From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Mon Dec 5 09:54:42 2011 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2011 09:54:42 -0800 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Committee for Family Forestlands meets December 16 in Salem Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B60201BD34E3@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Oregon Department of Forestry - NEWS RELEASE Committee for Family Forestlands meets December 16 in Salem December 5, 2011 Contact: Kevin Weeks (503) 945-7427 The Committee for Family Forestlands is scheduled to meet at 9:00 a.m. on Friday December 16, 2011 at the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) headquarters in Salem, 2600 State Street - Operations Building D, Santiam meeting room. The Committee provides information to the Oregon Board of Forestry and the State Forester on ways to improve the vitality of Oregon's family forestlands. The proposed agenda for the meeting is scheduled to include a review of the November 4 Board of Forestry field tour discussing issues facing family forest landowners in Oregon, discussion regarding the potential development of new procedures by the Department of Environmental Quality regarding Clean Water Act compliance, and discussion about areas of concern to eastern Oregon forest owners. 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 503-945-7502. Thirteen positions, seven voting members and six seats in non-voting roles, form the Committee. Voting members include family forest owners, an environmental community representative, a representative of Oregon's forest products industry and a citizen-at-large representing the public. Representatives of the Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon State University, Oregon Small Woodlands Association, forestry-related industry associations and the Oregon Forest Resources Institute serve in a non-voting capacity. Additional information about the Committee for Family Forestlands is available on ODF's web site, www.oregon.gov/ODF/BOARD/CFF/cff.shtml ### Kevin Weeks Public Information Officer Public Affairs Office (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Wed Dec 7 12:11:21 2011 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2011 12:11:21 -0800 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Landslide closes recreation area in Tillamook State Forest Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B60201BD389A@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> The Oregon Department of Forestry issued this news release today-- Landslide closes recreation area in Tillamook State Forest December 7, 2011 Contact: Kevin Weeks, ODF Public Affairs (503) 945-7427 Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) officials have closed a dispersed camping site along Ben Smith Creek in the Tillamook State Forest due to a landslide creating the potential for flooded trails and camping sites. The landslide encompasses approximately 18 acres and has deposited trees and sediment into the stream. The debris from the landslide has caused a change in the course of the stream and also created the potential for large amount of material to move downstream in a debris flow. During heavy rainfall and high flows, sediment is moving from the slide area through Ben Smith Creek and into the Wilson River. Ben Smith Creek enters the Wilson River just above where Oregon Highway 6 crosses the Wilson at Lee's Camp, about 25 miles east of Tillamook. ODF geotechnical specialists have determined that any additional release of material at the landslide location does not pose a risk to motorists using Highway 6 nor pose a hazard to homes located on the Wilson River. Some recreation trails surrounding Ben Smith Creek (accessed from Hwy 6 on Ben Smith Road) have been closed by ODF until further notice due to the potential for trail washouts and debris flows. Signs have been posted by ODF at trailheads to advise members of the public about the safety concerns. Large sections of wood are expected to continue ending up in the creek, creating new habitat for fish as a result. ODF geotechnical and engineering specialists began reviewing the area in 2010 and determined the release of debris at the creek is part of a larger hillside failure in a landscape where slide activity is part of the natural erosion process. The landslide is considered slow-moving, having been identified as a concern by ODF geotechnical specialists in November 2010. The first activity in the landslide area occurred prior to 1994-95 when it was discovered by ODF personnel preparing for thinning operations and road rebuilding. "These actions are part of a natural process always at work in NW Oregon forests," said Mike Buren, ODF geotechnical specialist. "These changes are going on in the forest undetected by most people, especially in fall and winter." Specialists from ODF will continue to monitor the landslide area throughout the winter and spring of 2012. Additional photo and video resources about the landslide incident are available on the ODF web site: www.oregon.gov/ODF/newsroom/newsreleases/2011/NR1175.shtml ### Kevin Weeks Public Information Officer Oregon Department of Forestry Public Affairs Office (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Tue Dec 13 08:42:34 2011 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:42:34 -0800 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] New Private Forests deputy chief selected by Forestry