LYONS, Ore.—The four-year effort by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) to reforest the Santiam State Forest after the 2020 wildfires hit an important milestone this month when the last of more than 2.3 million trees were planted.
“This was a huge, challenging, and long-term project for ODF,” said John Walter, ODF’s State Forests Silviculturist. “We planted about ten times what we normally would in that time, with no additional staff being hired. The replanting was in steep, rocky, and difficult terrain along with high-altitude snowy conditions for much of the prime planting season. These safety concerns limited the time crews could plant the seedlings. Additionally, we did not have the budget to purchase that number of trees for the 5,600 acres that were scorched in the state forest from those 2020 fires. Even with all those hurdles, the ODF team worked together to make this happen quickly and effectively.”
And those were just the challenges of replanting, to get to the areas that needed to be reforested, more than 200 miles of roads had to be repaired; and burnt, dangerous trees along those roads had to be removed so crews could safely get to the areas.
The fastest and most cost-effective way to remove the dead trees and get the roads fixed was through special salvage logging timber sales.
“This was a gigantic work effort,” said Kyle Kaupp, Santiam Unit Forester for ODF’s North Cascade District. “We typically have a team of one unit manager and five foresters to set up our four-to-six sales for the year. In 2021, we had foresters come in from every district with State Forest ownership to help set up 18 salvage sales, develop road repair contracts, assist with reforestation, and help us through the planning process.”
Speed is critical for after fire timber salvage sales since the standing timber is only good for about three years before it is unusable.
“We had advertised timber volume of 50.5 million board feet for the sales which gave us net receivables of roughly $20.25 million,” said Kaupp.
This revenue would not have been recovered if not for the quick actions of the ODF team. The revenue from all state forests sales is split with approximately two thirds going to the county where the timber was harvested and one third going to ODF to manage state forests.
“Clackamas, Marion, and Linn counties all received more than typical years of regular harvests. The additional revenue was timely in that it helped the counties in their already monumental efforts to recover from those 2020 fires,” said Kaupp.
To access the sales areas and to get the salvaged timber out the roads needed to be inspected and repaired. “Many of our smaller road culverts, typically18-inches, are made from plastic and some of these melted from the intense heat of the wildfires,” said Kaupp. “If you don’t evaluate and replace the damaged ones you could get dangerous sinkholes in your roads. The roads are also critical to get to future wildfire starts to put them out quickly and to minimize future losses from fires.”
As the salvage logging was underway and roads repaired and improved, tree planting was taking place. However, there was still the challenge of paying for seedlings and crews to plant them.
“We received more than $1million from the non-profit American Forests,” said Walter. “All that funding went toward seedlings costs—we typically plant 360 seedlings per acre and then go back and replant if we do not have at least 200 trees per acre survive.”
Because of the rough terrain and lack of roads in some areas of the state forest the department also used a helicopter to aerial seed some nearly inaccessible parts of the forest.
“The challenge with that method is determining how effective your efforts are after a few years since those small seedlings can’t be seen through the other vegetation from our typical aerial surveys,” said Walter. “Our small on the ground sampling in areas we could get to saw a good survival rate considering the conditions.”
State forests are not just managed for economic benefits, but a concept called greatest permanent value. This takes into account economic, environmental, and social benefits to all Oregonians.
The social value of the Santiam was greatly reduced right after the fire as most trails and recreation areas were closed due to those dangerous hazard trees and road safety concerns.
“At the popular Shellburg Falls recreation area bridges, wooden steps and other infrastructure and the trees around the falls were wiped out by the fires,” said Joe Offer, ODF’s Recreation Manager for State Forests. “For the safety of our staff, we had to wait for the salvage logging and road repairs to finish before beginning work on recreation restoration projects.”
Once again there were no additional personnel or funding to get recreation sites useable again.
“We relied heavily on volunteer groups and adults in custody work crews from the Department of Corrections to rebuild and realign trails and build new structures,” said Offer.
Thanks to those cooperative efforts, the popular Butte Creek Falls and Shellburg Falls recreation areas opened this year providing access into some of the forest’s most loved facilities and trails.
“The only areas that are still closed for safety reasons are the Sardine Creek and Rhody Lake areas. However, we’re working diligently to open both in the near future,” said Offer.
On the environmental side the 2020 burns impacted wildlife and their habitat.
“Many people do not realize that the landscape after a wildfire is not a monolithic black completely burned area,” said Mike Davis, state forests Wildlife Biologist. “It’s more of a patchwork type of landscape depending on the severity of the fire in each area. There might be completely a burned area, then a small stand of healthy trees that survived, then trees that look alive but die in a few years.”
In the middle of that patchwork the biologists were excited to see the first northern spotted owl in the area since 2020. The spotted owl is a threatened species the department monitors throughout all the state forests in western Oregon and Sun Pass State Forest in eastern Oregon.
“We first saw the owl in 2023 and worked with our contract surveyors to capture and put leg bands on the female owl. It was found again this year but doesn’t appear to be nesting,” said Davis.
