[ODF_Private_Forests] New OFRI report examines federal forests in Oregon

[WEEKS Kevin]

Private Forests News list subscribers-
This news release is forwarded at the request of the Oregon Forest Resources Institute.

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

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OREGON FOREST RESOURCES INSTITUTE
News Release

Contact: Dave Kvamme - 971-673-2948
May 26, 2010
For immediate release
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New OFRI report examines federal forests

PORTLAND, Ore. - A new special report on federal forests released by the Oregon Forest Resources Institute this month documents a growing consensus that many forests are sick and require immediate help.

The special report, Federal Forestland in Oregon, points out the unhealthy conditions of federally managed forests, particularly those in the dry, eastern and southwestern portions of the state. The report catalogs the causes of the problem, including insects, disease, overstocking and often little or no management beyond fire suppression. But it also finds growing support for large scale forest restoration among scientists, conservationists and land managers for actively managing these sickly forests using techniques such as thinning, fuels reduction and prescribed fire on a landscape level.

The report fills a longstanding need for a primer on federal forest issues, says Paul Barnum, OFRI executive director. "I began talking a year ago with a broad cross-section of people about whether this was a topic OFRI should address, and I heard a unanimous 'yes.'"

The 24-page report benchmarks what is known about Oregon's publicly owned forestlands managed by the federal government. It also provides historical context for the 18.2 million acres of federal forests here, details current conditions, and lays out in frank terms the impact of federal forest management policies on ecosystems, budgets and communities.

The report highlights consensus among scientists, lawmakers, policymakers and conservation groups that passive management - letting nature take its course - especially with forests in Oregon's dry eastern and southwestern areas, is not a viable option. Recommended solutions go by different names, such as active management, ecological forestry and whole-landscape approaches, but all entail prescriptions such as thinning young trees and removing underbrush to restore forest health.

"Forest restoration activities, conducted on a landscape-wide basis, can both supply forest products and leave forests healthier and more fire resilient," Barnum concluded.

Federal Forestland in Oregon is available by downloading or ordering from the OFRI website, oregonforests.org.
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