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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN class=913045419-07072009>Oregon Department of
Forestry</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN class=913045419-07072009>NEWS RELEASE</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><STRONG>Forestry Department begins work on statewide forest assessment
plan; meeting announced</STRONG></FONT></P>
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size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>July 7, 2009</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>Contact: Kevin Weeks, (503) 945-7427</FONT></P>
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size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) is beginning work on a project to
assess <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place>’s current forest resources and is
seeking public involvement in the process during a meeting in July. </FONT></P>
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size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>The 2010 State of Oregon Statewide </FONT><A name=OLE_LINK2></A><A
name=OLE_LINK1><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>Forest Assessment and Resource
Strategy</FONT></SPAN></A><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3> is designed to
identify Oregon’s current forest resources, develop a strategy for managing
forests that are identified as priority areas in the state, and report on the
effectiveness of how federal funding was used to address those
priorities.</FONT></P>
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size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>The Forest Assessment and Resource Strategy plan is crucial for meeting
2008 Farm Bill requirements for federal cooperative programs. In addition, the
document will serve as a cornerstone for the Oregon Board of
Forestry<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s 2011<SPAN
style="COLOR: blue"> </SPAN>update of the <I>Forestry Program for Oregon
</I>and determine future priorities for ODF’s operating programs.</FONT></P>
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size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>The plan is being developed by ODF’s Stewardship Coordinating Committee.
The Committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday July 14, 2009 from 10:00 am to 3:00
pm at ODF’s headquarters, <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">2600
State Street</st1:address></st1:Street> (Operations Building D – Santiam meeting
room) in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Salem</st1:City></st1:place>.
<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Public members are welcome to
attend the meeting.</FONT></P>
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size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">The key themes of the 2010 Forest Assessment are:<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0in" type=disc>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>Conserve Working Forest Lands </FONT>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>Protect Forests from Harm</FONT>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>Enhance Public Benefits from Trees and
Forests</FONT></LI></UL>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>The 2008 Farm Bill passed by Congress contained an amendment to the
Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act which required states receiving Farm Bill
funding perform the assessment study by mid-2010, with updates at five-year
increments after that. The Farm Bill funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture
which in turn provides funding for many ODF services through the U.S. Forest
Service’s State and Private Forestry Program.</FONT></P>
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size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>One-half of <st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State>’s 61 million acres
are forested, with 60 percent of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place>’s forests under federal ownership, 35
percent privately-owned while state, tribal or local government ownership
accounts for the remaining five percent.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place>’s forests are among one of the state’s
most valued resources, providing a balanced mix of environmental, economic and
social benefits </FONT></FONT></P>
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size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>Additional information about the Oregon Department of Forestry is
available on ODF’s web site, </FONT><A href="http://www.oregon.gov/ODF"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>www.oregon.gov/ODF</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>###</FONT></P>
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size=3></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
class=913045419-07072009><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Kevin
Weeks</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
class=913045419-07072009><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Public Information
Officer / Agency Affairs Office </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
class=913045419-07072009><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Oregon Department
of Forestry </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
class=913045419-07072009><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>(503)
945-7427</FONT></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>