Nearly half of the Santiam was burned by the fires including critical habitat areas for owls.
“We were excited to see the owl make a return—even if only one. Our hope is it will find a mate and nest next year,” said Davis.
Under the future state forests habitat conservation plan (HCP) the department is in the process of applying for with federal agencies to ensure both continued timber harvest and protection of threatened and endangered species for the next 70 years, the Santiam will provide a unique research opportunity.
As part of the HCP, the department will develop and manage habitat conservation areas (HCAs) to maintain and improve habitats of key fish and wildlife species.
“We'll be implementing landscape-level passive acoustic monitoring to document changes in northern spotted owl use throughout our habitat conservation areas on Santiam State Forest,” said Vanessa Petro, state forests Lead Wildlife Biologist.
This process uses remote recording devices to capture wildlife vocalizations to more accurately determine what species are in an area.
“Conducting this type of survey in the Santiam will allow us to document differences in spotted owl occupancy relative to the burn severity patterns within the Beachie Creek fire perimeter. It will also help us better understand how wildlife species are responding to habitat treatments such as thinning that will accelerate the development of late-seral forest characteristics we desire in the HCAs such as large diameter snags and down wood, in addition to a multi-layered forest canopy.
Another species ODF will be studying is the Oregon slender salamander, which is a federal species of concern found only in the Cascade Range in Oregon.
“We will also be conducting Oregon slender salamander surveys to better understand their distribution and occurrence on the Santiam,” said Petro “Our long-term monitoring will provide us a better understanding on how their occupancy and abundance is influenced by existing habitat conditions and our forest management activities.”
Wildfires like the ones in 2020 fueled by strong East winds can move very fast and inflict their damage in a few hours; however, recovery can take years.
“I want to thank all the staff, volunteers, contractors, partners and community members for their hard work and patience while we worked to restore their forest these last four years,” said Mike Wilson, ODF’s State Forest Division Chief. “This replanting is an important milestone, but we still have more work to do to make sure the Santiam State Forest recovers and remains accessible to all Oregonians.”
SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Board of Forestry will meet for a virtual special meeting starting at 9 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. The purpose of this meeting will be to review the Western Oregon State Forests Draft Forest Management Plan (FMP) scenarios. The board will direct the department on the next steps in the development of the FMP.
Members of the public are welcome to view the special meeting on the ODF's YouTube channel.
Please note: There will not be time allotted for live testimony during the special meeting. Written testimony may be submitted by emailing boardofforestry@odf.oregon.gov prior to the meeting date. To account for the time board members need to review the written testimony, consider sending written testimony at least 72 hours prior to the meeting start time. If submitted after this window of time the testimony will be entered into the public record but may not be viewed by the board until after the meeting. Written testimony for the Nov. 22 meeting will continue to be accepted until Dec. 6. Submissions should include the meeting date and agenda item number/topic header with the written submission.
The agenda is available on the board’s webpage.
Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling ODF’s Public Affairs Office at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at forestryinformation@odf.oregon.gov.
The Oregon Board of Forestry consists of seven citizens nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. Responsibilities include appointing the State Forester, setting management direction for state-owned forests, adopting rules governing timber harvest and other practices on private forestland, and promoting sustainable management of Oregon’s 30 million-acre forestland base. Read more information about the board.
RAINIER, Ore. – R.D. Reeves Construction, based in Rainier in Columbia County, has been chosen as Operator of the Year for Northwest Oregon. A regional advisory committee to the Oregon Board of Forestry selected the logging company earlier this fall. R.D. Reeves will be recognized in Salem at the January meeting of the Board along with two other regional honorees:
- Eastern Oregon – BTO Forestry Solutions, owned by Mike Wiedeman and based in Enterprise in Wallowa County. View a video of the company’s work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcE22ZAA8I8
- Southwest Oregon – D & H Logging, based in Coos Bay. View video about D & H’s work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1eTDEcXQiY
The award recognizes forest operators who, while harvesting timber or doing other forestry work, protect natural resources at a level that consistently meets or goes above and beyond requirements of the Oregon Forest Practices Act *. That law requires people to manage forests responsibly and protect streams and water quality, protect and enhance habitat, and reduce landslide risks. The law also requires landowners to replant forests after harvesting.
Northwest Oregon
R.D. Reeves Construction was nominated by ODF Stewardship Forester John Krause for consistently acting to prevent any sediment from reaching streams or wetlands during harvest operations.
“In their decades of working in rainy northwest Oregon, they have always been on top of ensuring silt fences, hay bales and other methods are employed to prevent even the slightest chance of sediment making its way into a stream,” said Krause.
He added that the company has also been diligent about learning and following new Oregon Forest Practice rules that provide greater protections for streams in the form of wider buffers and equipment limitation zones. “They went above and beyond the requirements,” he said.
Watch a video about the company’s work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUsBwxBZiEo
Merit Awards were also given to five other companies for work done in Northwest Oregon forests.
