[ODF_Private_Forests] Oregon state forester seeks applicants for OFRI Board

[WEEKS Kevin]

Oregon Forest Resources Institute
News Release 
					Sept. 15, 2009
For Immediate Release
Contact: Dan Postrel, ODF - 503-945-7420			
               Paul Barnum, OFRI - 971-673-2954

Oregon state forester seeks applicants for 
OFRI 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 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 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, plus one member each representing small woodland owners and forest sector employees.
	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
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.

This year, the state forester plans to appoint a class 1 representative, replacing Carol Whipple of Rocking C Ranch, who is completing a second term on OFRI's board, and the small woodland representative, replacing Steve Woodard, who is completing his first term. Gary Springer, class 2 representative from Starker Forests, and Greg Miller, class 3 representative from Weyerhaeuser Company, have both completed first terms on OFRI's board and are expected to seek 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 Oct. 16, 2009.
	
To learn more about OFRI and its work, visit OFRI online at oregonforests.org.