OFRI eNews: September 2018
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Meeting Oregon's forest sector
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My first month as OFRI’s new executive director has been a whirlwind of meetings, introductions and getting up to speed on Oregon’s forest sector. There’s been a lot to learn – it’s a completely new world to me.
I come to OFRI with more than 20 years of experience in marketing and communications, with Fortune 500 companies including Tektronix, Xerox and Conduent. Now I have the opportunity to use my expertise at OFRI to guide the public education and awareness effort for one of Oregon’s most valuable resources and treasures: our forests.
In my short time at OFRI, I’ve met some wonderful people who care deeply about forestry in Oregon. They include landowners, foresters, loggers and mill workers. Each and every person I’ve met has a deep personal connection and commitment to the stewardship of Oregon’s forests, and the protection of wildlife and clean water. That dedication and alignment to sustainable forest practices, across the sector, sets this industry apart. I’m looking forward to helping share that story in Oregon and beyond.
For the forest,
Erin Isselmann
Executive Director
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SAF convention coming to Oregon
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Members of the
Society of American Foresters
(SAF) will convene in Portland Oct. 3-7 for the organization’s annual convention, an event that is expected to bring more than 2,000 foresters, wildlife biologists, arborists, policymakers and other forest professionals from across the U.S. to the Rose City.
The theme of the
convention
, which will be held at the Oregon Convention Center, is the intersection of science and policy in forest management. Attendees will be asked to explore how wildland fire policy is influencing forest management decisions, the role of scientists in informing forest policy, and ways to transform state and federal policy into effective natural resource management.
More than 300 speakers will address topics such as urban forestry, wildlife and forestry trends, and women-owned woodlands. The convention will include a number of networking opportunities, and field tours exploring sustainable forestry practices and mass timber construction in the Pacific Northwest. A convention expo will feature more than 90 exhibitors showcasing the latest products, technologies and resources for forest professionals.
OFRI is co-sponsoring the convention and producing a video for the opening ceremony. Institute staff will also host an informational booth in the expo and are helping organize an Oregon mass timber building tour for convention attendees.
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Caucus focuses on forests, carbon
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Oregon coastal forests’ role as a carbon sink that could help mitigate the impacts of climate change was a major theme of the
Oregon Coastal Caucus Economic Summit
, held Aug. 22-23 at Chinook Winds Casino and Resort in Lincoln City.
OFRI co-sponsored the annual gathering for state legislators, other elected officials, policymakers and leaders from academia, business and industry, to assess and develop strategies to improve the economic vitality of Oregon’s coastal region. The summit featured a number of panel discussions that focused on the impacts of climate change on Oregon’s forests, as well how forests and forest products can play a role in reducing the state’s carbon footprint.
“Storing carbon in trees and wood is excellent,” noted Yale University forestry and environmental studies professor Chadwick Dearing Oliver, in a session on the law and science of carbon reduction. “You would save a lot of carbon by harvesting the trees and building with wood.”
Dearing Oliver joined a slate of summit speakers with expertise in forestry and natural resources, including researchers from Oregon State University and the University of Oregon, Oregon State Forester Peter Daugherty, Gov. Kate Brown’s Natural Resources Policy Manager Jason Miner, and Eric Geyer, Roseburg Forest Products’ director of strategic business development and external affairs.
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Capitol Christmas Tree instruction guide released
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Oregon forests will be in the national spotlight this December when for the first time a tree selected from the state’s
Willamette National Forest
arrives in Washington, D.C., to serve as the official
U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree
. A new OFRI-produced instruction guide aims to help Oregon teachers turn this rare opportunity into a teachable moment.
“The guide is designed to help third- and fourth-grade teachers use the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree as a context for investigating why Oregon is such a great place for growing trees,” says OFRI Director of K-12 Programs Norie Dimeo-Ediger. “It encourages teachers to explore with their students the importance of trees and forests to our state and beyond.”
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Registration open for field program
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Fall and spring registration is now open for the Oregon Garden Natural Resources Education Program.
The program provides educational field trips for fourth- through sixth-grade students to OFRI’s 15-acre
Rediscovery Forest
inside
The Oregon Garden
in Silverton. While exploring the demonstration forest, students visit learning stations and participate in interactive activities to learn about why forests are important. Topics covered during the field trips include plant and animal adaptation, forest food webs, healthy forests and wildlife habitat.
“The program offers a bunch of hands-on learning opportunities you just can’t get in a classroom,” says OFRI Environmental Educator Rikki Heath, who leads the program. “We have a lot of fun out here, and it’s an easy way to get students out into the forest to learn about Oregon’s natural resources.”
Program field trips typically last about four hours. The cost is $3 per student, but scholarships are available.
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Blog: Engaging forest landowners in reducing fire danger
In his most recent blog post, OFRI Director of Forestry Mike Cloughesy discusses the Institute’s involvement with several collaborative projects that reach out to private landowners to engage them in active forest management aimed at improving the fire resiliency of their properties.
Read the blog.
Blog: From the "Silicon Forest" to Oregon's forests
OFRI’s new executive director, Erin Isselmann, reflects on her first month on the job.
Blog: Mass timber at OSU - slowed but undaunted
Oregon State University’s foray into mass timber hit a speed bump this spring, but construction of the new Peavy Hall using innovative wood products is now back on track. In his blog post, OFRI Director of Forest Products Timm Locke explains why the incident is merely a minor hiccup for the Oregon mass timber market.
Read the blog
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Wood Design Awards nominations sought
WoodWorks, an initiative of the Wood Products Council, is now accepting nominations for its 2019 Wood Design Awards. The awards celebrate excellence in wood design, engineering and construction across the U.S.
Learn more
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Ornaments hidden in Willamette NF
Hikers visiting the Willamette National Forest have until Oct. 2 to find one of the glass ornaments the Willamette Valley Visitors Association has hidden along its trails. Those who find an ornament can enter to win a paid trip for two to Washington, D.C., to see the lighting of the 2018 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.
Learn more.
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Sept. 19-21, Portland
Sept. 20, Eugene
Sept. 21, Corvallis
Sept. 22, Tillamook
Sept. 25-27, Portland
Oct. 1, Oregon City
Oct. 3-7, Portland
Oct. 14, Portland
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Oregon Forest Resources Institute
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The Oregon Legislature created the Oregon Forest Resources Institute in 1991 to advance public understanding of forests, forest management and forest products and to encourage sound forestry through landowner education.
A 13-member board of directors governs OFRI. It is funded by a portion of the forest products harvest tax.
Copyright © 2018, Oregon Forest Resources Institute. All Rights Reserved.
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