<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
p.MsoTitle, li.MsoTitle, div.MsoTitle
{mso-style-priority:10;
mso-style-link:"Title Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;
text-autospace:none;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black;
font-weight:bold;}
p.MsoBodyText, li.MsoBodyText, div.MsoBodyText
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Body Text Char";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:8.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
p.MsoBodyText2, li.MsoBodyText2, div.MsoBodyText2
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Body Text 2 Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:blue;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.TitleChar
{mso-style-name:"Title Char";
mso-style-priority:10;
mso-style-link:Title;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black;
font-weight:bold;}
span.BodyTextChar
{mso-style-name:"Body Text Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Body Text";
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.BodyText2Char
{mso-style-name:"Body Text 2 Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Body Text 2";
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:blue;}
span.EmailStyle23
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle24
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=WordSection1>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Oregon
Department of Forestry<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>NEWS
RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoTitle>Public comment period opens Nov. 1 on Elliott State Forest
management <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoTitle align=left style='text-align:left'><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p>
<p class=MsoTitle><i>Proposed plan would take effect in January 2012 <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>For immediate release / Major
media distribution<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>October 29,<span style='color:black'>
2010
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Contact: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Kevin Weeks (ODF) 503-945-7427<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Julie Curtis (DSL), 503-986-5298<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>The Oregon Department of State
Lands (DSL) and Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) invite the public to submit
written comments on the 2010 update of the long-range plan for managing the
Elliott State Forest. The </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif"'>93,000-<span style='color:black'>acre, state-owned forest
is located in the Coast Range between Coos Bay and Reedsport. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Ninety-one percent (84,562 acres)
of the forest is Common School Fund land, owned by the State Land Board. The
board oversees management of the forest to provide timber revenue for K-12
schools using sound techniques of land management. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>The proposed forest management
plan would replace the current plan adopted by the State Land Board and Board
of Forestry in 1994, and go into effect on January 1</span><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>,<b><span
style='color:#0033CC'> </span></b><span style='color:black'>2012, if a
concurrent habitat conservation plan (HCP) process is not successful. </span>An
HCP is a plan prepared under the federal Endangered Species Act to minimize and
mitigate for potential incidental take of threatened and endangered species
while conducting otherwise lawful activities.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoBodyText><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>In 1995,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) approved an Elliott State Forest
HCP, which included a 60-year Incidental Take Permit (ITP) for the northern spotted
owl and a six-year ITP for the marbled murrelet. The murrelet agreement expired
in October 2001, and that expiration was the primary driver for revising the <span
style='color:black'>forest management plan</span> and HCP.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoBodyText2><span style='color:windowtext'>Since 2000, a multi-agency
group of foresters and scientists has provided guidance to ODF and DSL on
updating the 1994 </span><span style='color:black'>forest management plan </span><span
style='color:windowtext'>and 1995 HCP. After a decade of planning, the
team has been unable to reach agreement with the National Marine Fisheries
Service on a revised Elliott HCP. <b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>In early 2010, the Land Board and Board of
Forestry set December 31, 2011, as the deadline for completing approval of a
revised multi-species HCP. If a new HCP is not approved by this date, the 1995
HCP will be terminated and a “take-avoidance” strategy will be
implemented to protect threatened and endangered species within the Elliott
State Forest. Forest management plans utilizing a take avoidance approach are
currently being applied on all other state-owned forestland managed by the ODF.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The
2010 draft plan uses ODF take-avoidance policies to comply with the federal
Endangered Species Act, and has many similarities to the approach taken on
other state-owned forestlands. The draft plan has a range of expected outcomes
for three different forest stand types; designates portions of the forest as
conservation areas; protects streams; and retains live trees, snags and downed
wood to benefit wildlife over time in harvested areas. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'>The Draft 2010 Elliott State Forest Management Plan is available
on-line at: </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a
href="http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/STATE_FORESTS/elliott.shtml#Forest_Management_Plan">www.oregon.gov/ODF/STATE_FORESTS/elliott.shtml#Forest_Management_Plan</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>(ODF
Internal note -- Review documents will be posted to the website on October 29,
2010)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Comments
on the plan may be submitted by letter, email or fax to: Keith Baldwin, Oregon
Dept. of Forestry, 2600 State St., Salem, OR 97310; <a
href="mailto:kbaldwin@odf.state.or.us">kbaldwin@odf.state.or.us</a>; fax:
503-945-7354.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Written
comments on the plan must be received by December 30, 2010. <span
style='color:black'>A second comment period with public hearing will run from
May 1 through July 29, 2011.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The
Elliott became Oregon’s first state forest when acquired in 1930. <span
style='color:black'>The State Land Board owns its common school lands, while
the Oregon Department of Forestry manages the state forest through an agreement
with the State Land Board and Department of State Lands. Timber harvest
revenues, minus the cost of management, go to the <a
href="http://www.oregonstatelands.us/">Common School Fund</a> to support the
state’s 197 K-12 public school districts. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The
Oregon Department of Forestry manages 848,000 acres of forests in Oregon for
the environmental, social and economic benefit of Oregonians.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Following
are web links to additional information about the Elliott State Forest and the
Oregon departments of State Lands and Forestry:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a
href="http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/docs/2009_Backgrounder_Elliott_State_Forest.pdf">Elliott
State Forest Backgrounder</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a
href="http://www.oregonstatelands.us/">www.oregonstatelands.us</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a
href="http://www.oregon.gov/ODF">www.oregon.gov/ODF</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>###<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>