Among the agenda items for the Oregon Board of Forestry’s July 24 regular meeting will be consideration of guiding principles for revising the State Forests Management Plan and the Agency Request Budget. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m., and go through approximately 5:00 p.m., with an Executive Session planned for the lunch hour. The meeting will be held in the Tillamook Room, Administration Building C, at the Oregon Department of Forestry headquarters, located at 2600 State St., in Salem. The meeting is open to the public and public comment will be accepted on agenda topics as well as during the start of the meeting for topics not on the agenda. In order to ensure the Board has the opportunity to conduct all of the business on the agenda for its meetings, public comment for agenda topics will be limited to no more than 30 minutes. A sign-up sheet will be available for public comment on a first-come, first-served basis. Submission of written comments ahead of board meetings is encouraged. Written comments may be submitted prior to the meeting to: Boardofforestry@oregon.gov. State Forests Management Plans establish the goals and direction to manage state forests, which are sustainably managed to provide environmental, social and economic benefits to all Oregonians. The board will be considering guiding principles for the revision of the FMP, the inclusion of measureable outcomes and quantifiable targets, and an impacts analysis framework. Information regarding the Forest Management Plan revision will be posted at: https://www.oregon.gov/ODF/AboutODF/Pages/Initiatives.aspx. The staff presentation on the topic is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Following the staff presentation, the board has scheduled 15 minutes of invited testimony from both the conservation community and the forest industries sector, followed by public comment as described above. The board will also consider the approval of the Agency Request Budget and its submission to the Department of Administrative Services. The ARB is part of the planning and development process for the next biennial budget. The recommendation for approval follows and builds upon the Board’s previous budget discussions and deliberations since early 2018. Other agenda items for the meeting include: Tillamook Forest Heritage Trust – Overviewing the trust’s organization, programs, and strategic direction, including an update on the status of the Salmonberry Trail. Committee for Family Forestlands Annual Report – Summarizing the committee’s activities during the previous year, progress on key issues, and recommendations relating to policy affecting family forestland owners. 2018 Fire Season Update; Forest Trust Lands Advisory Committee testimony – FTLAC comments and advice on State Forests policy. Forest Patrol Assessment Hearings – Hearings before the Board for landowners in Yamhill and Lane counties who have appealed their addition to the forest patrol assessment roll. Agenda materials are available at www.oregon.gov/ODF/Board/Pages/BOFMeetings.aspx. Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling ODF’s Public Affairs Office, at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting, at 503-945-7200.