Department Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B60201BD3E67@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Oregon Department of Forestry - NEWS RELEASE New Private Forests deputy chief selected by Forestry Department December 13, 2011 Contact: Kevin Weeks, ODF Public Affairs (503) 945-7427 Lena Tucker has been selected to serve as deputy chief of the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Private Forests Division. Tucker, with 17 years of experience with ODF, will oversee daily operations of programs that enforce forest practices regulations and best management practices, coordinate assistance to forest landowners, forest research and monitoring, forest health survey work controlling insect and disease damage on private lands, tree seed research and the Urban Forestry program. These duties will also include two initiatives directed by the Oregon Legislature -- a project to innovate and re-align the division's services to make use of current private-sector business models and seek ways to integrate new technology into ODF's services, and a contract for an audit measuring landowner compliance with Oregon Forest Practices Act requirements. "Lena brings a wealth of field management experience and knowledge of ODF to the position," said Peter Daugherty, chief of the Private Forests Division. "I am looking forward to the leadership and vision she will provide for the division as we re-align our services to the public." Tucker joined ODF in 1994 as a natural resources specialist for the State Forests Program in Astoria, and also served as Unit Forester for ODF in Grants Pass and as the Assistant to the Eastern Oregon Area Director in Prineville. Since 2004, Tucker has been the ODF District Forester for the South Cascade District based in Springfield. She earned a bachelor of science in forest management from Northern Arizona University. Tucker begins her new position on January 1, 2012. ### Kevin Weeks Public Information Officer Oregon Department of Forestry Public Affairs Office (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Fri Dec 16 14:17:43 2011 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:17:43 -0800 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Update on Hiring and Spending Freeze at ODF In-Reply-To: <73DF2BD98441854C8781DD977323B159021CBADC84@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> References: <73DF2BD98441854C8781DD977323B159021CBADC84@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B60201D5488B@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> State Forester Doug Decker provided this update to Oregon Department of Forestry staff on Friday. Kevin Weeks Oregon Department of Forestry From: DECKER Doug S Sent: Friday, December 16, 2011 2:10 PM Global economic challenges are prominent in the news this week, and so are Oregon headlines about cost-saving direction from the Governor for state agencies in the form of a hiring freeze and administrative restrictions on spending. I thought it would be helpful to provide some further detail about the Governor's announcements, tell you about the conservative approach we've been taking on spending and hiring decisions for the last year or more, and share some thoughts on how we'll proceed over the next couple months. First, here's the news in case you missed it: In consultation with legislative budget leaders, the Governor has announced a hiring freeze from now until at least through the February 2012 legislative session - with an exception process for critical positions. Wednesday, he announced a set of spending restrictions (which is actually consistent with our own ODF administrative guidelines currently in place...more on that in a minute). Taken together, these measures are intended to produce savings that will provide the Governor and the Legislature with the greatest possible flexibility in balancing this biennium's budget in case of a deeper statewide shortfall than expected. The budget will be a priority during the Legislature's session in February. Hiring Freeze process and criteria being clarified. The Department of Administrative Services has provided information about the hiring freeze exception criteria. We're working to determine how to apply those to ODF and will be sharing that information with managers in an e-mail message later today. We have a number of vacant positions - at leadership levels, such as district foresters, and in the field - with bearing on our ability to provide direct services and accomplish our mission, and we'll review those carefully. I also recognize that seasonal firefighter recruitment is on the horizon, which is obviously central to our agency mission. Careful review of hiring and spending as standard operating procedure. Since well before this week's statewide announcements, we have been reviewing each vacancy, delaying hiring wherever possible. Similarly, through a detailed set of administrative guidelines, we've asked managers to analyze discretionary spending in every area - travel, equipment purchases, employee compensation and more. The intent is to use every opportunity to realize savings without compromising safety or our core mission. We've also taken a conservative approach to our rebuilding of the Private Forests program as funded in our current budget, rebuilding in phases and leaving options open for slowing or halting progress if necessary due to budget constraints. Staying connected. Along with other members of the ODF