- Card Logging Company, Inc., based in Eugene for harvesting an ice-storm-damaged stand of timber in the Coast Range. Card used tethered logging and hand cutting to protect a stream buffer while minimizing disturbance to a neighboring retreat center.
- Chilton Logging, Inc., nominated for harvesting a steep mountainside wedged between the East Fork of the Hood River and Green Point Creek near Hood River.
- Haley Construction Company of Lebanon, Ore. for installing a 125-foot-long bridge that replaced an in-stream low-water crossing through salmon-bearing Elk Creek, eliminating vehicles in the creek. The project involved safely transporting the long beams along a narrow, twisting two-lane road.
- Mt St Helens Reforestation, Inc. for reforesting with millions of new seedlings Weyerhaeuser land in Clackamas County that had burned in the Riverside Fire, one of the Labor Day megafires of 2020. The firm’s crews planted in four years what had been thought would take at least five.
- Weyerhaeuser’s Springfield Tree Farm and its employee logging and road-building crews for salvage logging after a January 2024 ice storm. They logged the steep hillside of immature trees just outside Springfield next to a busy county road and near homes and the McKenzie River in order to reduce fire risk and reforest.
ODF Forest Resources Division Chief Josh Barnard said, “There were so many great nominees to pick from this year, it made the work of the selection committees very hard.”
Barnard said nominees showed they could meet the challenge of working under new rules that came into effect this year. The updated Oregon Forest Practices Act rules provide more protection for forest resources, such as wider stream buffers and limitations on equipment use around tributaries of fish-bearing streams.
“We saw a lot of innovative technology and techniques being used to protect water quality. On challenging harvesting sites, the Operators of the Year showed extraordinary care and diligence to protect resources and meet landowner objectives. We’re proud to recognize those efforts.”
* Oregon enacted the Forest Practices Act in 1971 as a national model for forest management laws. The law focuses on ensuring responsible forest operations and protecting natural resources in forestland. The Act has been updated many times based on new scientific information and values to create a balanced approach to natural resource management.
# # #
COOS BAY, Ore. – D and H Logging Company of Coos Bay has been chosen as Operator of the Year for Southwest Oregon. A regional advisory committee to the Oregon Board of Forestry selected the company earlier this fall.
D and H Logging will be recognized in Salem at the January meeting of the Board along with the two other regional Oregon honorees:
- Eastern Oregon – BTO Forestry Solutions, owned by Mike Wiedeman, and based in Enterprise in Wallowa County. Watch a video of the firm’s work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcE22ZAA8I8
- Northwest Oregon – R.D. Reeves Construction, based in Rainier, Ore. in Columbia County. Watch a video of the firm’s work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUsBwxBZiEo
The Operator of the Year award recognizes forest operators who, while harvesting timber or doing other forestry work, protect natural resources at a level that consistently meets or goes above and beyond requirements of the Oregon Forest Practices Act *. That law requires people to manage forests responsibly and protect streams and water quality, protect and enhance habitat, and reduce landslide risks. The law also requires landowners to replant forests after harvesting.
Landowner Roseburg Forest Products nominated D & H Logging based in Coos Bay for Operator of the Year. Wyatt Dunlap, Contract Logging Supervisor for Roseburg, pointed out how quickly co-owner Brad Haga trained himself and his crews on requirements of new forest protections. These were added to the Oregon Forest Practices Act and came into effect in 2024.
“Brad and his crew did an exemplary job of protecting stream buffers and draws where there were new limits on equipment use,” said Dunlap. “By careful placement of rigging corridors, he was able to pass logs over the buffer or through pre-existing gaps in trees, while also protecting soils. Protecting those forest resources is important to Roseburg, which is one reason we turn to D and H for multiple harvests on our lands.”
A video about D and H Logging can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1eTDEcXQiY
A Merit Award was also given to Brothers Excavation and Construction, LLC. They protected water quality in Jumpoff Joe Creek north of Grants Pass during upgrading of an old mining road needed to access a timber harvest and local homes.
ODF Forest Resources Division Chief Josh Barnard said, “There were so many great nominees to pick from this year, it made the work of the selection committees very hard.”
Barnard said nominees showed they could meet the challenge of working under new rules that came into effect this year. The updated Oregon Forest Practices Act rules provide more protection for forest resources, such as wider stream buffers and limitations on equipment use around tributaries of fish-bearing streams.
“We saw a lot of innovative technology and techniques being used to protect water quality. On challenging harvesting sites, the Operators of the Year showed extraordinary care and diligence to protect resources and meet landowner objectives. We’re proud to recognize those efforts.”
* Oregon enacted the Forest Practices Act in 1971 as a national model for forest management laws. The law focuses on ensuring responsible forest operations and protecting natural resources in forestland. The Act has been updated many times based on new scientific information and values to create a balanced approach to natural resource management.
