Celebrate a learning opportunity at The Oregon Garden Rediscovery Forest

Celebrate a learning opportunity
at The Oregon Garden Rediscovery Forest

“Raise the Rafters” event is set for May 21

NEWS RELEASE

May 19, 2014

For immediate release

Contact: Dave Kvamme – 971-673-2948 / 503-706-1884

   Elizabeth Peters – 503-837-1802 / 503-250-2235

 PORTLAND, Ore. – In the spirit of a community barn-raising, The Oregon Garden Rediscovery Forest will raise the roof of its new Discovery Pavilion and celebrate the donors who are making it happen.

Jointly sponsored by the Oregon Forest Resources Institute and the Strategic Economic Development Corporation’s Construction Alliance, “Raise the Rafters” will happen from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., May 21 at The Oregon Garden in Silverton.

Members of SEDCOR’s Construction Alliance will work with teams of Silverton and Stayton high school students building the 1,300-square-foot, covered but open-air pavilion during the event. The structure is on schedule to be finished by fall. It will improve access for student field trips to the Rediscovery Forest, especially in the rainy months.

The Rediscovery Forest is a partnership of OFRI and The Oregon Garden. For the past 10 years, students, educators and forest landowners have visited to learn more about forests and the sustainable production of wood products in Oregon. In all, more than 1 million people have visited in the past decade.

“The donors deserve our heartfelt thanks,” says OFRI Executive Director Paul Barnum, “as do the companies who are investing sweat equity. The pavilion itself will be a showcase of Oregon wood products, and it will allow us to expand our work teaching Oregonians about their forests, all the benefits they provide, and how we manage and sustain them.”

Donors who have contributed $10,000 or more to the project so far are Seneca Sawmills ($20,000) and Cascade Timber Consulting, Northwest Farm Credit Services, Weyerhaeuser and Rich Duncan Construction ($10,000 each). The largest in-kind contributors are K & E Excavating and Withers Lumber.

For SEDCOR, the project underscores one of its key cluster industries: forestry and value-added wood products.

“This collaboration between our Construction Alliance and OFRI is about creating awareness within the next generation of workers that there is a wide array of good, sustainable jobs in both the construction and the forest and wood products sectors,” says Chad Freeman, SEDCOR president. “These young people will potentially be upcoming leaders of our mid-Willamette Valley companies; they’re critical to the economic health of our region.”

Northwest Natural is sponsoring the event.

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'Privatizing' Elliott State Forest a consequence of environmental law, litigation

'Privatizing' Elliott State Forest a consequence of environmental law, litigation: Editorial

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'Privatizing' Elliott State Forest a consequence of environmental law, litigation: Editorial

Protesters from Earth First! and Cascadia Rising Tide wait for transport the Douglas County Jail in Roseburg after they were arrested in 2009 for blocking access to an 80-acre parcel in Elliott State Forest. (The Oregonian/Thomas Boyd)

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By The Oregonian Editorial Board 
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on May 15, 2014 at 11:00 AM, updated May 15, 2014 at 11:01 AM

The Elliott State Forest, covering about 90,000 acres in the Coast Range near Coos Bay, provides a large and dependable stream of cash for the Common School Fund, which in turn sends millions of dollars to the state's public schools every year. Well, that's the theory, anyway. In reality, timber harvests have been constrained so severely by environmental litigation and Endangered Species Act restrictions that the Elliott cost the Common School Fund about $3 million in 2013.

That's bad news for schoolchildren, sure. But at least it's good news for the marbled murrelet and the environmentalists who've sued to protect the threatened seabird, right? Only if their definition of good news includes the sale of large chunks of the forest.  Two timber companies bid successfully last month for about 1,400 acres of the Elliott.

A handful of environmental groups, including Cascadia Wildlands and the Audubon Society of Portland, sued to stop one of the sales, which would transfer 788 acres to the Seneca Jones Timber Co. But last Friday, a Lane County judge denied a request for a preliminary injunction. The sale isn't a done deal yet, says Seneca co-owner Kathy Jones, but if it goes forward the company will manage the former Elliott acreage for harvest, just as it manages the 165,000 acres of forestland it already owns.

