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<div><font color="#1F497D">Oregon Department of Forestry</font></div>
<div><font color="#1F497D">NEWS RELEASE</font></div>
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<div><font face="Calibri, sans-serif">For immediate release Local media distribution</font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri, sans-serif">June 29, 2010 Contact: Mike Dewey, 541- 440-3412 ext. 117 </font></div>
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<div><font face="Calibri, sans-serif"><b>Grants offered to Douglas County forest owners for fuel-reduction work</b></font></div>
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<div><font face="Calibri, sans-serif">Owners of small woodlands in Douglas County have an opportunity to get reimbursed for work done to reduce wildfire hazards on their overstocked tree stands. The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) and Douglas County Land
Department invite landowners with overstocked tree stands to apply for federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant funds.</font></div>
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<div><font face="Calibri, sans-serif">“A small woodland owner who qualifies can receive up to $10,000 in reimbursement,” stewardship forester Mike Dewey said. “These Recovery Act grants are targeted at restoring health and fire resiliency to forests that have
become overly dense.”</font></div>
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<div><font face="Calibri, sans-serif">Forest landowners may apply by filling out a one-page application form available from the ODF Roseburg Unit office and the Douglas County Land Department office. </font></div>
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<div><font face="Calibri, sans-serif">Some of the factors that will be weighed in considering an application for a grant award include:</font></div>
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<li>Number of trees per acre</li><li>Proximity of structures</li><li>Proximity to a public road</li><li>Steepness of slope</li></font>
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<div><font face="Calibri, sans-serif">To qualify for consideration, an overstocked stand must be at least five contiguous acres in size. Because the grants are directed at helping small woodland owners, an applicant cannot own more than 5,000 acres of forestland.</font></div>
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<div><font face="Calibri, sans-serif">A key aim of the grants is to reduce the risk of damaging wildfires. Such fires not only destroy valuable timber but also damage wildlife habitat, degrade water quality, destroy property and even take lives. </font></div>
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<div><font face="Calibri, sans-serif">Completed grant applications will be received by the ODF Roseburg Unit office from Aug. 2 through Aug. 31, 2010. Office staff will be available to assist landowners in completing the form. </font></div>
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<div><font face="Calibri, sans-serif">Application forms may be obtained from the ODF Roseburg Unit office, 1758 NE Airport Rd., or the Douglas County Land Department office, Room 320 of the County Courthouse. Both offices are located in Roseburg. </font></div>
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<div><font face="Calibri, sans-serif">More information on Oregon Department of Forestry’s federal Recovery Act projects can be found at: <a href="http://www.oregon.gov/odf"><font color="#0000FF"><u>www.oregon.gov/odf</u></font></a>. For information on all Recovery
Act projects being administered by Oregon State Government agencies, go to the Oregon Recovery Act website, <a href="http://www.oregon.gov/recovery/index.page"><font color="#0000FF"><u>www.oregon.gov/recovery/index.page</u></font></a>.</font></div>
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