Executive Team, I've been in direct contact with legislative budget leaders, apprising them of our cost-savings approaches and inviting their feedback. We're also in frequent and ongoing conversation with the Governor's Office, the Department of Administrative Services and the Legislative Fiscal Office. These contacts are essential in maintaining a "no surprises" approach and keeping our strategies in line with those of state government as a whole. The economic difficulties of the last few years have brought a measure of uncertainty to all of us, in our personal and our work lives. Unfortunately, I don't see that changing. For us in state government, the next General Fund revenue forecast, scheduled for early February, and the coming legislative session will shape our budget strategies in the near future. As you may recall, all agencies have submitted options for General Fund reductions of 10.5 percent, in 3.5 percent increments, for the Legislature's consideration in February. Link - http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/AGENCY_AFFAIRS/docs/November2011GeneralFundReductionExercise.pdf In closing. Our Executive Team will continue to follow developments closely, and I'll keep you updated. In the meantime, I can tell you that the cost-saving measures we've already put in place, the strong support of our stakeholders, and our regular communication with policy leaders are great assets as we navigate through these challenging times. Just as valuable is our can-do reputation - as strong as ever - and the goodwill we have developed. All this results directly from the good work you do every day - work that I hear about regularly as I travel the state. I thank you for that, and for your continued commitment to serving Oregonians and Oregon's forests. Best wishes, Doug Decker, Oregon State Forester Director, Oregon Department of Forestry Office: 503-945-7211 Oregon Department of Forestry 2600 State Street, Salem OR 97301 www.oregon.gov/ODF/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Mon Dec 19 08:43:30 2011 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:43:30 -0800 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Streamside protection, forest diversity on Forestry Board agenda Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B60201D54991@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Oregon Department of Forestry - NEWS RELEASE Streamside protection, forest diversity on Forestry Board agenda For immediate release Major media distribution December 19, 2011 Contact: 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 take up agenda items on streamside vegetation protection, state forest planning and rules, and biological diversity when it meets on Jan. 4 in Salem. The meeting is open to the public. The agenda includes: State Forests 2012 proposed board work plan - Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) staff will propose a work plan that aligns with the discussion and direction at the November 2011 board meeting, including remarks from Governor John Kitzhaber. The proposed plan includes: * Affirmation of the greatest permanent value administrative rule * Improvement of performance measures for board-owned lands * Identification of policy options to ensure financial sustainability for the State Forests program ? Exploration of methods to make contributions to conservation values on state forests more visible and durable Greatest permanent value rule - ODF staff will summarize the results of a process begun in 2009 to examine the greatest permanent value rule, an administrative rule that defines the purpose of the board-owned forestlands in providing a broad range of benefits. An extensive review by a broad-based public advisory committee, the Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee, and department employees led State Forests program staff to conclude that the current rule language is generally aligned with board members' viewpoints about the interpretation of "greatest permanent value." Board authorities in riparian protection standards - Staff will present a review of the board's duties and powers for administrative rules, including the types of rules, procedure, necessary findings and analysis. They will describe the relationship between rules for maintaining water quality and rule analysis. The board will be asked to decide whether to move forward with rule analysis on two topics: riparian protection standards for small and medium fish-bearing streams, and waiver of written plans for operations near riparian management areas. Oregon forest biological diversity - A subcommittee to the board tasked with studying the issue of the loss of forest biological diversity in Oregon, specifically in the northern coast region, presented its findings at the November 2011 board meeting. As follow-up, ODF staff will present a summary of how current statutes and administrative rules influence biological diversity through department programs. Principles and guidance for 2013-15 department budget and legislative concepts - The department will seek the board's input for principles and guidance for the 2013-15 Agency Request Budget, and for development of possible bills to be introduced during the 2013 legislative session. Decertification of State Forest parcels - The board will consider a request to decertify three parcels of land in Coos County owned by the State Land Board. The Land Board decertified the parcels in October, a prelude to offering them for sale to the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve. The reserve's mission is to "improve the understanding and stewardship of Pacific Northwest estuaries and coastal watersheds." Decertification by both the Land Board and the Board of Forestry is required under state statute for sale of the parcels, totaling 320 acres, to proceed. Meeting time and location The board meeting will begin at 8 a.m. at Oregon Department of Forestry headquarters in the Tillamook Room - Building C, 2600 State St., in Salem. Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services or assistance can be arranged calling the department's Public 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.oregonforestry.gov. Background information on the Jan. 4 meeting, including staff reports, will be available soon through the 2012 "Meeting Schedules" link on the website. Public comment The meeting is open to the public. During a general comment period at the beginning, public comment will be received on forestry-related items that are not included in the agenda. Time will also be provided for comment on specific agenda items as the board takes them up. ### -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Mon Dec 19 09:42:15 2011 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:42:15 -0800 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] Stream project helps fish and serves as dry run for ecosystem credits market Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B60201D549F8@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> Oregon Department of Forestry - NEWS RELEASE Stream project helps fish and serves as dry run for ecosystem credits market December 19, 2011 Contact: Kevin Weeks, ODF Public Affairs (503) 945-7427 Riddle: what helps fish, improves air or water quality, provides new capital for public services and puts Oregonians to work? An Oregon state agency may have found an answer. The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) recently concluded a pilot project to test the feasibility of having state-managed lands participate in the rapidly emerging ecosystem services credit trading market. This type of trading market compensates landowners through the "pricing" of natural assets (the benefits that people get from nature) as a credit that can be bought, sold, or otherwise paid for. For example, a land owner or developer could purchase credits to mitigate environmental effects of a particular activity. During summer 2010, ODF partnered with the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife and the Tualatin River Watershed Council to place large wood into a one-mile reach of upper Gales Creek in Washington County. Thanks to an Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) grant, project partners were able to place approximately 100 logs within the stream channel and floodplain, as a part of planned thinning and timber sale activities on the ODF-managed land. Project partners were able to test the ecosystem services potential of restoring the stream by working with the Willamette Partnership to participate in their "Counting on the Environment" (COTE) initiative. Willamette Partnership is a broad coalition of stakeholders committed to restoring the health of the ecologically, socially, and economically complex landscapes of the Northwest, in part by building the tools and infrastructure to help purchase and sell ecosystem service credits using market-based approaches. So far, the Willamette Partnership has developed model agreements with federal, state, and local agencies on ecosystem markets, developed tools for landowners to quantify the water and habitat benefits of restoration and stewardship, and facilitated improvements to wetlands, streams, and prairies across Oregon. Over a two-year span, Willamette Partnership developed protocols to evaluate ecosystem enhancement projects and determine the appropriate ecosystem service credits in four areas: * Salmon Habitat * Wetland Habitat * Water Quality (Temperature & Nutrients) * Upland Prairie Habitat In July, 2010, the Gales Creek Wood Placement Project was accepted as a Counting on the Environment pilot project for salmon habitat enhancement and water quality to calibrate and test these protocols. The pilot created two benefits - improved stream habitat for fish and some good lessons on how emerging ecosystem markets can help generate revenue for conserving forests. The project generated more than 4,000 linear feet of high-functioning stream, providing shade that kept the stream from heating up (measured at 1.9 million kilocalories per day of blocked solar energy). These credits were verified by the Willamette Partnership, and retirement certificates for the credits were issued by MarkIt Environmental Registry in August 2011. Since the project was funded in part with an OWEB grant, and under Oregon law public agencies are not currently authorized to deal in ecosystem service credits, the project was carried through the full ecosystem credit estimation, verification, and registration cycle without the credits being purchased. Had the credits been traded at current prices for salmon and temperature credits, they might have generated about $1.4 million in revenue for project partners. While no funds changed hands for the ecosystem credits in this test, ODF will continue to explore the potential for stream enhancement credits to generate revenue. Stream-restoration ecosystem credit projects yield a benefit to