From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Mon Aug 3 13:27:29 2009 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 13:27:29 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Public comment period - GreenWood Boardman stewardship agreement Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B653F85783@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY REQUEST FOR COMMENTS PROPOSED STEWARDSHIP AGREEMENT FOR GREENWOOD RESOURCES' BOARDMAN TREE FARM MORROW COUNTY, OREGON PUBLICATION: Hermiston Herald / East Oregonian PUBLISHING DATE: August 1, 2009 COMMENTS DUE: August 21, 2009 by 5:00 p.m. PROJECT LOCATION: South of and adjacent to Interstate 84 from milepost 169 to 174. PROPOSAL: Pursuant to Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 527.736(5), the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) is proposing to adopt a Stewardship Agreement for the hybrid poplar plantation operated by GreenWood Resources, Inc. located near Boardman, Oregon. HIGHLIGHTS: This Stewardship Agreement is intended to allow GreenWood Resources, Inc. to provide ODF with an annual Notification of Operation ("Notification") for the landowner's intent to harvest or perform management activities. ODF agrees to audit forest operation conducted by GreenWood Resources, Inc. for compliance with Oregon Forest Practices Act (OFPA) standards annually for the first two years of the Agreement and every three years thereafter. By OFPA definition, trees grown on the tree farm are an agricultural crop up to age 12, and trees held to older ages are considered forest products subject to forest operation regulations and this Agreement. HOW TO COMMENT: The project file may be reviewed by appointment at ODF's Pendleton Unit office or the ODF John Day Unit Office. To schedule an appointment to review the file, please contact either regional office: Oregon Department of Forestry, Pendleton Unit 1055 Airport Road Pendleton, OR 97801 (541) 276-3491 Oregon Department of Forestry, John Day Unit 400 NW Ninth John Day, OR 97845 (541) 575-1139 Written comments should be received by August 21, 2009 and sent to Marganne Allen, ODF Private Forests Division, 2600 State Street, Salem Oregon 97310. THE NEXT STEP: ODF will consider all public comments received within the public comment period before making a final decision regarding approval of the draft Stewardship Agreement. ### Kevin Weeks Public Information Officer ODF Agency Affairs (503) 945-7427 kweeks at odf.state.or.us -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Thu Aug 13 10:49:44 2009 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:49:44 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] NRCS Conservation Stewardship applications open Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B653FF8BC5@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> ODF Private Forests News members - This message of interest to private forest owners is provided by the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service. Questions about the Private Forests News list? Contact: Kevin Weeks Oregon Department of Forestry / Agency Affairs Office (503) 945-7427 kweeks at odf.state.or.us >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Conservation Stewardship Program NRCS began continuous sign-up for the new Conservation Stewardship Program on August 10. To be considered for Fiscal Year 2009 funding, applications must be received by September 30, 2009. Applications received after the cutoff will be considered for funding in FY 2010. The goal of the Stewardship Program is to help farmers, ranchers and non-industrial private forest owners across Oregon maintain existing conservation on their operations while adopting additional activities. The Conservation Stewardship Program encourages land stewards to improve their conservation performance by installing and adopting additional activities, and improving, maintaining, and managing existing activities on agricultural land and non-industrial private forest land. The program is available nationwide on a continuous application basis. Through the Conservation Stewardship Program, NRCS will provide financial and technical assistance to eligible producers to conserve and enhance soil, water, air, and related natural resources on their land. Eligible lands include cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pastureland, rangeland, non-industrial private forest lands, agricultural land under the jurisdiction of an Indian tribe, and other private agricultural land (including cropped woodland, marshes, and agricultural land used for the production of livestock) on which resource concerns related to agricultural production could be addressed. Participation in the program is voluntary. Non-industrial private forest land under consideration for participation in the Conservation Stewardship Program must meet four criteria: 1) The forest or woodland is "green certified" by one of the following certification programs: American Tree Farm System, Green Tag, Smart Wood, Forest Stewardship Council, or Sustainable Forestry Initiative. 