The Oregon Board of Forestry will receive an update on an eight month-long review of the state’s wildfire protection program by a diverse citizens’ committee, in addition to other topics, at a meeting set for the morning of June 8 in Salem. Note that the original agenda has been revised to the morning only. Highlight items on the agenda include: – FIRE PROGRAM REVIEW UPDATE – A significant increase in wildfires over the past several years prompted ODF to launch a sweeping review of its Fire Protection Program in December 2015. The final report of the Fire Protection Review Committee will be published by the end of June. At this meeting, ODF Fire Protection Division staff will present highlights of the committee’s work to date. – APPROVAL OF FOREST PROTECTION DISTRICT 2017 FISCAL BUDGETS — In compliance with state law, the Board will be asked to review the forest protection district budgets and assessment rates and give final approval. The budgets fund the firefighting and fire prevention activities of ODF at the field level. – FIREFIGHTER LEGAL DEFENSE — The Board will consider for adoption final rule proposals that would allow the State Forester to pay the costs to defend ODF employees against criminal charges that might be brought for actions taken in the course of suppressing a wildfire. – FOREST TRUST LAND ADVISORY COMMITTEE TESTIMONY — The advisory group of county commissioners mandated by statute to advise the Board of Forestry on management of state forestlands will address the Board. – CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE BUDGET CONCEPTS — The board will receive an update on stakeholder input related to early budget concepts for the 2017-19 biennium. This will be a review and discussion to prepare the board for final consideration and approval of budget concepts at its July 2016 meeting. – CRESCENT SANITARY DISTRICT PARCEL TRANSFER — The Board will consider granting approval of a proposal to transfer a parcel of the Gilchrist State Forest to the Sanitary District to address sanitation needs of Crescent and alleviate environmental issues. The meeting is open to the public and a public comment period is on the agenda. The meeting will run from 9 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. in the Tillamook Room, Administration Building C, at the Oregon Department of Forestry headquarters, located at 2600 State St., in Salem. Agenda materials will be available prior to the meeting 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 the Department’s Public Affairs Office at least 48 hours in advance, at 503-945-7200. The Board of Forestry consists of seven citizens nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. Responsibilities include appointing the State Forester, setting management direction for state-owned forests, adopting rules governing timber harvest and other practices on private forestland, and promoting sustainable management of Oregon’s 30 million-acre forestland base. More information on the Board is available at: www.oregon.gov/ODF/Board/Pages/AboutBOF.aspx .
