 9 13:29:40 2008 From: Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 13:29:40 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] State Forester seeks applicants for OFRI Board Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B6363617C9@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Oregon Forest Resources Institute News Release September 9, 2008 For Immediate Release Contact: Dan Postrel - ODF - 503-945-7420 Pete Sikora - OFRI board chair - 541-485-1500 Dave Kvamme - OFRI - 971-673-2948 Oregon state forester seeks applicants for OFRI's board of directors SALEM, Ore. - Oregon State Forester Marvin Brown has announced that he is soliciting applications from qualified individuals who may be interested in becoming members of the Oregon Forest Resources Institute's (OFRI) board of directors. OFRI is a semi-independent state organization dedicated to forestry education. According to Oregon statute, the state forester appoints 11 of OFRI's 13 board members. Two members serve ex-officio: the Oregon State University dean of forestry and a public representative who is appointed jointly by the speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives and the president of the Oregon Senate. Two of the state-forester appointed seats will open in January 2009. Producer class specifications are as follows: * Class 1 - Producers of under 20 million board feet per year. * Class 2 - Producers of at least 20 million board feet per year, but under 100 million board feet per year. * Class 3 - Producers of at least 100 million board feet per year. In addition, there is a position representing small woodland owners owning between 100 and 2,000 acres of forestlands and who has no direct financial interest in any forest products processing activity and another position representing forest sector employees. This year, the state forester plans to appoint a class 1 representative, replacing Allan Foutch, Miami Corporation, who is completing a second term on OFRI's board and a class 3 representative, replacing Dennis Creel, Hampton Tree Farms, who also will finish a second term. Jake Gibbs, Lone Rock Timber Company, has completed his first term on OFRI's board and it is likely that the state forester will reappoint him to a second term. Persons interested in being nominated for positions on the OFRI board now or at a future time should contact Dan Postrel at the Oregon Department of Forestry, 2600 State St., Salem, OR 97310 or by e-mail at dpostrel at odf.state.or.us. Completed applications must be postmarked by November 14, 2008. To learn more about OFRI and its work, visit OFRI online at www.oregonforests.org. -30- For more information about the ODF Private Forests News service, contact: Kevin Weeks ODF Agency Affairs / Private Forests Division kweeks at odf.state.or.us (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us Fri Sep 19 10:18:59 2008 From: Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:18:59 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Enterprise Schools burn forest wood waste for energy Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B637AA1D81@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Oregon Department of Forestry NEWS RELEASE Enterprise Schools burn forest wood waste for energy September 19, 2008 Contact: Lynnel A. Hampton 206-768-7722 (McKinstry) and Kevin Weeks 503-945-7427 (Oregon Department of Forestry) The Enterprise School District today cut the ribbon to formally launch a new forest biomass energy facility which seeks to save the District $ 76,000 per year in energy costs and use existing forest wood wastes in Wallowa County. The 1.5 million dollar project is the first biomass boiler system to be installed in an Oregon school district in over fifty years. The biomass project, which took nearly a year to complete, is the first project of its type to qualify for Oregon?s new Renewable Business Energy Tax credit, which provided almost a third of the cost. The project allows money to stay in the local economy, while the boiler system makes use of wood that would otherwise increase forest fire risk. "This project demonstrates that by working together we can restore forest health, create economic growth in rural communities, and help Oregon meet its ambitious goals to reduce carbon emissions," states Governor Ted Kulongoski. "This project is a model for other communities across the state." McKinstry, in collaboration with a team of local contractors, constructed the building that houses the boiler and biomass materials, performed comprehensive lighting retrofits and controls upgrades, and provided a series of energy conservation improvements. ?McKinstry enjoyed being involved in the project for so many reasons,? says Cam Hamilton, Business Development Manager for McKinstry?s Portland office. ?It was a great renewable and energy efficiency project, the people of Enterprise are wonderful, the school district board and administration were engaged and involved, and it keeps the resources in the local economy. It is a win for all that are involved.? The biomass boiler is designed to use renewable fuel sourced from the remnants of forest management activities and wood manufacturing residues provided by local companies in Wallowa and Union counties. The boiler was manufactured by Oregon-based SolaGen. The Oregon Department of Forestry in La Grande worked closely with Wallowa Resources in Enterprise and other project partners to develop a strategy that would ensure the school district of a long-term supply of biomass fuel, while supporting objectives within Wallowa County?s Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Fuel for the