2) One or more improvements have been made to the forest/woodland in the past 10 years according to a written forest management or stewardship plan that was prepared with assistance from a certified/licensed natural resource professional. Examples of improvements may include prescribe thinning, tree planting, establishing a firebreak, etc. 3) There is no apparent erosion on harvested or burned areas, roads, skid trails and landings. 4) Native trees are appropriately stocked on the property (except temporarily for areas being reforested) and wildfire risk (in wildfire-prone areas) is minimized by strategically placed narrow firebreaks and wider fuel breaks (which may include roads, streams, riparian areas, and other areas managed to slow fire spread). The NRCS State Conservationist, in consultation with the State Technical Committee and local work groups, will focus program impacts on natural resources that are of specific concern for a State, or the specific geographic areas within a State. Applications will be evaluated relative to other applications addressing similar priority resource concerns to facilitate a competitive ranking process among applicants within a State who face similar resource challenges. In order to apply for Fiscal Year 2009 funding, applicants must complete the following steps by September 30, 2009: 1. Complete a Self-Screening Checklist: Before submitting an application, interested producers will first complete a self-screening checklist, available on the NRCS Web site, to determine whether the new program is suitable for them and their operation. 2. Establish Program Eligibility: If producers are interested in the program after completing the checklist, they will then work with their local USDA Service Center to establish their program eligibility and complete the application process. 3. Submit a Program Application: To be considered for FY 2009 funding applicants must submit their CPA-1200 and Appendix by the September 30, 2009 cutoff date. 4. Submit an Operation Map: Applicants must provide an operation map, aerial photograph or overlay that identifies the applicant's agricultural and/or forest operation and delineates eligible land offered for payment under the program with the associated acreage amounts. A program fact sheet and self screening checklist are linked at the end of the message. For more information, contact: Bill White, Program Manager, (503) 414-3085, Bill.White at or.usda.gov Conservation Stewardship Program Fact Sheet http://www.or.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/csp_data/2009/Oregon_Conservation_Stewardship_Program_Fact_Sheet.pdf CSP Producer Self Screening Checklist http://www.or.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/csp_data/2009/CSP_Producer_Self_Screening_Checklist.pdf ### -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Thu Aug 20 06:40:43 2009 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 06:40:43 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Conversion of forests, farms, and rangeland to development slows overall Message-ID: <8624F561E5B896439490ED8208D03B0B05A14B60@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Oregon Department of Forestry NEWS RELEASE Conversion of forests, farms, and rangeland to development slows overall; increased population densities in resource areas FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 19, 2009 Contact: Gary Lettman, 503-945-7408 09-33 Despite population and income growth over the past 15 years, the conversion of non-federal forestland, farmland, and rangeland to more developed uses in Oregon overall has continued to decrease, according to a new study. Development of these lands slowed after the mid-1980s, when comprehensive land use plans were adopted However, the study also found that although lands are remaining in forest, farm, and rangeland, many tracts are experiencing significant increases in structures and population. The recently-released study ? Forests, Farms, & People: Land Use Change on Non-Federal Land in Oregon, 1974-2005 ? is published by the Oregon Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station. While the area of forestland owned by large industrial and public landowners remained relatively stable between 2000 and 2005, the area of land in forest use owned by smaller, private woodland owners declined six percent overall in Oregon ? losing seven percent in western Oregon and three percent in eastern Oregon. ?These findings highlight the difficulties facing many of our smaller forestland owners,? said Jim Paul, chief of the Oregon Department of Forestry?s Private Forests Division. ?We need to continue to do everything we can to ensure that Oregon?s small private woodland owners are able to retain and manage their forestlands.? The study shows that 98 percent of all non-federal land in resource uses in Oregon in 1974 remained in those uses in 2005. Between 2000 and 2005, the rate of conversion of forests, farms and rangeland to low-density and urban uses averaged only about 6,000 acres annually, meeting the target set by the Oregon Benchmarks. This result also meets a target set by the Oregon Indicators of Sustainable Forest Management, a comprehensive suite of ?measuring sticks? endorsed by the Oregon Board of