[ODF_Private_Forests] State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee meets December 17 in Salem

[WEEKS Kevin]

Oregon Department of Forestry
NEWS RELEASE

State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee meets December 17 in Salem

December 8, 2009
Contact: Kevin Weeks (503) 945-7427

The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) will update committee members on a project to assess Oregon's current forest resources on December 17.

The 2010 State of Oregon Statewide Forest Assessment and Resource Strategy is designed to identify Oregon's current forest resources and, based on the assessment, develop a strategy for integrating federal, state and private forestry programs with efforts to address issues such as wildfire, maintaining forestland as forest, diversity of forest habitats for fish and wildlife, invasive species and climate change. The Statewide Forest Assessment will identify high priority areas within Oregon for taking action.


The discussion regarding the Forest Assessment Resource Strategy project will occur Thursday December 17, 2009 from 10:00am to 12:30pm at the Oregon Department of Forestry headquarters in Salem, 2600 State Street (Operations Building D, Santiam meeting room).

The coordinating committee will be updated on the status of Oregon's proposed Forest Legacy Program projects for federal Fiscal Year 2011 funding.  Forest Legacy is a federal program that uses conservation easements or public acquisition to conserve private forest lands in areas where forests may be lost to non-forest uses. The program is administered in Oregon though a partnership between the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Pacific Northwest Region of the U.S. Forest Service.

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.

The 2008 Farm Bill passed by Congress contained an amendment to the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act requiring states that receive Farm Bill funding perform the forest assessment study by mid-2010, with updates at five-year increments after that. States are also required to report on the effectiveness of how federal funding was used in priority regions.  The Farm Bill funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which in turn provides funding for many ODF services in urban and community forestry, forest health protection, forest stewardship and state fire assistance through the U.S. Forest Service's State and Private Forestry Program.

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>.

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Kevin Weeks
Public Information Officer
Oregon Department of Forestry
(503) 945-7427
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