FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Distribution: Major Media

March 6, 2006 Contact: Jeff Foreman

06-13 503-945-7506

Forestry Advisory Group Meets March 10

to Discuss '06-07 Annual Operations Plans

An advisory group to the Oregon Department of Forestry on state-managed forestland in northwest and southwest Oregon will meet Friday, March 10, in Forest Grove to discuss 2006-07 annual operations plans.

The meeting is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Forest Grove District office, 801 Gales Creek Road. The public is invited to attend the meeting; comment periods are scheduled at 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

The committee will discuss ODF's proposed annual operation plans for the period from July 2006 through June 2007. Nine districts statewide have ODF-managed lands and annual operations plans, but the committee is expected to focus on the northwest districts.

The 2006-07 harvest levels for ODF's three largest northwest Oregon districts (Tillamook, Forest Grove and Astoria) for the Tillamook and Clatsop state forests are projected at 173 million board feet. The three districts comprise 518,000 acres of the total 780,000 acres of state forest land.

A public comment period on the annual operations plans began Feb. 15. Written comments on the plans - which identify and describe specific projects such as timber sales, road maintenance, stream enhancement and trail building - will be accepted until 5 p.m. March 31.

The committee also will receive copies of the final report on the harvest and habitat modeling project, which uses a computer program to forecast future harvest levels and potential for developing habitat under the forest management plan. For comparison purposes, models also were developed and run for two other strategies - one that emphasized wood production and another that created reserves.

The modeling project's final report will be presented March 8 to the Oregon Board of Forestry, which is expected to continue discussions this spring about the report and other information to decide whether to change current direction for forest management.

The harvest levels proposed in the 2006-07 plans were derived from the portion of the model?s results that assumed continuation of existing direction.

Other topics include review of draft performance measures for the State Forests Program that implements the management plans for state-managed forestlands.

The 14-member advisory committee represents diverse interests. Former Forest Grove city manager Vergie Ries is the new chair of the committee.

In addition to representing environmental, recreational and timber industry interests, committee membership has two non-affiliated positions. The committee also includes representation from Oregon counties that receive revenue from timber sales, the result of having deeded the lands to the state.

The committee was formed to provide a forum to discuss issues, opportunities and concerns, and offer advice and guidance to ODF on the implementation of the forest management plans approved for northwest and southwest state forests in 2001.

The plans for northwest and southwest state forests call for ODF to actively manage the state forestlands for economic, environmental and social resource benefits. A balanced system is used to generate revenue and jobs while providing environmental and social values.

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