[ODF_Private_Forests] Oregon state forester seeks applicants for OFRI Board

[WEEKS Kevin]

Oregon Forest Resources Institute
News Release

March 5, 2010
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 announced today he is soliciting applications from qualified persons who are interested in becoming a producer class 2 member of the Oregon Forest Resources Institute Board of Directors. OFRI is a semi-independent state agency based in Portland 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.

The applicant would serve the remaining unexpired term of Gary Springer who is resigning the board after his appointment by Gov. Kulongoski and subsequent confirmation by the Oregon Senate to the Oregon Board of Forestry. Springer is an employee of Starker Forests, Inc. in Corvallis.

Springer’s current term on OFRI’s board began on Jan. 1, 2010 and expires on Dec. 31, 2012. The succeeding board member will be eligible for a second term.

Later this year, the state forester will solicit applications to fill positions for the expiring terms for four other board positions, one each for producer class 1, 2, and 3 and for the forest sector employee representative. Those board members for the producer class 3 and forest sector employee representative whose terms expire on Dec. 31 are eligible for reappointment.

Persons interested in being nominated for positions on the OFRI board now or later this year 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 for the current board opening must be postmarked by March 31, 2010.

To learn more about OFRI and its work, visit OFRI online at oregonforests.org.

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Private Forests News service

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