[ODF_Private_Forests] State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee meets April 29 in Salem

[WEEKS Kevin]

Oregon Department of Forestry
NEWS RELEASE

State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee meets April 29 in Salem

April 22, 2010
Contact: Kevin Weeks (503) 945-7427

The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) will update coordinating committee members on a project to assess Oregon’s current forest resources in April.

The 2010 State of Oregon Statewide Forest Assessment and Resource Strategy is designed to identify Oregon’s current forest resources and develop a strategy for integrating federal, state and private forestry programs to address concerns including wildfire, keeping forests working as forests, diversity of forest habitats for fish and wildlife, prevention and reduction of invasive species and climate change. The Statewide Forest Assessment will identify high priority areas within Oregon for taking action.


The discussion is scheduled during a meeting of the State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee on Thursday April 29, 2010 from 10:00am to 3:00pm 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 staff presenting draft results of high priority forest areas for community wildfire protection, fish and wildlife habitat conservation, maintaining a viable forest products industry and urban and community forests.  Staff will present an initial draft of the Resource Strategy that summarizes the coordinated investment and delivery of federally funded state and private forestry programs to address concerns in high priority areas. The coordinating committee will also receive an update of the upcoming web launch of the Oregon Forest Atlas 2010 mapping project.

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, forest legacy and state fire assistance through the U.S. Forest Service’s State and Private Forestry Program.

Additional information about the 2010 Forest Assessment Resource Strategy project is available on the ODF website: www.oregon.gov/ODF/RESOURCE_PLANNING/2010fars.shtml<http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/RESOURCE_PLANNING/2010fars.shtml>

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