From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Thu Jul 1 10:13:21 2010 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2010 10:13:21 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Forest Biomass Work Group meets July 8 in Salem Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B666D6901F@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Oregon Department of Forestry NEWS RELEASE Forest Biomass Work Group meets July 8 in Salem July 1, 2010 Contact: Kevin Weeks (503) 945-7427 A workgroup of representatives from state government, forest industries, renewable energy development and the environmental community will meet in Salem on July 8 to talk about the role of Oregon's forests in providing energy production from wood. The Forest Biomass Work Group will meet on Thursday, July 8 at 10:00 a.m. in the Administration Building (Tillamook meeting room) of the Oregon Department of Forestry complex, 2600 State Street in Salem. Time is provided in the agenda for a working lunch - participants may bring their own lunch or contribute money towards a shared lunch. Members of the public attending the meeting are encouraged to bring a lunch. An agenda for the meeting is under development. Members of the public are invited to 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) 945-7427. Timber that may not have a market saw-log value -- either from being too small, damaged, waste from mill production or being too far from a potential milling market - holds great potential for producing energy. Forest biomass is a renewable source of energy, as wood biomass is generated as a by-product of active forest management. Additional information about the Oregon Department of Forestry is available on ODF's web site, www.oregon.gov/ODF. ### Kevin Weeks Public Information Officer ODF Agency Affairs Office (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Thu Jul 1 14:36:21 2010 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2010 14:36:21 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Call for Projects: Oregon's Forest Legacy Program Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B666D690AD@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> The Oregon Department of Forestry issued this news release today... Call for Projects - Oregon's Forest Legacy Program July 1, 2010 Contact: Jim Cathcart, 503-945-7493 or Kevin Weeks, 503-945-7427 Project applications are now being accepted for a program that works to protect the future of Oregon's forests by helping landowners assist conservation of forests in areas threatened by risk of ownership fragmentation or development. The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) administers the Forest Legacy Program in Oregon. Forest Legacy is a national cooperative forestry program of the U.S. Forest Service that seeks to conserve private forest lands in areas where forests may be lost to non-forest uses, to help protect forest resources, and enhance community forest conservation partnerships. An initial nomination of projects to be considered for funding in federal Fiscal Year 2012 may be submitted to ODF until August 13, 2010. Projects determined to meet minimum eligibility requirements will be asked to formally submit application materials by September 15, 2010. Oregon's State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee will review proposals and prioritize the state's projects for funding consideration by the Forest Legacy Program's National Review Panel for final ranking into President Obama's federal FY 2012 budget. If a project is successfully funded by Congress, funds would become available sometime during the October 2011 through September 2012 federal FY 2012 period. The Forest Legacy Program is designed to support state and community efforts to keep forestland viable, and keeping working forests as forests. The voluntary program provides financial incentives -- using conservation easements, land acquisition or land donation -- for private landowners to protect environmentally important working forest areas that are threatened by development, fragmentation and other non-forest uses. A new innovation for this year is the requirement for a project pre-proposal to assist Oregon evaluators consisting of a nomination letter and a description of the forest property. Formal applications will be developed by applicants using the national Forest Legacy Information System (FLIS) to ensure uniformity with project submissions from other states. To be eligible, the private forest lands seeking Forest Legacy Program funding must be within one of 36 Forest Legacy areas identified across Oregon by the State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee. Interested applicants should follow the steps as outlined in the FY 2012 Oregon Application Instructions . In 2010, Oregon updated its Forest Legacy Program as part of a five-year Resource Strategy developed to meet requirements of the 2008 Farm Bill. The updated program replaces Oregon's 2001 Assessment of Need. Oregon welcomed its first Forest Legacy Program project in September 2007 when the City of Eugene worked with a private landowner to preserve over 25 acres of oak habitat in Eugene's Wild Iris Ridge. The Forest Legacy program in Oregon has also been awarded $4,000,000 for acquisition of a conservation easement for the Skyline Forest near Bend. The Deschutes Land Trust is the lead conservation partner for this project. A conservation easement is a legal restriction placed on a piece of property to protect a specific resource, or several resources, such as a working forest. By stripping off certain property rights to the property - such as development rights - conservation easements can be used to keep forestlands for forestry purposes in perpetuity for enjoyment by future generations. The land stays in private ownership and owners retain those private property rights consistent with forestry purposes and the many forest resources values to be conserved. For more information about the Oregon's Forest Legacy Program go to http://egov.oregon.gov/ODF/privateforests/ForestLegacy.shtml, or