Meanwhile, additional pieces of the Elliott are likely to be sold later this year, says Department of State Lands spokeswoman Julie Curtis, continuing what environmentalists like to call the "privatization" of state forestland.

In retrospect, this outcome shouldn't surprise anyone. The primary purpose of the "Common School" land within the Elliot is revenue generation. Reduce the land's money-making capacity severely enough, and unloading acreage begins to make a lot of sense. That's true even though the land may sell for a relative pittance thanks to the presence or likely presence of murrelets. Last month's winning bids for three parcels covering about 1,450 acres amount to only $4.3 million, but the cash could be enough to delay further losses to the Common School Fund.

"That's something that's not sustainable," says Curtis of the red ink, noting that theState Land Board "is concerned about it because they're the trustees" of the Common School Fund. Those who consider selling off state land an extreme response should consider the composition of the State Land Board, which made the call. Gov. John Kitzhaber, state Treasurer Ted Wheeler and Secretary of State Kate Brown are not the Clear-cut Club. They're responding reasonably to an extreme situation brought about by federal policymakers and by litigious environmental groups.

The selling will continue, at least in the short term. The state plans to unload another 1,300 acres or so later this year and, perhaps, even more in the future. "Privatizing" the Elliott in this fashion may continue to encounter resistance, but barring the appearance of a better solution, the state should keep right on selling. If timber companies want to buy the property with the expectation of logging it, that's fine. Their management will sustain jobs and provide tax revenue, and the new owners will be required to follow state and federal laws protecting threatened species.

It's also fine if bits and pieces of the Elliot are snapped up by conservation interests who don't want to touch a twig. This, in fact, is something the Department of State Lands would like. Among the criteria it established for selecting parcels to sell is a requirement that they "be of a size, configuration, and in a location that will solicit the greatest diversity of potential buyers." The state included this requirement "to see if we could attract conservation buyers for some or all of the parcels," says Curtis, who notes that officials hope to find such buyers for the remaining parcels to be sold this year.  

In the end, what matters most is that the State Land Board remain focused on the primary purpose of the Elliott, which is to make money for public schools. If the best way to honor that purpose is to sell the forest, piece by piece, then sell it to the highest bidder. Oregon needs teachers far more than it needs underperforming public land.

‘The Oregon Way’ explains state’s unique efforts to protect fish habitat

The Oregon Way

Forests and Fish Video

Portland, Ore. —

The Oregon Forest Resources Institute’s newest special report offers an introduction to the state’s unique approach to protecting fish habitat in forest streams.

The 16-page publication, titled “The Oregon Way: Forests and Fish – Protecting Aquatic Habitat in Oregon’s Forests,” features an introduction by Gov. John Kitzhaber. “Oregon’s tiered approach to habitat conservation, while unique, may not be perfect. However, it is a good reflection of the people of this state: adaptive, responsive, inclusive, innovative – and committed to protecting our rich natural resources, for Oregonians and fish alike.”

OFRI Executive Director Paul Barnum says he hopes the publication will help inform the public debate as the recovery of listed fish species continues to be in the news.

“Private forest management is facing environmental litigation, potential regulatory changes and a public that continues to be skeptical about modern forest practices,” Barnum says. “With this special report, we’ve produced a highly readable introduction to this complex topic, to help people understand the issue and how it’s evolved over the past 40 years.”

The publication explains the three prongs of Oregon’s effort to protect habitat:

1. Land-use planning laws discourage housing and commercial development from sprawling into forestland; water quality and habitat on forestland, public or private, are generally far better than in developed areas.
2. Strong rules regulate forest practices, and these rules continually evolve as scientific research improves understanding of fish, habitat and the effects of forest management.
3. The Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds encourages local watershed councils and private landowners to collaborate to voluntarily improve and restore habitat.

“Ongoing science continues to be directed at understanding forest management’s effects on fish and streams, with studies going back to the 1960s,” Barnum says. “Results of current studies are quite encouraging. They indicate we’re doing a good job of balancing the benefits of a competitive wood-products industry while protecting Oregon’s native salmon, steelhead and cutthroat. We still have work to do, but I think Oregon is currently doing it as well or better than anyone.”

OFRI worked with the Watersheds Research Cooperative, the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, the Oregon Department of Forestry, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the Governor’s Natural Resources Office, Oregon State University and private landowners to produce the report.

The publication and an eight-minute companion video are available for viewing, downloading or ordering, free of charge, at OregonForests.org. 

For more information contact Contact: Dave Kvamme – 971-673-2948

Salmon litigation threatens state forest production

Salmon litigation threatens state forest production: Guest opinion

By Guest Columnist 
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on March 22, 2014 at 12:22 PM

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By Tim Josi

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Salmon litigation threatens state forest production: Guest opinion

Coho salmon swim up Johnson Creek in December 2013. (The Oregonian)

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When the coho salmon was listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, (ESA) the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) was charged with developing a recovery plan, which included objective, measurable criteria for protection and ultimate delisting. They have deferred to Oregon’s recovery efforts.

Oregon’s results have been remarkable. Coho salmon spawning numbers in Oregon have reached record levels. In 2011, 356,246 native coho have returned to spawn. This is the largest return since recording began in 1950.

From 1998 through 2004 the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) placed non-lethal fish traps in two fairly short stretches of the Little South Fork of the Kilchis River and the Little North Fork of the Wilson River. The results were remarkable. When multiplying the numbers counted by the hundreds of miles of streams in the Tillamook State Forest, we can conclude millions of coho smolts migrate to our marshlands and the ocean.

What did we do? We started by developing the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds, which included improvements in forest practices. We also created watershed councils, which use lottery dollars to improve salmon habitat.

Between 1994 and 2003 the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) spent $29.1 million on fish-friendly culverts, bridges and road improvements. Significantly more improvements have been made since 2003.

What did we get for our efforts? Coho remains listed as a threatened species, as determined in 2007 by a ruling in federal district court. Even with the continued listing, the ODFW allows anglers to catch and keep adult native coho in certain areas due to their abundance.

Now we’re being threatened with a lawsuit. On Feb. 13, the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) sent the state of Oregon a 60-day notice of intent to sue under the ESA. The CBD alleges that coho are “on the brink of extinction.”

Why is this threat of litigation happening now?  Last June, the governor asked the state board of forestry (BOF) to start a planning effort to improve forests’ financial viability. 

They aren’t producing adequate timber revenues to cover their costs. There is a general acceptance that the forest management plan must be modified and timber harvest levels increased. The Tillamook and Clatsop forests are growing at a faster pace than current harvest levels. Other sources of revenue are also being explored, but their potential is minimal. One might assume the CBD is not happy with the proposal to increase timber harvest levels – even if not doing so might put the ODF out of business.

State forests were deeded to the state over 70 years ago by 15 counties, including Tillamook. In exchange for the land transfer, the state agreed to manage these lands for a variety of purposes, but primarily for timber production to benefit the 15 trust counties. The counties were granted a share of timber sale receipts to fund county services, schools and districts such as recreation and transportation.
  
Forest management through litigation has been very effective at halting timber harvesting.  Harvest levels in our federal forests dropped by 93 percent after the spotted owl was listed under the ESA in the early 1990s.    Almost every timber sale is challenged in court. The result is overstocked forests that are prone to insect attacks, disease, blow-downs and massive forest fires.

Recent marbled murrelet ESA litigation on the Elliot State Forest, in Coos Bay, has resulted in the removal of over 90 percent of that forest from timber production.

Now we have a threat to sue for coho ESA violations. If the CBD does litigate and succeeds, it may result in the shutting down of all state forestlands for timber production. Private forestlands are also in peril.

Litigation is also lucrative. Oregon paid $391,000 in litigation fees to those who sued the state over the marbled murrelet.  In their intent to sue over the coho salmon, the CBD states:  “If the Center is successful it will also seek recovery of its litigation expenses including attorney’s fees and costs.”

Tillamook County Commissioner Tim Josi is chair of the Council of Forest Trust Land Counties.

Activists warn ‘big timber’ to leave Elliott State Forest alone

News Review Today, Roseburg

http://www.nrtoday.com/news/Activists warn ‘big timber’ to leave Elliott State Forest alone10669252-113/timber-state-forest-elliott

Christina George
cgeorge@nrtoday.com
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Anti-logging activists say they would physically block timber harvests on Elliott State Forest parcels sold by the Department of State Lands.

Cascadia Forest Defenders, in an open letter addressed to “big timber” Monday, said protesters “will not respect new property lines, signs or gates.”

“If timber companies are buying this, they are not just buying a piece of land they can log, they are buying a giant controversy with a large and unified movement encompassing a spectrum of tactics and a spectrum of people,” organizer Erin Grady said Tuesday in an interview.

Three other groups last week threatened to sue any timber company that bought pieces of the Elliott, a 93,000-acre forest between Reedsport and Coos Bay.

The twin warnings aren’t likely to discourage timber companies from bidding, Douglas Timber Operators Executive Director Bob Ragon said today.

“We’re a mature industry. We recognize the hazards, and we’ll conduct our operations in full compliance with the laws,” he said.

The Department of State Lands will go ahead and open bids March 28 despite the threats of lawsuits and blockades, the department’s assistant director, Jim Paul, said.

“We can’t control how other folks are going to react to this sale,” he said.

The State Land Board — made up of Gov. John Kitzhaber, Secretary of State Kate Brown and Treasurer Ted Wheeler — decided to sell 2,738 acres to make up a $3 million deficit in the Common School Fund. The shortfall opened after the state curtailed logging because of lawsuits filed by environmentalists.

In its message to timber companies, Cascadia Forest Defenders accused the State Land Board of “trying to wash their hands of the Elliott.”

“If these forests are privatized, we know what the outcomes will be. We have seen the way that private timber companies have destroyed the land they own,” the letter states.

The group charged the land board with not caring about residents of Douglas and Coos counties “who are sick of seeing the hills above their homes yarded away to a timber mill while their counties grow poorer.”

The activists promised to disrupt operations.

“Do not bid on these sales. If you become the owner of the Elliott, you will have activists up your trees and lawsuits on your desk. We will be at your office and in your mills.”

Said Ragon: “I think it’s kind of an affront to be threatened like that.”

“Who do they think we are? Hooligans running around the woods with chain saws cutting down trees without regard for the environmental consequences?”

Cascadia Wildlands, Audubon Society of Portland and the Center for Biological Diversity have threatened any timber company that buys a piece of the Elliott with litigation. The groups claim logging would harm marbled murrelets and violate the Endangered Species Act.

Cascadia Forest Defenders’ tree-sitters have been effective in stopping since June the 187-acre White Castle timber harvest on Bureau of Land Management timberlands east of Myrtle Creek.

Grady declined to comment on whether tree-sitters have remained there since Oregon Wild and Cascadia Wildlands sued in January to stop the timber harvest.

Cascadia Forest Defenders has staged previous anti-logging protests. Tree-sitters were arrested in the Elliott three years ago when state forest managers proposed increasing annual timber harvests.

The state will open bids this month for the 788-acre East Hakki Ridge in Douglas County and the 355-acre Benson Ridge and 310-acre Adams Ridge Tract 1 parcels in Coos County.

The state plans to auction off another 1,300 acres within the Adams Ridge parcel in the fall.

•You can reach reporter Christina George at 541-957-4202 or at cgeorge@nrtoday.com.