ELKTON, Ore. - The Oregon Tree Farm System honored family forest landowners for the exceptional management of their forests at its annual meeting in November. Top honors went to Douglas County’s Kesterson family as Oregon’s Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year for 2025.
Receiving a Silver Award at the Oregon Tree Farm’s Annual Meeting were Tom and Julia Tibbs of Washington County for their multi-resource management of their 300 forested acres near Buxton.
Others being recognized for exemplary management of their family forests included:
- Rich Clark from Benton County
- John and Alesanne Dugan from Lane County
- Steve and Katie Kohl from Linn County, and
- Neil Schroeder and Laurie and Jim Marsh from Yamhill County
The Kesterson family’s 2,200-acre property near Elkton in Douglas County has been in the family since 1905. Currently under the leadership of fifth-generation owner Gary Williamson, the property is managed for wood, recreation, wildlife and water quality.
The property has approximately nine miles of river frontage along the Umpqua River. Their Big K Guest Ranch offers fishing, rafting, and accommodations for family and corporate gatherings.
The family manages 1,500 acres of forest for timber and wildlife habitat, and approximately 700 acres of pasture and hay fields for a herd of 90 cows.
Wildlife habitat and water quality are a focus on both the forested and streamside areas.
With much to be proud of managing the property, Gary Williamson states that he is most proud, blessed, and honored to be a part of a family that has been caring for the property for five generations, with his children being part of the sixth.
Oregon joined the Tree Farm System in 1941 and has recognized and honored family forest landowners as Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year every year since 1966, except in 2021 the first year of the COVID pandemic.
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ELKTON, Ore. - The Oregon Tree Farm System honored family forest landowners for the exceptional management of their forests at its annual meeting in November. They selected Douglas County’s Kesterson family as Oregon’s Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year for 2025.
The Kesterson family’s 2,200-acre property near Elkton has been in the family since 1905. Currently under the leadership of fifth-generation owner Gary Williamson, the property is managed for wood, recreation, wildlife and water quality.
The property has approximately nine miles of river frontage along the Umpqua River. Their Big K Guest Ranch offers fishing, rafting, and accommodations for family and corporate gatherings.
The family manages 1,500 acres of forest for timber and wildlife habitat, and approximately 700 acres of pasture and hay fields for a herd of 90 cows.
Wildlife habitat and water quality are a focus on both the forested and streamside areas.
With much to be proud of managing the property, Gary Williamson states that he is most proud, blessed, and honored to be a part of a family that has been caring for the property for five generations, with his children being part of the sixth.
Receiving a Silver Award at the Oregon Tree Farm’s Annual Meeting were Tom and Julia Tibbs of Washington County for their multi-resource management of their 300 forested acres near Buxton.
Others being recognized for exemplary management of their family forests included:
- Rich Clark from Benton County
- John and Alesanne Dugan from Lane County
- Steve and Katie Kohl from Linn County, and
- Neil Schroeder and Laurie and Jim Marsh from Yamhill County
Oregon joined the Tree Farm System in 1941 and has recognized and honored family forest landowners as Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year every year since 1966, except in 2021 the first year of the COVID pandemic.
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SALEM, Ore. — The Adaptive Management Program Committee will meet at noon on Monday, Dec. 9 in the Clatsop Room, Building C, at the Oregon Department of Forestry headquarters, located at 2600 State St. in Salem. To join virtually, please use the Zoom video conference information found on the agenda.
The committee’s agenda includes:
- 2024 Year in review
- 2025 Work Plan
- Discuss amphibians research questions package
The meeting is open to the public to attend in person and online via Zoom. Public comments will be accepted near the start of the meeting. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at adaptivemanagementprogram@odf.oregon.gov.
The 13-member committee The Adaptive Management Program Committee helps determine if forest practices are meeting their goals to protect natural resources through a science-based and transparent process. The committee sets the research agenda that the Independent Research and Science Team (IRST) implements. View more information on the AMPC webpage.
SALEM, Ore. - The Oregon Department of Forestry is now seeking nominations for the agency's 2025 Climate Smart Forestry Award. The deadline to submit a nomination is Dec. 31, 2024. This award recognizes landowners, land managers, researchers, operators, or other forestry professionals who use climate change-adapted practices, or develop innovative methods for carbon capture, retention, or reduced carbon release. New nominations, including self-nominations are accepted. Instructions and nomination form can be found on ODF’s website.
According to the Awards Selection Committee, the goal of this award is to recognize exemplary climate and carbon practices in Oregon. The Committee wants to encourage more landowners to adopt such practices. In March 2020, Governor Brown signed an executive order that highlighted that the state is experiencing an increase in frequency and severity of wildfires that endangers public health and safety and damages rural economies. The order directed agencies, including ODF, to prepare and plan for the impacts of climate change and to take actions to encourage carbon sequestration and storage.
From that executive order the Oregon Board of Forestry in the fall of 2021 adopted ODF's Climate Change and Carbon Plan. The idea for an awards program arose in response to that plan.
According to the Awards Selection Committee, the awards are designed to showcase emerging best practices and encourage reductions in emissions and help forests and communities adapt and become more climate resilient.
Specific actions that will be considered for recognition under the award program include:
- Efforts to improve the climate resilience of forestlands and restore ecological functions
- Climate Smart forestry practices in growing and maintaining trees
- Wildfire management, response, and fire or smoke adaptation
- Carbon reduction or capture in forest operations, such as logging or thinning
- Innovative research or products that reduce emissions or increase climate resilience
Nominees may include universities, educators, consulting and research agencies, fabricators, forest operators, and private industry firms working on non-federal lands across the state. Anyone can be nominated who’s doing climate-related mitigation and adaptation work or research, and anyone can nominate them.
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