contact Jim Cathcart, Oregon Department of Forestry at 503-945-7493 or email, jcathcart at odf.state.or.us. ### -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Fri Jul 2 09:03:13 2010 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Fri, 2 Jul 2010 09:03:13 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] New forestry offices in Sisters, John Day to boost fire response, local economy Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B666D69128@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Oregon Dept. of Forestry NEWS RELEASE New forestry offices in Sisters and John Day to boost fire response, local economy July 1, 2010 Contacts: Kristin Cotugno, 541-447-5658, kcotugno at odf.state.or.us, or Rod Nichols, 503-945-7425, rnichols at odf.state.or.us New Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) offices slated for Sisters and John Day promise both short- and long-term benefits for the communities. The current offices (built during the presidential terms of Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman) were originally sited outside urban growth areas but are now surrounded by homes and businesses. This delays firefighters when they respond to reports of wildfires. The new offices will be located near main highways and away from residential concentrations. Construction of the two offices will boost the local economy. The department awarded the construction contract for the John Day office to Kirby Nagelhout Construction Company. The Bend-based firm has pledged to purchase building materials from local suppliers, and the projects will draw on the local labor pool for workers, where possible. Food, lodging and fuel needs will be provided by area businesses. Construction of the ODF John Day Unit office and shop is underway, with occupancy scheduled for May 2011. Designed by BBT Architects, Inc. of Bend, the project includes an administration building and warehouse. It is being built on Patterson Bridge Road, directly across from the Malheur National Forest Supervisor's Office. The Sisters Sub-unit office will be built two miles east of Sisters on Highway 126. Construction will begin in late fall/early winter 2010 with a target date for occupancy of September 2011. Also designed by BBT Architects, Inc., the project will consolidate administrative and warehouse functions in a single building. The $4.75 million expense to construct the Sisters and John Day replacement offices was authorized in ODF's 2007-2009 budget. "Go, Oregon!" stimulus funds make up $2 million of the total and state Certificate of Participation (COP) dollars $2.75 million. In February 2009, Gov. Ted Kulongoski signed Go, Oregon! into law, a state stimulus program authorizing the sale of bonds to fund important capital projects at public facilities throughout Oregon. ODF received a share of the funding to help replace the two aging offices. Certificate of Participation (COP) funds are similar to a mortgage. The agency will pay six percent on the COP dollars it received. Both funding sources are earmarked specifically for infrastructure maintenance and replacement. Neither the Go, Oregon! nor COP dollars can be used to offset current shortfalls in personnel or other budget categories. As the new offices are completed, ODF will put the old properties up for sale. While the buildings themselves are declining (The Sisters office was built in 1939 and John Day in 1950), the lots have increased in value over the decades. Proceeds from the sales will help defray the cost of replacement. Central Oregon Assistant District Forester Kristin Cotugno views the new facilities as remedying several shortcomings of the existing offices. "The structures have basically exceeded their lifespan, and it is costing more and more to repair them," Cotugno said. "Also, there isn't enough space to accommodate current business needs." And the gradual urbanization of the offices' once-remote settings has become a detriment both to ODF operations and the neighboring community. It takes precious time, she said, to maneuver through neighborhoods and town to respond to fires. "In a typical fire season, we respond to more than 100 wildfire incidents out of each location," she said. "These new facilities and new locations will help us improve our efficiency and effectiveness in protecting Oregon's Forests." ### -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Tue Jul 13 13:24:57 2010 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:24:57 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] State Forester message - budget Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B666E9F526@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Private Forests News list members: State Forester Marvin Brown shared this message Tuesday with ODF employees about development of the 2011 budget and new initiatives which explore alternative funding options for the Department. Kevin Weeks Oregon Department of Forestry (503) 945-7427 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> July 13, 2010 Dear Fellow Employees, As we continue to watch reports on the economy, the one consistent message is that recovery will be slow. Another state revenue forecast is due towards the end of August, and even the most optimistic speculations continue to suggest a significant funding shortfall for next biennium. What that means for the Department will not be known for many months, but we've not been waiting around to find out. Starting about a year ago, I began meeting with different legislators to discuss our budget issues. That has led to two ongoing efforts. One is a highly diverse stakeholder group that has been meeting with us for the past several months and will continue to do so through early fall. The first thing we covered with this group was the request to all agencies from the Legislative Fiscal Office to develop scenarios for 5%, 10%, and 25% reductions in General Fund for the 2011-2013 biennium, which begins July 1, 2011. Everyone clearly saw that these cuts would have huge consequences. So the question