The Oregon Board of Forestry will meet Jan. 9 in Salem from 9 a.m. to about 3:15 p.m. at the Oregon Department of Forestry campus. Among agenda items the Board will hear are: Consideration of final rule language changes to Oregon’s Smoke Management Plan; A progress report on a review of scientific literature on certain conditions for small and medium fish streams in the Siskiyou geographic region of southern Oregon; A presentation by OSU College of Forestry officials on a study assessing and understanding the habitat needs of the marbled murrelet in relation to forest management issues; An update on ODF’s current fiscal and budgetary status. 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. 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 meeting agenda, public comment 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. A livestream option will be available for those who wish to view the meeting remotely. For more details, visit https://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Board/Pages/BOFMeetings.aspx. For further information related to the meeting, please contact Hilary Olivos-Rood at 503-945-7210. At 9:30 a.m. ODF’s Fire Protection Division will present a summary of public comments and the final rule language changes for the Board’s approval. In June 2018 the Board approved the proposed amended rule language for the rulemaking process to proceed. Because public hearings have been held on the smoke management rule changes and the period for public comment has closed, the Board will not be accepting public testimony on this topic at this meeting. Starting at 10:45 a.m., ODF’s Private Forests Division will present a progress report on the systematic review it’s conducting of literature that addresses temperature, shade and desired future conditions for small and medium fish streams in the Siskiyou region of southern Oregon. Staff from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality will also present on fish status and trends for that area. At 2:15 p.m. Jim Rivers, PhD, and Anthony Davis, PhD, will present findings from an OSU College of Forestry Dean’s Research Initiative study on the marbled murrelet’s habitat needs in relation to forest management issues. The marbled murrelet is a seabird that nests in coastal forests. It is currently listed as threatened under state and federal law. Finally, at 3 p.m. Bill Herber from ODF’s Administrative Branch will update the Board on the agency’s current fiscal and budget status. 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 72 hours in advance of the meeting, at 503-945-7200 or fax to 503-945-7212.
