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<p class=MsoNormal>Oregon Department of Forestry – NEWS RELEASE(S)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Board of Forestry approves land transfers in western Oregon<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>September 8, 2010<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Contact:
Mike Totey (541) 929-9151 or Kevin Weeks (503) 945-7427<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>NR10-48<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The Oregon Board of Forestry today approved the exchange of
forestland located in Benton, Lincoln and Polk counties, where similar amounts
of state land will be exchanged for private land.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The land exchange involves about 1,904 acres of state-owned
land and 2,095 acres of forest owned by Starker Forests Incorporated. The land
values, including harvestable timber, are approximately equal, according to an
independent appraisal. Third-party assessments also were conducted for
sensitive plant, fish and wildlife habitat on affected forest lands. ODF
completed an assessment of recreational values.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The forestland acreage in the land exchange approved
Wednesday includes: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Lincoln County: 1,024 acres of state land and 1,070 acres of
Starker land. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Benton County: 484 acres of state land and 696 acres of
Starker land. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Polk County: 396 acres of state land (includes 40 acres of
Common School Fund land) and 329 acres of Starker land. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The land exchange yields a net increase of 191 additional
acres in state ownership of forestland, producing additional economic,
environmental and social benefits to Oregon and local county services.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>ODF began negotiations with Starker Forests in 2008
regarding a potential exchange of lands for the purpose of consolidating
respective ownerships and to increase management efficiency and effectiveness
in forest management by both parties. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Public hearings on the proposed land transfer occurred in
April 2010 in Newport, Corvallis and Dallas. Additional public comment on the
proposal was accepted during May 2010 and the proposed land exchange was
approved by the Board of Commissioners in Benton, Lincoln and Polk Counties
during June 2010. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The 40-acre parcel of forest in Polk County under Common
School Fund ownership proposed for transfer from the Department of State Lands
to Starker will be reviewed by the State Land Board this fall. The Board of
Forestry voted 5-0 to approve the land exchange, with board member Gary
Springer abstaining due to his employment with Starker Forests.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>ODF manages 848,000 acres of state forestland to provide
social, economic, and environmental benefits to local communities throughout
Oregon. Additional information, including maps of the land exchange areas, is
available on the Oregon Department of Forestry website, www.oregon.gov/ODF<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>###<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Board of Forestry approves land transfer with Cannon Beach<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>September 8, 2010<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Contact:
Ron Zilli (503) 325-5451 or Kevin Weeks (503) 945-7427<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>NR10-47<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The Oregon Board of Forestry today approved the transfer of
several hundred acres of forestland located within Cannon Beach’s
watershed to the City in exchange for several forest parcels within Clatsop
County that are owned by the city moving to state ownership.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The land exchange approved Wednesday transfers one 805-acre
contiguous block of State Forest land (Ecola Tract) which encompasses a
majority of the City of Cannon Beach’s watershed, for eight parcels
totaling approximately 720 acres in City ownership. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>“The primary purpose of the exchange is to consolidate
ODF lands managed by the Astoria District which will improve the social,
economic, and environmental benefits provided from public forestlands, and
makes management of these lands more economically feasible,” said Ron
Zilli, Assistant District Forester for ODF’s Astoria District. “The
high quality salmon habitat on this forest parcel will be managed for
conservation under a stewardship plan being developed by the City. This
land exchange is a win-win for Oregon.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The 805-acre Ecola Tract was recently appraised at $2,570,000
while the 720 acres of City-owned land have a market valuation of $2,519,000.
The $51,000 difference in land value will be resolved through a one-time
payment made to ODF by Cannon Beach. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>“An independent appraisal found the land values,
including harvestable timber, are approximately equal,” said Zilli.
“Third-party assessments were conducted for sensitive plant, fish and
wildlife habitats while ODF completed an assessment of potential impacts and
benefits of recreational values.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The land exchange process has been underway since 2008 when
Cannon Beach officials approached ODF about the proposal to consolidate land
within ODF’s Astoria District and provide City ownership of the
watershed. A public hearing on the proposal was held in Astoria during May 2010
with public comment accepted on the proposal until June 2010. The exchange was
approved by Clatsop County’s Board of Commissioners in June 2010.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>ODF manages 848,000 acres of state forestland to provide
social, economic, and environmental benefits to local communities throughout
Oregon. Additional information, including maps of the area within the land
exchange, is available on the Oregon Department of Forestry website,
www.oregon.gov/ODF<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>###<o:p></o:p></p>
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