becomes, "What do we do about it?" Can we successfully compete for more General Fund at a time when people are being removed from the Oregon Health Plan, schools are cutting days and laying off more teachers, and there's talk of closing prisons? Or should we be trying to find ways to fund Department work that don't rely on General Fund? If we are going to suggest other funding sources we have to make a compelling case, and to do that we asked this group to outline what a "fully functional" Oregon Department of Forestry would look like. What would new funding sources buy, and why are those services important to Oregonians? They will be finalizing this outline next week and then begin looking at a broad array of examples that show how other states and some nations fund their forestry agencies. If, within that highly diverse group of interests, we can find some common solutions, then we will begin working with them to craft strategies for bringing these solutions to the next legislative session. This is a very ambitious undertaking and, realistically, I feel like we need to think in terms of three different levels of success. The first would be that there is enough concern and support within this group that we can at least hold our own, or substantially so, during the next budget cycle. A second tier of success would be enough interest and momentum for alternative funding that we secure legislative direction to continue working with stakeholders and bring back a detailed proposal at a future date. The optimum level of success would be that we have a solid proposal that gets legislative consideration next session. If we can't at least reach that first level of success I have real concerns about our prospects. One likely scenario would be that the Private Forests Program sustains even further cuts and the Fire Program gets funded, but at a higher cost to landowners. To keep this from occurring I firmly believe we need very broad-based support, not only from our traditional supporters - forest landowners - but from urban and conservation interests as well. I want to make it clear that we're not abandoning our longstanding relationship with the landowner community. But if we don't want the burden of funding to fall more and more onto landowners' shoulders, we have to reach out to a much broader constituency who can also see that their interests and concerns are reflected in our business. The second major effort we have initiated involves all of the natural resource agencies -- Environmental Quality, Fish and Wildlife, Agriculture, Water Resources, Geology and Mineral Industries, Parks and Recreation, Land Conservation and Development, State Lands, and the Watershed Enhancement Board. Collectively, all natural resource agencies in the State have gone from sharing 7% of the total general fund budget to just 1.1% today. Of this group, Environmental Quality and Forestry receive the largest shares of general fund, and some of the agencies receive none at all. But, we are all committed to working together to rebuild support for natural resources within Oregon. We have had one meeting with key legislators and are planning another for September. Our common message is that natural resources are central to the identity of Oregon and crucial to not only the environmental, but also the economic and social well-being of the State. Budget cuts have severely damaged our ability to provide these benefits and our closest constituents - hunters, fishermen, regulated industries, farmers, forest landowners, and others - have been burdened with funding higher proportions of our programs. We need to reconnect all Oregonians with the importance of natural resources and build greater support for funding their protection and management. Education, health and human services, corrections, and law enforcement consume almost 95 percent of the State's general fund budget. So it's not surprising that discussion tends to focus on these needs. We've seen that in recent news coverage about recommendations from the Reset Cabinet, a group the Governor formed to recommend ways of restructuring those services. Managing Oregon's environment and natural resources may not carry a price tag that grabs as much attention, but polls have repeatedly shown that citizens cherish these values deeply. Our challenge is to tap into those sentiments to build broader support for our work. These are tough times for everyone and I know many people are concerned about the future, not just in our agency, but in all of state government, local governments, and much of the private sector. Please know that we're working hard, thinking creatively and planning strategically to someday get past all of this. If you have questions or need to verify information, always feel free to contact me, the Division Chiefs, Deputy Chiefs, or Area Directors. As I get out and about I'm encouraged by your positive attitudes and strong focus on the job at hand. Thank you very much for that. I hope I get the chance to visit with even more of you as the summer progresses. Marvin Brown -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Fri Jul 16 14:35:11 2010 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:35:11 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Forestry Board to tour Andrews Forest and meet in Eugene Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B666E9FA2E@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Oregon Dept. of Forestry issued this news release today. Forestry Board to tour Andrews Forest, meet in Eugene in late July For immediate release Major media distribution July 16, 2010 Contact: 10-18 Rod Nichols, 503-945-7425, rnichols at odf.state.or.us Dan Postrel, 503-945-7420, dpostrel at odf.state.or.us The Oregon Board of Forestry will tour the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest on July 29 and hold its regular business meeting on July 30 in Eugene. Board of Forestry tour July 29 The tour will focus on current research into subjects that include carbon storage, older forest ecosystems, and effects of thinning on structural