biomass boiler is sourced from by-products of active forest management and wood residue from the manufacturing process. Forest biomass is generated by fire fuels reduction in forests, a process that assists in mitigating forest fires; commercial timber harvest, timber stand improvement activities, and non-commercial thinning, which includes pruning and tree removal. Trees from this source are often used in renewable energy production (heat, steam, electricity, and bio-fuels). Wood manufacturing residues including bark, sawdust, chips, and veneer cores provide additional sources of raw material for renewable energy production. The Enterprise School District?s new biomass system is estimated to save over 45,000 gallons of fuel oil per year, and is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 1.016 million pounds, equivalent to removing 67 cars from the road annually or planting 138 acres of trees in Oregon each year. Additionally, the School District anticipates that the biomass system will provide an annual energy cost savings of $76,000. About McKinstry Established in 1960, McKinstry is full service design, build, operate and maintain (DBOM) firm. McKinstry?s professional staff and trades people deliver a variety of services including mechanical engineering, construction (HVAC, plumbing, fire protection, electrical), architectural metals, 24/7 service and maintenance, energy/LEED services and onsite facility management to clients. Headquartered in Seattle, the company also offers high performance design build and facility management services at branch offices in Spokane, Washington; Portland, Oregon; Denver, Colorado and Minneapolis, Minnesota. As an early adopter of the DBOM process, McKinstry advocates collaborative and sustainable solutions that are designed to ensure occupant comfort, improve systems efficiency, reduce facility operational costs and ultimately optimize client profitability for the life of their building. For more information, visit www.mckinstry.com About the Oregon Department of Forestry The Oregon Department of Forestry was established in 1911. It is led by the State Forester who is appointed by the Oregon Board of Forestry. Statutes direct the State Forester to act on all matters pertaining to forestry, including collecting and sharing information about the conditions of Oregon's forests, protecting forestlands, and conserving forest resources. Department activities include protecting 15.8 million acres of forestland (most privately owned) from fire; administering forest practices laws; assisting landowners and managing state-owned forests. For more information, visit www.oregon.gov/ODF ### Kevin Weeks Public Information Officer ODF Agency Affairs / Private Forests Division From Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us Mon Sep 22 08:30:53 2008 From: Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:30:53 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Committee for Family Forestlands to meet September 25 Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B6379B7205@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Oregon Department of Forestry NEWS BRIEF Committee for Family Forestlands to meet September 25 September 22, 2008 Contact: Kevin Weeks, ODF Agency Affairs (503) 945-7427 The Committee for Family Forestlands will meet at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday September 25, 2008 at the Oregon Department of Forestry headquarters in Salem, 2600 State Street (Administration Building C - Clatsop meeting room). The public is invited to attend and participate in the advisory committee meeting. The 10-member Committee for Family Forestlands serves an advisory role to the Oregon Board of Forestry regarding issues of concern to Oregon's family-owned forests. The membership 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. The Committee will meet to hear reports from ODF staff, discuss committee strategy for issues being raised in the 2009 Legislative session, receive committee updates regarding the Big Look comprehensive land-use review project and continue discussion of issues raised during the 2007 Oregon's Families and Their Forestlands Symposium. Questions about accessibility or special accommodations for the meeting can be directed to the Oregon Department of Forestry at 503-945-7472. Additional information about the Committee for Family Forestlands is also available on the Oregon Department of Forestry's web site at: http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/BOARD/CFF/cff.shtml ### -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us Tue Sep 23 07:43:37 2008 From: Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:43:37 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Norm Miller joins ODF Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B6379B7374@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> ODF Private Forests News members: Norm Miller has been selected to lead the Planning and Budget Unit for ODF Private Forests. Additional information from Peter Daugherty is included. Kevin Weeks ODF Agency Affairs / Private Forests Division (503) 945-7427 ________________________________ From: DAUGHERTY Peter Sent: Monday, September 22, 2008 4:48 PM To: ALL FORESTRY Subject: Norm Miller joins the Department Folks, I am pleased to inform you that Norm Miller has accepted the Planning and Budget Unit manager position in the Private Forests program. Norm will be starting on October 1, and brings a great set of skills to the position. I have included a short bio for Norm below. Peter Daugherty Deputy Chief, Private Forests Division Norm Miller graduated from Oregon State