Responsible Forestry Operations, Oct. 11

Three Northwest Oregon forestry operations have been nominated for awards recognizing excellence in meeting or exceeding the natural resource protection requirements of Oregon’s Forest Practices Act. The Northwest Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committee, an advisory group made up of forest landowners and other citizens, plans an Oct. 11 tour of the operations, which have been nominated for the Oregon Board of Forestry’s Operator of the Year and Merit Awards. The awards recognize exceptional performance in carrying out the Forest Practices Act, with requirements that include post-harvest re-planting, sound construction and maintenance of forest roads, and protection of stream buffers and habitat for fish and wildlife. Regional committees in Southwest and Eastern Oregon plan similar tours later in October. All committee meetings are open to the public. Northwest Oregon nominees are: – Mike Pihl Logging of Vernonia; – Wayne Stone Logging of Sandy; – Rick Krohn, Western Helicopter, of Newberg, and Mark Gourley, Starker Forests, of Corvallis. 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. 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. 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.