diversity. Located in the Willamette National Forest in the central Cascade Range, the Andrews Forest is renowned for studies about the ecology and management of forests. Members of the public are welcome to join the board tour but are asked to provide their own lunch and transportation. A tour briefing will be held at 10 a.m. at Andrews Experimental Forest on U.S. Forest Service Road No. 15-130-132, in Blue River, Oregon. More information about the forest can be found at: http://andrewsforest.oregonstate.edu/. Board of Forestry meeting July 30 The Board of Forestry will meet on July 30 to address items ranging from forest carbon markets, to priority issues for private forest landowners, to administrative rules that guide management of the state-owned forests. The agenda includes: Dry Forest Investment Zone project - The organization Sustainable Northwest and several partners have begun a five-year project to increase the health of forested landscapes and the vitality of the rural communities, businesses and entrepreneurs that depend on them in the "dry forest zone" of eastern Oregon and northern California. The area encompasses 15 counties. Sustainable Northwest views the project as an opportunity to link conservation with economic development in this area, which has been affected by increasing poverty and unemployment, and has asked the board to join the effort Committee for Family Forestlands Annual Report - The Committee for Family Forestlands (CFF) will share highlights of its work during the past year and present key priorities for the year ahead. A standing committee of the Board of Forestry, the CFF advises the board on forest policy as it affects family forestland owners. Carbon market potential on state-owned forests - Oregon Department of Forestry staff will present information on the science associated with the uptake and storage of atmospheric carbon in trees, and the potential markets for such carbon "sequestration" on state forests. State forests' Greatest Permanent Value rule - The board will continue its consideration of possible changes to the "Greatest Permanent Value" rule, the administrative rule that guides management of the state forests. Earlier this year, the board received input on the rule from a public advisory committee, the Council of Forest Trust Land Counties, and ODF staff. At the July 30 meeting, the board will discuss and provide direction on potential rule concepts. Private Forests program - The board will resume discussion of a report on the mission of the department's Private Forests program. The report specifies actions to keep Oregon's working forests viable, including customized services to support the specialized needs of the wildland-urban interface, family forestlands, and industrial and investment forests. Department of Forestry biennial budget - The board will consider for approval the draft 2011-13 department budget. The department, along with other state agencies, must submit a proposed budget to the Department of Administrative Services by Sept. 1, for the budget cycle beginning July 1, 2011. The meeting will begin at 8 a.m. at Lane Community College's Center for Meeting and Learning, 4000 East 30th Ave., in Eugene. The meeting is open to the public, and comments will be received on forestry-related items not included in the agenda during a general 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 department's 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 the July 30 meeting agenda items will be available soon through the "2010 Meeting Schedule" link on the website. ### -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Thu Jul 29 16:37:05 2010 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:37:05 -0700 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Greg Miller elected OFRI board chair Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B666EF8C4E@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> OREGON FOREST RESOURCES INSTITUTE News Release July 29, 2010 Contact: Dave Kvamme, OFRI - (971) 673-2948 For Immediate Release Greg Miller elected OFRI board chair PORTLAND, Ore. - The Oregon Forest Resources Institute said today that its board of directors elected Greg Miller to serve as board chair. Miller has been on OFRI's board since 2007. Miller replaces Pete Sikora, chief operating officer for Giustina Resources in Eugene, whose term as OFRI board chair expired June 30. Miller also served as chair during an earlier appointment to OFRI's board. Ray Jones, vice president of resources, at Stimson Lumber Company, was elected vice chair. Miller has worked in the forest sector since 1974. Currently, he is the Oregon public affairs manager for Weyerhaeuser Company. Based in Salem, he is an active participant or board member in more than half a dozen organizations, including the Oregon Forest Industries Council and The Nature Conservancy. By Oregon statute, the State Forester appoints 11 of OFRI's 13 board members from three forest products producer classes. Two additional members serve ex-officio: the Oregon State University dean of the College of Forestry and a public representative who is appointed jointly by the speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives and the president of the Oregon Senate. Producer class specifications are as follows: * Class 1 - Producers of fewer than 20 million board feet per year. * Class 2 - Producers of at least 20 million board feet per year, but fewer than 100 million board feet per year. * Class 3 - Producers of at least 100 million board feet per year. In addition, there is a position representing small woodland owners owning between 100 and 2,000 acres of forestlands. Both Miller and Jones represent producers in Class 3. OFRI was created in 1991 by the Oregon legislature to improve public understanding of the state's forest resources and to encourage environmentally sound forest management through education. To learn more about the Oregon Forest Resources Institute and its work, visit OFRI online at oregonforests.org. -30- -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: