Phase 2 Comments Sought for North Cascade District, Nov. 2

ODF release – SALEM, Ore. – Starting Monday, November 1 through Tuesday, November 30, the Oregon Department of Forestry is holding a 30-day public comment period to review the second phase of ODF’s North Cascade District’s Annual Operations Plan for fiscal year 2022 on the Santiam State Forest, which consists of the Fern Ridge forest management project in the Shellburg Falls Recreation Area. The draft plan is posted to the ODF Santiam State Forest recovery website. ODF is proposing a plan to restore safe public access, protect sensitive environmental areas, remove dangerous trees along forest roads, and conduct a limited timber harvest as part of Phase 2 of ODF’s North Cascade Annual Operations Plan. Comments can be submitted online by using this form, through this survey, by emailing ODF.SFComments@oregon.gov, or by mailing comments to ODF Public Affairs, 2600 State St., Salem OR 97310. By law, state forests must provide economic, environmental, and social benefits to Oregonians. These lands are managed to create healthy, productive forests that provide high-quality habitat, clean water, revenues for rural communities, and recreation opportunities. Overall management policies and goals are established in long-range forest management and implementation plans. Annual operations plans describe activities to achieve the policies and goals laid out in those longer-range plans. Activities that affect fish and wildlife habitat are reviewed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, while operations that may affect threatened and endangered fish and wildlife habitat are shared with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. About the Santiam State Forest: The Santiam State Forest is a 47,465-acre forest managed by the Oregon Department of Forestry spread across Marion, Linn and Clackamas counties in the Cascade Mountain foothills. About 98% is owned by the Board of Forestry, with a small amount of Common School Fund Lands. Board of Forestry lands by law must be managed to be healthy, productive and provide sustainable economic, environmental and social benefits to Oregonians.