# # #
ENTERPRISE, Ore. – BTO Forestry Solutions, based in Enterprise, has been chosen as Operator of the Year for Eastern Oregon. A regional advisory committee to the Oregon Board of Forestry earlier this fall selected the logging company for the honor. The firm and its owner, Mike Wiedeman, will be recognized in Salem at the January meeting of the Board along with honorees from northwest and southwest Oregon. Those are:
- Northwest Oregon – R.D. Reeves Construction, Inc., based in Rainier, Ore. in Columbia County
- Southwest Oregon – D & H Logging Company, based in Coos Bay
The Operator of the Year award recognizes forest operators who, while harvesting timber or doing other forestry work, protect natural resources at a level that consistently meets or goes above and beyond requirements of the Oregon Forest Practices Act *. That law requires people to manage forests responsibly and protect streams and water quality, protect and enhance habitat, and reduce landslide risks. The law also requires landowners to replant forests after harvesting.
Mike Wiedeman first started working in the timber industry in 1966 soon after graduating from high school. Eventually he became owner of his own logging firm. He was nominated this year for using long-span cabling to tackle a timber harvest on steep slopes leading down to a fish-bearing stream in canyonlands in Wallowa County.
“Mike had to carefully place his yarder in order to get enough lift to suspend logs over distances of close to a mile in some places,” said ODF’s Wallowa Unit Forester Tracy Brostrom. “This protected the soil and reduced the risk of erosion by avoiding gouging.”
Brostrom said Wiedeman also used his decades of logging experience to overcome other challenges, such as the lack of stumps that could anchor his rigging lines (called tailholds). “Instead, he secured them with large bulldozers,” said Brostrom.
View a video of BTO Forestry Solution’s work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcE22ZAA8I8
Merit Awards were also given to two other eastern Oregon companies.
- Arrowhead Logging, LLC, of Prineville for a thinning operation on private forestland that included removing encroaching junipers to improve habitat for deer and elk, increase fire resilience, and reduce drought stress among remaining trees. Video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9msKbdSvsA
- Green Diamond Resource Company in Klamath Falls for the thinning work it did to reduce fire risk in Lake County forests, and for helping the community reforest in the wake of the Bootleg Fire, as well as restoring fish habitat by placing logs in streams to provide shade after buffers burned up. Video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQmGq-Ou8Os
ODF Forest Resources Division Chief Josh Barnard said, “There were so many great nominees to pick from this year, it made the work of the selection committees very hard.”
Barnard said nominees showed they could meet the challenge of working under new rules that came into effect this year. The updated Oregon Forest Practices Act rules provide more protection for forest resources, such as wider stream buffers and limitations on equipment use around tributaries of fish-bearing streams.
“We saw a lot of innovative technology and techniques being used to protect water quality. On challenging harvesting sites, the Operators of the Year showed extraordinary care and diligence to protect resources and meet landowner objectives. We’re proud to recognize those efforts.”
* Oregon enacted the Forest Practices Act in 1971 as a national model for forest management laws. The law focuses on ensuring responsible forest operations and protecting natural resources in forestland. The Act has been updated many times based on new scientific information and values to create a balanced approach to natural resource management.
# # #
SALEM, Ore. – Three loggers have been chosen as Operator of the Year for their respective region of Oregon. Three regional advisory committees to the Oregon Board of Forestry selected the trio earlier this fall. The recipients will be recognized in Salem at the January meeting of the Board. The honorees are:
- Eastern Oregon – BTO Forestry Solutions, owned by Mike Wiedeman and based in Enterprise in Wallowa County
- Northwest Oregon – R.D. Reeves Construction, based in Rainier, Ore. in Columbia County
- Southwest Oregon – D & H Logging based in Coos Bay
The award recognizes forest operators who, while harvesting timber or doing other forestry work, protect natural resources at a level that consistently meets or goes above and beyond requirements of the Oregon Forest Practices Act *. That law requires people to manage forests responsibly and protect streams and water quality, protect and enhance habitat, and reduce landslide risks. The law also requires landowners to replant forests after harvesting.
Videos about each of the three Operators of the Year and eight Merit Award winners can be viewed on the ODF website at https://www.oregon.gov/odf/Working/Pages/default.aspx
Eastern Oregon
Mike Wiedeman, owner of BTO Forestry Solutions, earned Operator of the Year for tackling a timber harvest on steep slopes leading down to a fish-bearing stream in canyonlands in Wallowa County.
“Mike had to carefully place his yarder in order to get enough lift to suspend logs over distances of close to a mile in some places,” said ODF’s Wallowa Unit Forester Tracy Brostrom. “This protected the soil and reduced the risk of erosion by avoiding gouging.”
Brostrom said Wiedeman also used his decades of logging experience to overcome other challenges, such as the lack of stumps that could anchor his rigging lines (called tailholds). “Instead, he secured them with large bulldozers,” said Brostrom.
View a video of the company’s work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcE22ZAA8I8
Northwest Oregon
R.D. Reeves Construction was nominated by ODF Stewardship Forester John Krause for consistently acting to prevent any sediment from reaching streams or wetlands during harvest operations.