Forestry to determine sustainability on all of Oregon?s forestlands. ?Retaining forestland continues to be one of the highest priorities of the Oregon Board of Forestry,? said Paul. ?Forests are critical to Oregon?s quality of life; providing economic, environmental, and social benefits that all Oregonians enjoy.? While 87 percent of private forestland in Oregon zoned for forest use is still free of the effects that population or development may have, another significant finding is that land remaining in resource use ? forest, agricultural, and rangelands ? has experienced noticeable increases in structures and population. This was particularly significant between 2000 and 2005, bringing both non-federal and federal lands in traditional resource uses closer to more developed land in rapidly developing areas, with larger density increases occurring nearest already developed areas. ?These increased densities in traditional resource areas can directly impact forestland management,? said Oregon Department of Forestry economist Gary Lettman. ?Fire risk, hazard, and suppression costs increase dramatically in these rapidly expanding wildland-urban interface areas, and there is also increased potential for conflict over management practices and commodity production.? Other findings: * For Oregon?s private land that changed use, shifts from resource uses to low-density residential or urban uses accounted for 72 percent of all change. * Private land in western Oregon generally developed faster than in eastern Oregon, apart from the Bend area. The highest rates of land use change occurred on private land in the rapidly growing Bend and Portland areas and in Josephine County. * The area of private land with high population density within one mile of federal forest land continued to expand; the closer this land was to federal forest land, the greater the rate of increase in population density. This is consistent with the greater appeal for many property owners in living near federal forest land. The report also examines the environmental repercussions of development on issues important to Oregonians, including carbon storage, water quality, critical wildlife habitat, forest management, and fire risk, hazard and suppression costs. ?Oregonians often cite water quality as their highest environmental priority,? said Lettman. ?The report explores the relation between water quality and land use; noting that streams in forestland have the highest water quality, with the lower water quality and fish habitat in more developed areas.? The full report is available online at http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/RESOURCE_PLANNING/docs/Low_Res_Forest_farms_8_9_09.pdf For additional information, or a copy of the full report, please contact Gary Lettman, 503-945-7408 or glettman at odf.state.or.us . ### Quesions about the Private Forests News service? Contact: Kevin Weeks Oregon Department of Forestry (503) 945-7427 kweeks at odf.state.or.us From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Tue Aug 25 12:38:39 2009 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:38:39 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Forestry Board and Dynamic Ecosystems workshop Sept. 8th and 9th In-Reply-To: <8CD18C5BD70D6F4BB2B636295905299C7745DD84@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> References: <8CD18C5BD70D6F4BB2B636295905299C7745DD84@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B654065427@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Oregon Department of Forestry NEWS RELEASE State Forests head Forestry Board meeting agenda Sept. 9 For immediate release Major media distribution August 25, 2009 Contact: Rod Nichols, 503-945-7425, or 09-34 Dan Postrel, 503-945-7420 At its Sept. 9 meeting, the Oregon Board of Forestry will consider moving forward with new draft rules that would change management plans for several state-owned forests, including the Tillamook State Forest. If adopted, after a rulemaking process that would include opportunities for public comment, the rules would revise approaches for protecting wildlife species, and would reduce long-term goals for the percentage of forest acres that develop into older, more complex stands. These measures would allow for an increase in timber harvest of about 5 percent over the current yearly target, while the forests would continue to produce a broad range of sustainable benefits, including wildlife habitat, recreation and clean water. The meeting, which is open to the public, is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Oregon Garden hotel, 895 W. Main St., Silverton. At the meeting, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) will ask the board for permission to proceed with rulemaking, a process that is expected to include one or more public hearings and other comment opportunities before final rules come to the board for adoption next spring. As part of its ongoing effort to improve the management of state forests, the board will also consider a longer term plan for refining its definition of "greatest permanent value," the standard that must be used by law to manage the forests for broad benefits. This process