[ODF_Private_Forests] State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee meets January 28 in Salem

[WEEKS Kevin]

Oregon Department of Forestry
NEWS RELEASE

State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee meets January 28 in Salem

January 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 on January 28.

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 of 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 January 28, 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) during a meeting of the State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee.

The coordinating committee will also 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 land 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.

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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