University with a B.S. in Forest Management, 1975. Armed with this education, Norm worked for the US Forest Service, International Paper Co, Willamette Timber Systems (Forest labor contractor), Publishers Paper Co, and the Oregon Department of Revenue. Norm's jobs took him to many areas of the state: Northeast corner, the Northwest corner, the southwest corner and the northern half of the Willamette Valley. Norm's duties included forest inventory, reforestation and silviculture, forest appraisal of both land and timber, many aspects of log accounting, and many aspects of forest taxation. Norm has worked with many of ODF partners including OSWA, OFIC, ODF, OSU Extension Foresters, many landowners and company representatives. On a personal note, Norm has also visited most of the state; exploring various parts of the state during his vacations especially eastern Oregon. Norm says he is looking forward to contributing to the Department of Forestry and the good work that is being done by our agency. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us Tue Sep 23 16:09:38 2008 From: Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:09:38 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Governor comments on WCI plan Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B6379B74C7@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Governor's Office News Release Statement by Governor Kulongoski on Western Climate Initiative Plan (Salem)- "Today the Western Climate Initiative released a framework for the most ambitious cap and trade program in the world, covering the broadest scope of emitters of greenhouse gas that includes the participation of seven states and four Canadian provinces. "The framework released today provides Oregon with a solid starting point for developing a comprehensive cap and trade program that works for Oregon - both environmentally and economically - and helps Oregon meet our state greenhouse gas reduction goals. "There are areas in the framework, such as auctioning of allowances, where the WCI provided flexibility for states to ensure the plans adopted work for each jurisdiction's economy and delivers meaningful greenhouse gas reductions. "I will work with the state legislature, stakeholders and other jurisdictions to expand the scope of auctions because the ten percent minimum is just that - a minimum - and I believe we can achieve a balanced program that meets both our environmental and economic goals. "I remain committed to the WCI process and will continue to work with the WCI partners and the Oregon legislature to put forward a cap and trade proposal that will ensure Oregon continues to be aggressive in its reduction of greenhouse gas emissions while also strengthening energy efficiency and creating economic opportunities for the state." For the materials released today, go to: http://www.westernclimateinitiative.org/ ### For questions about the Private Forests News service, contact: Kevin Weeks Oregon Department of Forestry ODF Agency Affairs / Private Forests Division (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us Wed Sep 24 13:42:08 2008 From: Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:42:08 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] update to ODF's 2009 revenue forecast Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B6379B75F8@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> ODF Private Forests News list members: Associate State Forester Clark Seely has updated the economic forecast information contained in the Oregon Department of Forestry's budget backgrounder "The Revenue Outlook" which explains the economic forces shaping the proposed 2009-2011 Budget for ODF. Please feel free to share the attached information with others and/or direct them to the ODF web site location for the budget backgrounder: http://egov.oregon.gov/ODF/docs/ODF_Budget_Backgrounder_Revenue_Outlook.pdf Kevin Weeks ODF Agency Affairs / Private Forests Division (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: ODF_Budget_Backgrounder_Revenue_Outlook.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 92582 bytes Desc: ODF_Budget_Backgrounder_Revenue_Outlook.pdf URL: From Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us Fri Sep 26 09:28:40 2008 From: Kevin.Weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:28:40 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Web information on landowner tax assessments Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B6379B7853@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> ODF Private Forests News members: The Oregon Department of Forestry posted a web feature story this week to help explain the increases in assessments that many Oregon landowners will see on their 2009 property tax statement in October. The Oregon Department of Forestry recently provided counties with their wildfire assessment rates on forestland for 2009. These rates reflect rising firefighting costs and a restructured wildfire funding system approved by the 2007 Legislature - including a surcharge on improved lots, and payback of a one-time loan to cover deficits incurred in fighting 14 large fires over the past three years. Forest landowners and owners of one or more improved lots in forest protection districts will see these rates reflected on property tax statements due this November. Please feel free to forward the web link to landowners who may benefit from knowing more about the issue or may have questions -- http://egov.oregon.gov/ODF/AGENCY_AFFAIRS/Surcharge_Feature_Story.shtml Kevin Weeks ODF Agency Affairs / Private Forests Division (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: