The Southwest Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committee, an advisory group made up of forest landowners and other citizens, plans an Oct. 18 tour in southwest Oregon of two forest operations nominated for the Oregon Board of Forestry’s Operator of the Year awards. The awards recognize excellence and exceptional performance in meeting or exceeding the natural resource protection requirements of Oregon’s Forest Practices Act. Requirements include post-harvest re-planting, sound construction and maintenance of forest roads, and protection of stream buffers and habitat for fish and wildlife. Southwest Oregon nominees are: * Denali Logging Company LLC, Coos Bay; * Zuber & Sons Logging LLC, Wedderburn. Regional committees in northwest and eastern Oregon plan similar tours in October and November. Based on recommendations from its Northwest, Southwest and Eastern Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committees, the Board of Forestry will present the Operator of the Year Awards at its March 2017 meeting. Anyone may attend the tour. The agenda and additional information about Regional Forest Practices Committees are available at: https://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Board/Pages/RFPC.aspx. For questions about accessibility or special accommodations, please call 503-945-7502. Regional Forest Practices Committees advise the board on current forestry issues and forest management approaches. The committees were created by 1971 amendments to the Forest Practices Act. Forests are among Oregon’s most valued resources, providing a balance of environmental, economic and social benefits.