the environment and provide a potential new source of revenue for public resource management agencies such as ODF. But there's a third benefit to Oregon. They create jobs. A study by the Ecosystem Workforce Program at the University of Oregon in 2009 found that forest and watershed restoration projects have considerable economic impact and job growth potential. The study determined that for every million dollars invested in restoration credit projects, twenty jobs and over $2.3 million in total economic activity were returned for river and road restoration. While these project jobs may be short-term in nature, ongoing demand for such restoration work could result in a consistent demand for Oregon workers involved in a "restoration economy." ### Kevin Weeks Public Information Officer Oregon Department of Forestry Public Affairs Office (503) 945-7427 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kevin.weeks at state.or.us Wed Dec 21 15:58:20 2011 From: kevin.weeks at state.or.us (WEEKS Kevin) Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:58:20 -0800 Subject: [ODF_Private_Forests] USDA NRCS Announces Conservation Stewardship Program Message-ID: <2659B04496B9C544A0CB26155C1FD1B60201D54EBC@WPODFEXCL01.ODF.STATE.OR.US> This message is forwarded at the request of the Oregon office of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Kevin Weeks Oregon Department of Forestry ******************************************************* [cid:image002.jpg at 01CCBFF9.5C7894F0] News Release United States Department of Agriculture * Natural Resources Conservation Service 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 900, 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 900, Portland, OR 97204 www.or.nrcs.usda.gov Release No. 2011.12-001 CONTACT: Loren Unruh, State Programs Leader, (503) 414-3235, loren.unruh at or.usda.gov Sara Magenheimer, State Public Affairs Officer, (503) 414-3250, sara.magenheimer at or.usda.gov USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Announces Sign-Up Period for Conservation Stewardship Program Program cut-off date is January 13, 2012 PORTLAND, Ore. (Dec. 13, 2011) -USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced that the ranking period cut-off date for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is January 13, 2012. Producers interested in CSP should submit applications to their local NRCS office by the deadline so their applications can be considered during the first ranking period of 2012. "CSP in Oregon continues to be a very effective tool for private landowners working to achieve their conservation and management goals," said Ron Alvarado, Oregon NRCS State Conservationist. "Over the past two years, over 510 applicants enrolled in CSP, receiving financial and technical assistance to implement conservation on nearly 1.2 million acres across Oregon." CSP is offered in all 50 states, and the Pacific and Caribbean areas through continuous sign-ups. The program provides many conservation benefits including improvement of water and soil quality, wildlife habit enhancements and adoption of conservation activities that address the effects of climate change. Eligible lands include cropland, pastureland, rangeland, nonindustrial private forest land and agricultural land under the jurisdiction of an Indian tribe. Though specific payments to landowners will vary on a case-by-case basis, average CSP payments to Oregon landowners in 2010 and 2011 were between $9 and $12 per acre. Landowners working to improve their operation can receive up to $40,000 a year in financial assistance for five years. A CSP self-screening checklist is available to help potential applicants determine if CSP is suitable for their operation. The checklist highlights basic information about CSP eligibility requirements, contract obligations and potential payments. It is available from local NRCS offices and on the CSP Web page. As part of the CSP application process, applicants work with NRCS field personnel to complete the resource inventory using a Conservation Measurement Tool (CMT). The CMT determines the conservation performance for existing and new conservation activities. The applicant's conservation performance will be used to determine eligibility, ranking and payments. In 2010 alone, nearly 21,000 applicants across the nation enrolled in CSP, putting additional conservation on 25.2 million acres, about the size of the state of Kentucky, to improve water and soil quality, enhance wildlife habitat and address the effects of climate change. Visit the NRCS Oregon Web site, <.>> and connect with an NRCS office near you. ### Originally established by Congress in 1935 as the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), NRCS has expanded to become a conservation leader for all natural resources, ensuring private lands are conserved, restored, and more resilient to environmental challenges. The NRCS works with landowners through conservation planning and assistance designed to benefit the soil, water, air, plants, and animals that result in productive lands and healthy ecosystems. ________________________________________________________________________ NRCS is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). Local contact information is located in the telephone book under the federal government listing or can be found online at: www.or.nrcs.usda.gov. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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