“In their decades of working in rainy northwest Oregon, they have always been on top of ensuring silt fences, hay bales and other methods are employed to prevent even the slightest chance of sediment making its way into a stream,” said Krause.
He added that the company has also been diligent about learning and following new Oregon Forest Practice rules that provide greater protections for streams in the form of wider buffers and equipment limitation zones. “They went above and beyond the requirements,” he said.
Watch a video about the company’s work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUsBwxBZiEo
Southwest Oregon
Landowner Roseburg Forest Products nominated D & H Logging based in Coos Bay for Operator of the Year. Wyatt Dunlap, Contract Logging Supervisor for Roseburg, pointed out how quickly co-owner Brad Haga trained himself and his crews on requirements of new forest protections. These were added to the Oregon Forest Practices Act and came into effect in 2024.
“Brad and his crew did an exemplary job of protecting stream buffers and draws where there were new limits on equipment use,” said Dunlap. “By careful placement of rigging corridors, he was able to pass logs over the buffer or through pre-existing gaps in trees, while also protecting soils. Protecting those forest resources is important to Roseburg, which is one reason we turn to D & H for multiple harvests on our lands.”
View video about D & H’s work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1eTDEcXQiY
Merit Awards were also given to eight other companies.
Eastern Oregon
- Arrowhead Logging, LLC of Prineville for a thinning operation on private forestland that included removing encroaching junipers to improve habitat for deer and elk, increase fire resilience, and reduce drought stress among remaining trees.
- Green Diamond Resource Company in Klamath Falls for the thinning work it did to reduce fire risk in Lake County forests, and for helping the community reforest in the wake of the Bootleg Fire, as well as restoring fish habitat by placing logs in streams to provide shade after buffers burned up.
Northwest Oregon
- Card Logging Company, Inc., based in Eugene for harvesting an ice-storm-damaged stand of timber in the Coast Range. Card used tethered logging and hand cutting to protect a stream buffer while minimizing disturbance to a neighboring retreat center.
- Chilton Logging, Inc., nominated for harvesting a steep mountainside wedged between the East Fork of the Hood River and Green Point Creek near Hood River.
- Haley Construction Company of Lebanon, Ore. for installing a 125-foot-long bridge that replaced an in-stream low-water crossing through salmon-bearing Elk Creek, eliminating vehicles in the creek. The project involved safely transporting the long beams along a narrow, twisting two-lane road.
- Mt St Helens Reforestation, Inc. for reforesting with millions of new seedlings Weyerhaeuser land in Clackamas County that had burned in the Riverside Fire, one of the Labor Day megafires of 2020. The firm’s crews planted in four years what had been thought would take at least five.
- Weyerhaeuser’s Springfield Tree Farm and its employee logging and road-building crews for salvage logging after a January 2024 ice storm. They logged the steep hillside of immature trees just outside Springfield next to a busy county road and near homes and the McKenzie River in order to reduce fire risk and reforest.
Southwest Oregon
- Brothers Excavation and Construction, LLC for protecting water quality in Jumpoff Joe Creek during upgrading of an old mining road needed to access a timber harvest.
ODF Forest Resources Division Chief Josh Barnard said, “There were so many great nominees to pick from this year, it made the work of the selection committees very hard.”
Barnard said nominees showed they could meet the challenge of working under new rules that came into effect this year. The updated Oregon Forest Practices Act rules provide more protection for forest resources, such as wider stream buffers and limitations on equipment use around tributaries of fish-bearing streams.
“We saw a lot of innovative technology and techniques being used to protect water quality. On challenging harvesting sites, the Operators of the Year showed extraordinary care and diligence to protect resources and meet landowner objectives. We’re proud to recognize those efforts.”
* Oregon enacted the Forest Practices Act in 1971 as a national model for forest management laws. The law focuses on ensuring responsible forest operations and protecting natural resources in forestland. The Act has been updated many times based on new scientific information and values to create a balanced approach to natural resource management.
# # #
EUGENE, Ore. – Two Lane County logging firms – Card Logging of Eugene and Weyerhaeuser’s Springfield Tree Farm logging and road-building crews – have each earned an Award of Merit for difficult timber harvests done in the aftermath of last January’s devastating ice storm.
The companies were selected from among nominations submitted to the Oregon Dept. of Forestry (ODF). The Northwest Regional Forest Practices Committee, which advises the Oregon Board of Forestry on forest practice matters, chose the two companies to receive Awards of Merit as part of the annual Operator of the Year program administered by ODF.