would include use of advisory committees to provide input into the development of rule concepts for the board to review next spring. The board could then choose to advance one or more of those concepts for public review through the rulemaking process. Other items on the board's Sept. 9 agenda: Review of Private Forests Program policy objectives The board will continue its work on 10 objectives being developed to address current and emerging challenges faced by Oregon's private forest landowners. The objectives identify issues that include: * Development of non-timber markets, such as biomass and carbon sequestration. * Maintaining Oregon's position in the forest products world marketplace. * Addressing the risks of conversion of forestland to non-forest uses. Sustainable forest management indicators update ODF staff will report on recent work on a set of indicators of sustainable forest management that the board endorsed in 2007. The board will learn the status of work on five indicators, addressing topics such as water quality and biological integrity of forest streams, forest products sector vitality, and forest ecosystem services. Board of Forestry issue scan Results of the recently completed 2009 issue scan will be presented to the board. The scan is conducted periodically to gain public input that helps the board determine which forestry-related issues it should address in the future. The process produced 215 suggestions from about 104 individuals and organizations. Update on stream temperature project Staff will report initial findings of the long-term Riparian Function and Stream Temperature monitoring project (RipStream). The ongoing project is evaluating the effectiveness of Oregon's stream protection rules under the Forest Practices Act, which includes ensuring that forest operations meet state water quality standards adopted under the federal Clean Water Act. 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 an 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 ODF Agency Affairs Office at least 48 hours before the meeting - 503-945-7200, text telephone 503-945-7213. More information on the Board of Forestry can be found at www.oregon.gov/ODF/BOARD/. Background information on agenda items for the Sept. 9 meeting is available through the 2009 Meeting Schedule link. ### Forestry Board to host Dynamic Ecosystems workshop Sept. 8 For immediate release Major media distribution August 25, 2009 Contact: Rod Nichols, 503-945-7425, or 09-35 Dan Postrel, 503-945-7420 The Oregon Board of Forestry will host a workshop on Sept. 8 to highlight and discuss an effort to link the management of Oregon's forests with latest scientific understanding of the ways in which ecosystems change. Scientists today recognize forests are not static systems that, if left undisturbed by humans, will remain in equilibrium over time. Nor is the change always gradual. Rather, the life of a forest tends to be marked by episodes of significant change, such as wildfires, insect outbreaks, and storms and floods. How to apply this concept to forest management and forest policies in Oregon will be a key focus of the workshop. "This workshop is a major milestone in the Board of Forestry's Dynamic Forest Ecosystems work plan," said David Morman with the Oregon Department of Forestry. "The goal of the work plan is to promote the science, information acquisition and analysis systems that are essential for developing sound natural resource policies" for Oregon's forests within the context of natural disturbance and active management. Presentations will include: * Natural Resource Management Policy Change in a Changed World - Brent Steel, Oregon State University (OSU) * Four Strategies for Change - James Johnston, Institute for Natural Resources, OSU Breakout sessions will discuss ways to apply ecosystem dynamics to: * Wildfire management * Privately owned forests * State-owned forests The Department of Forestry contracted with Oregon State University's Institute for Natural Resources (INR) in 2007 to launch the Dynamic Ecosystems Project. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has been a cooperator throughout the project. To initiate the project, the INR assembled a team of eight principal investigators from INR, the OSU system and the U.S. Forest Service. The team produced a paper that offers seven different strategies for forest policy change. The workshop is open to the public. It will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Oregon Garden Resort, 895 West Main St., in Silverton. 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). Background information on the Dynamic Forest Ecosystems work plan process can be found at: www.oregon.gov/odf. Click on the link, "Ecosystem dynamics and forest management" shown under "Spotlight on ODF." More information on the Board of Forestry can be found at www.oregon.gov/ODF/BOARD/. Background information on the agenda items is available through the 2009 Meeting Schedule link. ### Questions about the Private Forests News service? Contact: Kevin Weeks Oregon Department of Forestry (503) 945-7427 kweeks at odf.state.or.us -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: