ODF release – SALEM, Ore. — On Thursday, Feb. 2 from 3:30 – 5 p.m. there will be a virtual information workshop open to the public to learn more about the Oregon Department of Forestry’s proposed Implementation Plan revisions for six state forest districts. To join the Zoom meeting, use this link. A public comment period will begin Feb. 3 and ends March 6 at 5 p.m. Learn more about the implementation plan revisions. Background: State forests by law must provide social, economic and environmental benefits to Oregonians, and are managed under long-range forest management plans, mid-range implementation plans, and annual operations plans. Implementation plans describe forest management activities such as timber harvest targets, road construction and maintenance, reforestation and young stand management, recreation, aquatic habitat restoration, and protection strategies for species of concern. At the direction of the Board of Forestry, ODF is continuing the development of a draft Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and Forest Management Plan (FMP) for Western Oregon State Forests. The HCP is currently going through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. Finalization of this process and issuance of Incidental Take Permits (ITPs) is expected to occur within fiscal year 2024. Revising the current implementation plans allows the agency to continue operations during this time of transition while focusing resources on developing a companion forest management plan and accompanying implementation plans required to implement the HCP. The revisions to the current Implementation plans update timber harvest targets, maintain current forest management plan requirements, update new information on the district land base and forest resources, incorporates the components of the draft HCP through June 30, 2025 in order to cover the potential HCP approval timeline and the new Forest Management Plan and new Implementation Plan development timelines. The comment period begins Feb. 3 and ends March 6. The proposed implementation plan revisions are for the Astoria, Forest Grove, Tillamook, North Cascade, West Oregon, Southwest Oregon, and Western Lane (including the Southwest unit) state forest districts. About Oregon’s state forests: The Oregon Department of Forestry manages approximately 730,000 acres of Board of Forestry lands across 15 Oregon counties as well as 28,000 acres of Common School Fund land. This includes the Tillamook, Clatsop and Santiam state forests in western Oregon as well as the Sun Pass and Gilchrist state forests in Klamath County.