Details of what each company did to earn the awards are below:
- Card Logging Company, Inc., based in Eugene. The firm earned its award for harvesting an ice-storm-damaged stand of timber in the Coast Range. Card used tethered logging and hand cutting to protect a stream buffer while minimizing disturbance to a neighboring retreat center. View a video of the company’s achievement at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YWFP9zqDxA
- Weyerhaeuser’s Springfield Tree Farm and its employee logging and road-building crews. They were honored for salvage logging after the January 2024 ice storm. They logged the steep hillside of immature trees just outside Springfield next to a busy county road and near homes and the McKenzie River. The harvest reduced fire risk and enabled the parcel to be safely reforested. View a video of the company’s work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUgMYdaJ0P0
In addition, the Committee named R.D. Reeves Construction, based in Rainier in Columbia County, as Operator of the Year for Northwest Oregon. View a video of the firm’s work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUsBwxBZiEo
Other regional Operator of the Year honorees were:
- Southwest Oregon – D & H Logging, based in Coos Bay. View video about D & H’s work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1eTDEcXQiY
- Eastern Oregon – BTO Forestry Solutions, owned by Mike Wiedeman and based in Enterprise in Wallowa County. View a video of the company’s work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcE22ZAA8I8
The award recognizes forest operators who, while harvesting timber or doing other forestry work, protect natural resources at a level that consistently meets or goes above and beyond requirements of the Oregon Forest Practices Act *. That law requires people to manage forests responsibly and protect streams and water quality, protect and enhance habitat, and reduce landslide risks. The law also requires landowners to replant forests after harvesting.
ODF Forest Resources Division Chief Josh Barnard said, “There were so many great nominees to pick from this year, it made the work of the selection committees very hard.”
Barnard said nominees showed they could meet the challenge of working under new rules that came into effect this year. The updated Oregon Forest Practices Act rules provide more protection for forest resources, such as wider stream buffers and limitations on equipment use around tributaries of fish-bearing streams.
“We saw a lot of innovative technology and techniques being used to protect water quality. On challenging harvesting sites, the Operators of the Year showed extraordinary care and diligence to protect resources and meet landowner objectives. We’re proud to recognize those efforts.”
The Northwest Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committee also gave Merit Awards to three other companies for work done in Northwest Oregon forests.
- Chilton Logging, Inc., nominated for harvesting a steep mountainside wedged between the East Fork of the Hood River and Green Point Creek near Hood River.
- Haley Construction Company of Lebanon, Ore. for installing a 125-foot-long bridge that replaced an in-stream low-water crossing through salmon-bearing Elk Creek, eliminating vehicles in the creek. The project involved safely transporting the long beams along a narrow, twisting two-lane road.
- Mt St Helens Reforestation, Inc. for reforesting with millions of new seedlings Weyerhaeuser land in Clackamas County that had burned in the Riverside Fire, one of the Labor Day megafires of 2020. The firm’s crews planted in four years what had been thought would take at least five.
* Oregon enacted the Forest Practices Act in 1971 as a national model for forest management laws. The law focuses on ensuring responsible forest operations and protecting natural resources in forestland. The Act has been updated many times based on new scientific information and values to create a balanced approach to natural resource management.
# # #
Rain Festival Offers Opportunity for Community Members to Engage and Share Input
TILLAMOOK, OR, Nov. 8, 2024 – What common values, questions, and even misconceptions about state forests do Oregonians have? On Nov.16, Lewis & Clark students will engage community members to help answer these questions as part of the Rain Festival being held at Tillamook Forest Center.
The Rain Festival is a free event providing the public with activities including a salmon release, guided walks, crafts, and displays that celebrate the Tillamook State Forest and its watersheds. For 19 students studying environmental engagement at Lewis & Clark, the Rain Festival will also be a pivotal opportunity for gathering public input about the perspectives, attitudes, and appreciation that define how Oregonians value our forests. Lewis & Clark Professor Alana Rader has developed the course in collaboration with Denise Berkshire of the Tillamook Forest Center, to deepen students’ engagement and communication skills in real-world settings. The Lewis & Clark students are preparing by designing and refining the public engagement activities for the Rain Festival. Afterwards, the students will analyze the data they gather and make a presentation to the state Board of Forestry to provide perspectives on people’s understanding of, and attitudes toward, Oregon’s state forests.
Members of the media are invited to attend the Nov. 16 event, where Rader, Berkshire, and the Lewis & Clark students will be available for interviews about the process and goals of the collaboration. An RSVP to Tim Hoffman and Lori Friedman is requested, but day of coverage is also welcome.
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SALEM, Ore. — The Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Friday, Nov. 15 at 10 a.m. To join, please use the Zoom video conference information found on the agenda.
The committee’s agenda includes:
- Review of proposed forest modeling scenarios for draft Forest Management Plan
Public comment is scheduled at the beginning of the meeting. To submit written comment, email ftlac.comment@odf.oregon.gov. Written comments sent at least 48 hours before the meeting will give the FTLAC time to review and consider information. Comments submitted after that window of time will be sent to the FTLAC after the meeting, entered into the record and posted online. Comments are not accepted after the meeting concludes.
Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at forestryinformation@odf.oregon.gov.
The Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee is comprised of seven county commissioners representing 15 Oregon counties where state forestlands are located. The FTLAC is a statutorily established committee that advises the Board of Forestry on matters related to forestland managed by ODF. View more information on the FTLAC webpage.
