Oregon Tree Farm System Honors Lane County Couple With Silver Award For Managing Their Family Forestland (Photo) - 12/04/25
MARCOLA, Ore. - The Oregon Tree Farm System (OTFS) recently honored Dell and Linda Jensen of Lane County with a Silver Award for management of their 185-acre tree farm near Marcola. The honor was bestowed at the organization’s annual meeting held Nov. 15th at the Polk County Fair Grounds in Rickreall.
While the Jensen property has been in the family since 1908, the Jensens took charge of its management when inheriting it in 2022. They have spent a tremendous amount of time and energy in developing a sustainable timber harvest, improving its road system for active management, and converting brush areas back to Douglas-fir forests.
In addition to honoring the Jensens, OTFS named Roje Gootee from northern Grant County as Oregon’s 2026 Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year.
Gootee, owner of Rush Creek Ranch, was recognized for her 28 years spent restoring and managing her property for a wide range of conservation objectives, as well as for her leadership in promoting the health of forest and rangeland in the Blue Mountains of Northeast Oregon.
Gootee expanded her ranch from 1,962 acres in 1997 to 3,345 acres, of which approximately 2,000 are forested, the rest in range. She has restored ponderosa pine forests that were over-harvested by the previous owner, restored abandoned farm fields to forests, improved water quality through restoring riparian habitat and protecting upland springs, controlled invasive weeds, reduced the risk of wildfire, and removed invasive Western juniper encroaching on rangeland and forests.
Beyond her own property, she has helped neighbors develop stewardship plans for their properties and has played key roles in promoting the management of all private and public lands in Oregon’s Blue Mountain region.
She continues to share her insights through serving on numerous local, state and national private and public natural resource-related boards and commissions. She also works with local landowners and resource professionals.
Additional County Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year
• Laird-Shepherd Family of Columbia County, and
• Allan and Kathleen Crandall of Yamhill County
Oregon Inspector of the Year – Tim Gurton
Oregon Tree Farm inspectors are volunteer foresters who visit family forest landowners providing insights on how they can meet their forestland goals, and to certify that their forest meets the American Tree Farm System’s standards. Gurton visited and certified 25 landowners.
Pollinator Award – Mary Chamness
This award is given to an individual whose volunteer efforts played a key role in the management of the organization.
Hagenstein Family Forestlands Achievement Award - Steve and Wylda Cafferata
This award is presented to an individual(s) for outstanding contributions in promoting, supporting, and sustaining Oregon’s family owned forestlands.
About the Oregon Tree Farm System
OTFS is a chapter of the American Tree Farm System which operates an internationally recognized forest certification program overseen by and for family forest landowners to promote sustainable forest management through education, recognition, and assistance.
For 59 years, OTFS has recognized family forest landowners who provide forest benefits and products using sound forestry management. Along with the Oregon Dept. of Forestry they work to promote sustainable forestry in Oregon.
For more information on the Oregon Tree Farm System, visit www.otfs.org
# # #
