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<P><SPAN class=507433615-27082008><FONT face=Arial>Oregon Department of
Forestry</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN class=507433615-27082008><FONT face=Arial>NEWS
RELEASE</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Aug. 27, 2008 </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Contact: Rod Nichols, (503) 945-7425, or<SPAN
class=507433615-27082008> </SPAN>Dan Postrel, (503) 945-7420</FONT></P><B>
<P align=center><FONT face=Arial>Forestry Board to meet in Astoria Sept. 3, tour
State Forest on Sept. 4</FONT></P></B>
<P><FONT face=Arial>The Oregon Board of Forestry will tour the Clatsop State
Forest and take up issues including invasive species, management of federal
forestlands, and services to private forestland owners, during sessions Sept. 3
and 4 in Astoria.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>The Board’s Sept. 3 business meeting and Sept. 4 tour –
which will cover a variety of forest management topics, including responses to
effects of windstorms last December – are open to the public.</FONT></P><B>
<P><FONT face=Arial>SEPT. 3 MEETING</FONT></P></B>
<P><FONT face=Arial>The meeting is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the
Riverview Room at the Holiday Inn Express, 204 W. Marine Drive. Agenda items
include: </FONT></P><FONT size=1></FONT><B>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Crafting a vision for management of federal
forestlands</FONT></P></B>
<P><FONT face=Arial>The board’s Federal Forestlands Advisory Committee will
present a draft document that articulates the panel’s vision for how federal
forestlands should be managed. It outlines recommended policy changes and new
state initiatives. The committee was formed in 2006 to help the Board meet Gov.
Ted Kulongoski's mandate to give Oregonians a greater voice in the management of
federal lands. </FONT></P><B>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Private Forests Program work plan</FONT></P></B>
<P><FONT face=Arial>The board will continue work on its draft work plan for the
Department of Forestry’s private forests program. Objectives include:</FONT></P>
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<P><FONT face=Arial>Promoting policies that encourage continued retention of and
investment in family-owned forestlands.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Promoting retention of the forestland base through land-use
and tax programs, regulations, forest products market development and
incentives.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Continuing to support an effective, science-based Oregon
Forest Practices Act and a strong but flexible statewide land-use planning
program.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Continuing to contribute to statewide efforts to protect and
enhance native fish populations and water quality.</FONT></P><B></DIR></DIR>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Invasive species</FONT></P></B>
<P><FONT face=Arial>The board’s work plan on invasive species, approved last
April, has a primary goal of providing leadership in preventing and controlling
introductions of damaging invasive, non-native plant and animal species to
Oregon’s forests. The plan’s first objective, which the board will consider at
the meeting, involves a review of invasive species-related elements of the
board’s 2003 strategic <I>Forestry Program for Oregon</I>,<I> </I>and the
authorities and activities of public agencies and other entities pertaining to
those species.</FONT></P><B><I>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Forestry Program for Oregon </FONT></P></B></I>
<P><FONT face=Arial>The Board will begin work on updating its overarching forest
policy, the <I>Forestry Program for Oregon</I>, by reviewing its mission, vision
and values statements<I>.</I> Last revised in 2003, the eight-year document is
due to be updated in 2011. Last April, the board affirmed its intention to
maintain the existing framework for sustainable forest management, and to
strengthen the linkages between the <I>Forestry Program for Oregon</I>, a set of
Oregon Indicators of Sustainable Forest Management, the board’s biennial "issue
scan," and its work plans, along with the work of the department that is
directly related to board strategic planning. </FONT></P><B></B>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Also at the Sept. 3 meeting, the board will: </FONT></P>
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<P><FONT face=Arial>Consider a department recommendation to appoint Susan
Watkins to its Committee for Family Forestlands. A retired attorney and owner of
a small forest tract in Yamhill County, Watkins helped found the Family Forest
Project, which aids landowning families with succession planning. The department
will also recommend reappointment of Greg Miller to the committee’s forest
industry position, in which he has served since 2005. Miller is the regional
public affairs manager for Weyerhaeuser Co. </FONT></P><FONT size=1></FONT>
<P><FONT face=Arial>The Committee for Family Forestlands advises the Board and
the State Forester on methods to help improve the vitality of family
forestlands.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Hear a presentation from the Wild Salmon Center, an
environmental group, on salmon anchor habitats, a concept to provide expanded
protection of salmon-bearing streams.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </P></DIR></DIR><B>
<P><FONT face=Arial>SEPT. 4 TOUR</FONT></P></B>
<P><FONT face=Arial>The board will tour the Clatsop State Forest to explore
possible outcomes and underlying questions about achieving the board’s
performance measures for the forest. This will include discussions on harvest
revenues, development of complex stand structure, wildlife species of concern,
and responses to the December 2007.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Those interested in participating in the tour should call
Gayle Birch in Salem, 503-945-7210, or Tom Savage, Astoria District Forester,
503-325-5451, for details.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special
materials, services or assistance can be arranged by calling the Department of
Forestry Agency Affairs Office at least 48 hours before the meeting, at
503-945-7200, or text telephone (503-945-7213. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial>More information on the Board of Forestry can be found at
</FONT><A href="http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/BOARD/"><FONT
face=Arial>www.oregon.gov/ODF/BOARD/</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial>. Background
information on the agenda items is located under the heading, "Staff
reports."</FONT></P>
<P align=center><FONT face=Arial>###</FONT></P>
<P align=left><SPAN class=507433615-27082008><FONT face=Arial>Questions about
the ODF Private Forests News service?</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P align=left><SPAN class=507433615-27082008><FONT face=Arial>Contact: Kevin
Weeks, ODF Agency Affairs / Private Forests Division (503)
945-7427</FONT></SPAN></P></FONT></BODY></HTML>