SALEM, Ore. — The Emergency Fire Cost Committee will meet virtually on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. for a special meeting. Please use the Zoom video conference information found on the agenda.
The committee’s agenda includes:
- Oregon Forest Land Protection Fund proposed rules
- Eligibility of firefighting costs policy
- Guidelines for eligibility of firefighting costs for the Oregon Forest Land Protection Fund Directive
The meeting is open to the public to attend virtually via Zoom. Public comments will be accepted near the end of the meeting. Accommodations for people with disabilities, and special materials, services, or assistance can be arranged by calling at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting at 503-945-7200 or by email at forestryinformation@odf.oregon.gov.
The Emergency Fire Cost Committee (EFCC) oversees the Oregon Forest Land Protection Fund (OFLPF), established by the Oregon Legislature as a fund with the purpose of equalizing emergency fire suppression costs among the various Oregon Department of Forestry protection districts and forest protective associations. All districts/associations contribute to the fund so that money will be available to any individual district/association to pay fire suppression costs on eligible emergency fires. View more information on the EFCC webpage.
Salem, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Forestry is excited to welcome home 13 firefighters after a two-week deployment in North Carolina to assist in Hurricane Helene recovery efforts. The crew supported the North Carolina Forest Service in state forest clean up, wildfire initial attack and other assignments. To date, they accomplished over 55 miles of clearing roads and trails, averaging about three to five miles a day.
“It was an honor and a privilege to work with such an outstanding group of individuals,” said Dave Larson, ODF’s Agency Representative for the assignment and Southern Oregon Area Director.
The crew was mobilized on October 9 to North Carolina with a simple instruction: to help wherever needed. Upon landing, they almost immediately saw the level of devastation and were aware that they would be just a small piece in the larger picture when it comes to recovery in the state. The inspiring outpouring of support for North Carolina helped to fuel ODF firefighters on their mission. They worked so hard clearing roads and trails that, within the first week, they ahead of schedule and able to be reassigned to other efforts like wildfire initial attack.
“The crew was incredibly hard working and true professionals that reflect ODF and our protection association partners’ culture and values of dedication to public service, which is ‘Whatever it takes’,” Larson said.
Sending our firefighters on these out-of-state deployments helps them build relationships outside of our organization and allows the Oregon Department of Forestry to return the favor to our interstate partners. At the peak of Oregon’s fire season, North Carolina was one of 20 states that sent much needed wildland fire personnel to help.
This is all done through mutual assistance agreements with other states, including Alaska and NW Canadian territories, creating a cache of reciprocal resources and a larger, comprehensive fire management system.
So far this year, the Oregon Department of Forestry has sent firefighters to New Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, Texas, Idaho, Minnesota and North Carolina.
Salem, Ore.— The Oregon Department of Forestry is happy to announce the launch of the Prescribed Fire Liability Program. This pilot program is intended to increase use of prescribed fire and cultural burning and support fire practitioners by providing liability coverage for enrolled burns.
Introducing periodic fire to fire-adapted landscapes and reducing forest fuels has been shown to lessen the potential for high-intensity wildfires and the large volume of smoke they produce.
While the rates of escape and loss are very low due to the careful planning and preparation required for prescribed fire and cultural burning, there is always some residual risk when working with fire. This risk, and the resulting liability for damages due to escape if uninsured, can deter some practitioners from using beneficial fire.
Governor Kotek signed House Bill 4016 in 2024 establishing the pilot Prescribed Fire Liability Program. It authorizes claims covering certain losses arising from escaped prescribed fires and cultural burns. Participation in the program is voluntary.
For your burn to have liability coverage under the program, all the following conditions must be met:
- The burn is enrolled in the program prior to burning.
- The burn is conducted or supervised by an appropriate party for the burn.
- Ensure the burn follows all applicable laws related to the burn (obtain and follow any required permits/burn plan, make required notifications for Certified Burn Manager-led burns, additional paperwork/ submissions for Power Driven Machinery, etc.).
- If the burn escapes, the fire must not be a result of willful, malicious, or negligent actions in the origin or subsequent spread.
Learn more about the program and apply at ODF’s Prescribed Fire Liability Program web page.
For more information on prescribed fire and correlating programs, visit ODF’s Prescribed Fire web page.
Salem, Ore.—After a record-breaking year, all Oregon Department of Forestry districts have terminated fire restrictions, marking the end of the 2024 Oregon fire season declaration. With over 1.9 million acres burned across the state, firefighters and resources experienced extreme strain.
“This season proved that wildfire in Oregon is not just one agency’s issue but effects ALL Oregonians from government agencies to private landowners to Oregon residents.” Kyle Williams, ODF Deputy Director of Fire Protection, said, “This is our reality, and we need to adjust in response to it.”
Throughout May and June, the state experienced an average, even below average, season. However, early July brought the beginning of peak season with a heat wave followed by several lightning and wind events that primarily affected Central and Eastern Oregon.
