[ODF_Private_Forests] Forestry Department opens West Oregon District 10-year plan for public comment

[WEEKS Kevin]

The Oregon Department of Forestry issued this news release today..
Forestry Department opens West Oregon District 10-year plan for public comment
April 23, 2012
Contact:           Kevin Weeks, ODF Public Affairs, (503) 945-7427
The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) today announced the opening of a public comment period for several documents that set management goals for 37,000 acres of state-owned forest in ODF's West Oregon District. ODF released drafts of the 10-year implementation plan for the West Oregon District, Forest Land Management Classification maps and the draft Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Operations Plan for the district.
Public comment will be accepted on the plan until June 5, 2012.
The West Oregon District encompasses multiple state-owned forest tracts in Polk, Lincoln and Benton Counties, managed to provide a balanced, sustainable flow of social, economic and environmental benefits. Eighty-two percent of the forest is owned by the Oregon Board of Forestry, with all three counties benefitting from timber harvest revenues from the lands associated with their county. The remaining lands are Common School Lands managed by ODF under agreement with the Department of State Lands.
By law, Board of Forestry lands are managed to achieve greatest permanent value - defined as healthy, productive and sustainable forest ecosystems that over time and across the landscape provide a full range of social, economic, and environmental benefits to the people of Oregon.
Common School Fund forestlands are managed to maximize revenues over the long term in a manner that is consistent with sound techniques of land management.
The draft 10-year implementation plan --
*         Balances providing a sustainable source of revenues for public services while valuing and providing for environmental and social assets of the forest.
*         Aligns forest management activities in the district with the Forest Management Plan approved by the Board of Forestry for state-managed forests in NW Oregon.
*         Sets the annual average timber harvest level at 12 million-board-feet per year, a sustainable level based on current forest modeling and inventory. Over the next decade, the inventory of the West Oregon District forests is expected to increase from 788 million-board-feet to about 933 million-board-feet.
*         Creates several 'anchor habitats' to maintain and improve conditions for fish and wildlife in the region.
*         Outlines the expected recreation uses and planned access road development within the forests managed by the West Oregon District.
Ten-year implementation plans provide objectives for ODF districts in developing annual operations plans for the forest. These plans describe management activities including harvests, road building, recreation objectives and reforestation that will occur during the next decade. The plans also include estimates of key outcomes such as timber harvest volume and age/species composition of forest stands.
The draft 2012 implementation plans are available for review on the ODF website: www.oregon.gov/ODF/STATE_FORESTS/District_Implementation_Plan_Revisions_2012.shtml<http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/STATE_FORESTS/District_Implementation_Plan_Revisions_2012.shtml>
A public meeting to review the draft implementation plan and receive public comment will be held on Wednesday May 2nd at 6:30 p.m. in the ODF West Oregon District office, 24533 Alsea Highway (Oregon Hwy 34) in Philomath. 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.
Comments on the draft implementation plan may be sent by regular mail to:
Oregon Department of Forestry, 2600 State Street, Salem, OR 97310 - Attn: Public Affairs Office. Comments may also be e-mailed to: sfpiplans at odf.state.or.us<mailto:sfpiplans at odf.state.or.us>

During the same comment period, the draft Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Operations Plan for the District can also be reviewed on the ODF website:

www.oregon.gov/ODF/STATE_FORESTS/2013_AOP_Draft.shtml<http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/STATE_FORESTS/2013_AOP_Draft.shtml>



Comments on the draft Annual Operations Plan may be sent by regular mail to:



Oregon Department of Forestry, 2600 State Street, Salem, OR 97310 - Attn: Public Affairs Office. Comments may also be e-mailed to: sfpaoplans at odf.state.or.us<mailto:sfpaoplands at odf.state.or.us>


ODF provides management of about 821,000 acres of forestland in the state. About two-thirds of the revenues from state forest timber sales go to local counties and other taxing districts, including schools. Over the last 10 years for the West Oregon District, this has amounted to $23.5 million from state forest timber sales in Polk, Lincoln and Benton counties.
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