Salem-News.com Forestry articles Page 1

Merkley, Wyden: Local Concerns Must Be Addressed in Travel Management Plan

In Letter, Oregon’s Senators Relayed Local Concerns to Forest Service Chief.

(WASHINGTON DC) - Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden urged the Forest Service to fully re-engage the public and address concerns after the Forest Service decided to “stop the clock” and withdraw the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Travel Management Plan.

In a letter to Tom Tidwell, Chief of the United States Forest Service, Merkley and Wyden relayed concerns they have heard directly from constituents...

County Advisory Group for Forestry to Meet May 6

(Salem, Oregon) - A group of commissioners representing Oregon counties that in the past deeded forestland to the State for management will meet on Friday, May 6, in Salem.

Forestry Groups Express Continued Concern Over Spotted Owl Plan

The Service should utilize the latest scientific modeling as a basis for policy changes.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced the opening of a 30-day public comment period limited to a technical appendix to the Northern Spotted Owl Draft Revised Recovery Plan released last fall.

Forest landowners and mill owners expressed disappointment at the Service’s failure to release other aspects of the current draft plan and skepticism about the time allowed.

Yamaha Awards GRANT to the Oregon Department of Forestry

$12,289 to Oregon Department of Forestry Tillamook District

(Tillamook, Ore.) - Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) is pleased to announce it has received a Yamaha OHV Access Initiative GRANT of $12,289. This grant provided the cornerstone matching funds necessary to obtain Oregon All Terrain Vehicle and Recreational Trails Program grants funding a total project cost of $164,754. The GRANT (Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation's Trails) was awarded as part of the Yamaha OHV Access Initiative promoting safe, responsible riding and open, sustainable riding areas.

Harry Merlo Honored as Oregon`s Tree Farmer of the Year

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - A long-time leader of the forest products industry has been named Oregon's Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year for 2010. The Oregon Tree Farm System on Monday recognized Harry Merlo during a ceremony at the World Forestry Center in Portland.

New Website Encouragse a Permanent Solution to the Loss of Federal Timber Lands Funding

Polk County, Oregon launched a new website urging lawmakers to find a permanent solution for the loss of Federal Timber Lands funding. Without this funding, the citizens of Polk stand to lose 2.4 million annually in services including teachers, patrol deputies, and human services programs.

(DALLAS) - Polk County, Oregon recently launched a new website http://www.co.polk.or.us/OC/default.asp urging lawmakers to find a permanent solution for the loss of federal timber dollars.


The site also provides ways for local citizens to become involved in this effort, as well as background information on the O & C Lands, a photo gallery depicting historic logging in Polk County, and downloadable flyers, petitions, and related documents.

Forest Health Problems in Blue Mountains on Forestry Board

(SALEM) - Forest health problems in the Blue Mountains, managing wildfire risk in the forestland-urban interface, forestry education for urban residents, and indicators to gauge forest sustainability are among the items on the Oregon Board of Forestry's agenda when it meets Wednesday, Sept. 6th, in Salem.

The meeting will begin at 8:00 AM in the Tillamook Room in Building C at Oregon Department of Forestry headquarters, 2600 State St. The public is invited.

Department fire program staff will ask the board to accept the recommendations of an advisory committee for strengthening standards for maintenance of vacant lots under the Oregon Forestland-Urban Interface Fire Protection Act.

Oregon Department of Forestry Announces Regulated Use Closure on All North Cascade District Fore

(SALEM) - The Oregon Department of Forestry has announced a Regulated Use Closure on all lands protected by the North Cascade District. The district encompasses private and industrial forestlands in portions of Multnomah, Clackamas, Marion and Linn counties.

"The large fire in the Estacada area last Sunday demonstrates clearly that the wildland fuels such as grasses on forestlands are very dry and can burn easily", said department information officer Jamie Paul. "People who work and play in the forests need to take extra precautions to prevent fires from starting."

Rules in effect on public activities on the forestlands protected by the department include restrictions on smoking, open campfires, chainsaw use, off-road vehicles use, the mowing of dry grass, fireworks and the cutting and grinding of metal. All backyard burning is also banned.

Weyerhaeuser Enters Into Final Negotiations To Sell Six Composite Panels Mills

The sale includes Albany and Eugene mills.

(FEDERAL WAY, Wash.) - Weyerhaeuser announced Friday it has entered into an agreement in principle to sell its composite panels business to two companies and is entering into final negotiations with these companies on the sale.

Weyerhaeuser is negotiating with Flakeboard Company Ltd. for the sale of its six composite mills in the United States.

Those locations include Albany, Ore.; Bennettsville, S.C.; Eugene, Ore.; Malvern, Ark.; and Simsboro, La.

The mills, which produce medium density fiberboard or particleboard, have the capacity to produce a total of 1.1 billion square feet annually.

Independent Study Finds Forestry Successfully Implementing Forest Plans

(SALEM) - A recent independent study found that the Oregon Department of Forestry is successfully implementing its forest management plans for state forestland in northwest and southwest Oregon.

The study was conducted by Strategic Resource Systems, a nationally recognized firm from St. Johns, Michigan. The report will be presented April 27th to the Oregon Board of Forestry, which approved these management plans in 2001 for about 634,000 acres of state forestlands.

Among the findings, the study found that by using structure-based management, ODF is moving the primarily "middle-aged" forests toward a mixture of habitats, including complex forest stands which are similar to old-growth.