PORTLAND, Ore. – The Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington sold a total of 48.8 million board feet of timber at auctions last month. The timber, located on Oregon and California Railroad Revested (O&C) Lands across western Oregon, sold for nearly $13.8 million. “Timber sales continue to support Oregon’s economy and well-paying jobs in local communities,” said BLM Oregon/Washington Acting State Director Jose Linares. “These sales are also an important tool to accomplish our forest management objectives.” For every million board feet of timber harvested on BLM-administered lands in western Oregon, an estimated 13 local jobs are created or maintained and $647,000 of non-Federal employment income is invested into local economies. One million board feet of timber is enough to build approximately 63 family homes. The BLM’s forest management objectives include producing a sustained yield of timber, enhancing fish and wildlife habitat, restoring dry forest ecosystems, reducing wildfire hazard, maintaining road networks, and protecting water quality. These sustainable timber sales and others like them support the overall forest and rangeland health goals set forth in the President’s Executive Order 13855, Promoting Active Management of America’s Rangelands, Forests and Other Federal Lands to Improve Conditions and Reduce Wildfire Risk, and Secretary’s Order 3372, Reducing Wildfire Risks on Department of the Interior Lands Through Active Management.