Meteorological events combined with lightning-and human-caused fire brought immense strain on Oregon’s in-state resources. In response, the department leaned heavily into its interstate relationships. Firefighters and resources from about 20 states and Canada were brought to Oregon through state-to-state mutual aid agreements and the Northwest Compact.
“The outpouring of support from out of state has been amazing to say the least,” Chris Cline, ODF Protection Division Chief, said. “It truly goes to show that fire is a family, no matter where you are.”
Year to date, there have been 1,003 fires on ODF-protected lands resulting in 314,181 acres burned. ODF Type 1 Incident Management Teams (IMT) have been mobilized 11 times to wildfires this year. The assignments were to the following incidents:
- Salt Creek Fire
- Larch Creek Fire
- Dixon Fire
- Boneyard & Court Rock Fires
- Battle Mountain Complex
- Lane 1 Fire
- Copperfield Fire
- Shoe Fly Fire
- Fossil Complex (two deployments)
- Winding Water Complex
An ODF team was also deployed earlier in the year to assist Lane County and Springfield in their ice storm response. The department also mobilized a Complex IMT comprised of North Carolina and Florida firefighters through state-to-state mutual aid agreements. Statewide, regardless of jurisdiction, there have been 1,956 fires that have burned 1,937,512 acres.
Due to the agency’s aggressive approach to initial attack to preserve natural resources, protect communities, and increase firefighter safety, many fire starts that happened this year were never heard about. Overall, the department put out 93 percent of fires on ODF-protected land at 10 acres or fewer this year.
Fighting alongside ODF and other wildland firefighters this season were members of Rangeland Fire Protection Associations. Rangeland Fire Protection Associations (RFPAs) are independent, non-profit, volunteer fire organizations that provide local fire protection in rural Oregon, usually in areas outside of local fire district protection.
There are 28 RFPAs that protect rangeland and are an integral part of Oregon’s complete and coordinated system. This season, RFPAs were some of the first resources to respond and begin work on a fire while more resources were on their way. They also provided incident management teams and fire managers with information on the area and the land that gave in-depth situational awareness and influenced operations. ODF supports the associations through administrative guidance, insurance reimbursement, fire suppression training and facilitating access to federal grants and surplus firefighting equipment.
The start and end of fire season restrictions and regulations are set by each forest protection district based on the conditions in their area including drought, climatic forecasts, and seasonal trends. These restrictions and regulations are on activities prone to start wildfires, such as debris burning and certain equipment use, and are intended as preventative measures during times with elevated wildfire risks. The arrival of steady soaking rain, coupled with cooler temperatures and shorter days, usually triggers the closure of fire season. The end of fire season removes ODF imposed fire restrictions on ODF-protected lands. However, many structural fire departments in Oregon still require a permit for debris burning, and slash burning requires a permit year-round, so check with your local fire department or ODF office before starting a burn.
As Oregon transitions out of fire season, ODF districts across the state are shifting their attention to wildfire prevention, fuels reduction, mitigation and planning efforts.
For more tips on how to keep yourself, your loved ones and your property safe from wildfire at any time of year, visit ODF’s Fire Prevention website or Keep Oregon Green’s website.
ODF protects over 16 million acres of private, county, state and federal forest and grazing lands in Oregon.
SALEM, Ore. — The Adaptive Management Program Committee will meet at noon on Monday, Nov. 4 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:
- Discuss amphibians research questions
- Discuss effectiveness monitoring strategy (Substantial decision item)
- Wrap up & discuss AMPC member renewals for 2025 and upcoming AMPC Co-chair election
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.
The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) - Central Oregon District will officially reduce the fire danger to LOW and end the 2024 fire season Friday, October 25, 2024, at 12:01 a.m., for lands under their protection and management. The end of fire season is a result of recent wetting rains and an overall cooling trend that has returned to the area.
With the end of fire season, the public and industrial fire restrictions implemented through the Central Oregon District will no longer be in effect.
Despite the fire season ending, fire officials advise residents to not rush burning. Instead, cover the top two-thirds of debris piles with a tarp or plastic. Doing this will keep the pile dry to allow for a cleaner burn later into the fall/winter months when the risk of fire spread is minimal. Several days of sunshine and dry weather during the fall months can create a fire risk even if a week or more of cool, wet conditions precede them.
Residents should contact their local fire department or ODF before conducting any type of debris burning as fire restrictions may vary between local fire districts. ODF offices are located in Sisters, 541-549-2731, Prineville 541-447-5658, The Dalles 541-296-4626, Fossil 541-763-2575 and John Day 541-575-1139.
When burning yard debris, ensure an adequate fire trail around the pile before igniting and have fire tools and a water supply at the burn site. Debris piles should never be left unattended and fully extinguished before leaving the area. If a debris burn escapes containment, the party responsible may be held financially responsible for the resulting fire suppression costs and associated damages.
The Central Oregon District staff would like to thank the community for their cooperation and support during the 2024 fire season.