OFRI eNews: February 2021 |
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Learn about Oregon's forests with this fact-packed booklet |
Every two years, the Oregon Forest Resources Institute updates Oregon Forest Facts, a handy publication packed with the latest data about Oregon’s forests and forest-based economy.
We gather cited information about Oregon’s forests from sources such as the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Employment Department and Oregon Department of Forestry, and make it available in many different ways. In addition to the classic pocket-size booklet that you can order at no cost, we also produce a PDF that you can easily download. We also have a website, OregonForestFacts.org, which includes all the data from the printed booklet.
In the section on fire in Oregon’s forests, we cover the different fire behavior in the state’s dry, wet and mixed forest types. We provide a map of the major wildfires that took place during the state’s historic 2020 fire season. This section also includes an overview of Oregon’s complete and coordinated firefighting system.
It was truly a team effort to get the latest and greatest data and statistics on Oregon’s forests. Special thanks to OFRI team members Mike Cloughesy, Julie Woodward, Inka Bajandas and Jordan Benner for their efforts to deliver the Oregon Forest Facts 2021-22 Edition!
For the forest,
Erin Isselmann
Executive Director
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Oregon Forest Facts updated for 2021-22
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The 2021-22 edition of Oregon Forest Facts – one of OFRI’s most popular publications – has been released, complete with the latest data about Oregon’s forests and forest-based economy, including newly compiled statistics and information on the impacts of the 2020 Labor Day fires.
The Oregon Forest Facts 2020-21 Edition is now available for digital download and to order online. The pocket-size booklet offers a detailed reference guide to Oregon’s forest sector, including information, maps, graphs and statistics about forestland ownership, timber harvest, forest-based employment and wood products production. The 2021-22 edition also includes a map of the major wildfires during Oregon’s 2020 fire season, as well as other new content on fire trends, carbon storage in forests and the effects of forest management on drinking water.
The latest data from the Oregon Forest Facts 2021-22 Edition can also be accessed online at OregonForestFacts.org. The mobile-friendly site includes the option to easily share charts and graphs containing information about Oregon’s forests, via email or social media.
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Auction benefits forest education program |
A virtual auction hosted by the Oregon Women in Timber this month will benefit Talk About Trees, an OFRI-supported forest education program that serves preschoolers through eighth-grade students across the state.
Bidding in the 30th annual Talk About Trees Silent Auction will begin at noon on Feb. 20 and run until Feb. 27. A virtual livestream event starting at 6 p.m. on Feb. 24 will be held in conjunction with other virtual events hosted by the Oregon Logging Conference.
All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Oregon Women in Timber’s Talk About Trees program, which also receives financial support from OFRI. Talk About Trees provides free forest education to students throughout Oregon by bringing trained facilitators into classrooms to teach about the value of trees and forests in our daily lives, and encourage an understanding of the protection, management and conservation of forests. Since the shift to distance learning last spring, the program has adapted to offer 30-minute online interactive lessons covering topics such as tree identification, forest health and forest careers.
More information about the auction and free registration for the Feb. 24 event is available on the Oregon Women in Timber website.
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Forestry lectures focus on resilience |
The 2021 Starker Lecture Series, hosted by the Oregon State University College of Forestry, continues this spring with two more virtual panel discussions highlighting how communities, industries and organizations across the forest landscape have responded to natural disaster and shown resilience in the face of adversity.
The theme of this year’s lectures is “Resilience in the face of disturbance: Learning from disasters.” Each lecture in the series examines how the multiple disasters and challenges of the past year – including devastating wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic – have proved the need for society to be resilient, learn about and adapt to new realities.
The four-part webinar series focuses on the impacts of wildfire and the pandemic on forest economics, recreation, education and research. The first two lectures in the series discussing recreation and education have already taken place, but a third on economics is scheduled for March 3 and a fourth on research will take place on March 10. Both upcoming lectures will take place from 2 to 3:30 p.m. All the lectures are free to attend, but require registration.
OFRI is a co-sponsor of this year’s lecture series, together with the Starker family and the OSU College of Forestry.
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Conference highlights drinking water study |
A two-day virtual conference on March 11-12 will focus on the latest scientific findings regarding the impacts of forest management on drinking water quality in Oregon.
The Trees to Tap: Forest Management and Drinking Water conference for forestry and water professionals, water utilities, regulators, forest landowners and conservationists will feature a mix of science presentations given by scientists and management presentations given by forestry and water professionals, regulators and conservationists.
The science presentations will give a high-level summary of the findings of the Trees to Tap science review. Led by the Oregon State University Institute for Natural Resources with the support of funding from OFRI, the Trees to Tap report examined how forest management affects the forested watersheds that supply the majority of Oregonians with their drinking water. Management presentations will provide a practical discussion of how to account for the report's scientific findings in practice.
The conference is co-sponsored by OFRI, the Oregon State University College of Forestry, the Institute for Natural Resources and the Oregon Association of Water Utilities. There’s no cost to attend, but registration is required to receive conference materials and a link to view the presentations over Zoom. Continuing education credits for full attendance of the conference are available through the Society of American Foresters and Associated Oregon Loggers, and additional credits are pending from the Oregon Environmental Services Advisory Council.
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Mass Timber Conference goes virtual |
Moving to a virtual platform will allow what’s billed as the world’s largest mass timber event to attract even more global attendance, according to the conference organizers, Forest Business Network and WoodWorks. The conference will offer the latest information on the entire supply chain for mass timber products, large engineered panels or beams made of solid wood that are used as structural elements in buildings.
The 2021 conference will feature over 40 industry presenters offering real-world information and insights for mass timber businesses and projects. In addition to watching presentations, attendees will have the opportunity to visit a virtual exhibit hall with over 100 exhibitors and participate in virtual mass timber building tours. OFRI will host a virtual forest tour highlighting sustainable forest management practices.
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Applicants sought for OFRI board vacancy |
OFRI is seeking qualified applicants to serve on its board of directors.
The Oregon state forester is seeking to fill one upcoming board vacancy, for a Class 1 position representing a timber producer that produces 20 million board feet of timber per year or less. By law, the state forester appoints 11 of OFRI’s 13 board members. Two other members serve ex officio: the dean of the Oregon State University College of Forestry, and a public representative appointed jointly by the president of the Oregon Senate and the speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives.
Board representatives include forest products producers that pay forest products harvest taxes to support OFRI’s programs. These board members are broken into three classes based on the amount of timber they harvest each year. The board also contains one member representing small woodland owners, and an hourly-wage employee of a forest products producer or a person who represents such employees.
Those interested in serving on the OFRI board of directors for a three-year term can request application materials from Kathy Storm at storm@ofri.org or 971-673-2953. Completed applications should be sent to: State Forester: Attention Brandy Ritter, 2600 State St., Salem, Oregon 97310, or via email to brandy.ritter@oregon.gov.
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BLOG: "Something for everyone"
In her latest blog, OFRI Director of K-12 Education Programs Norie Dimeo-Ediger reflects on the impact of some important advice the Institute got from a teacher focus group: “Make it specific to our students, or we can’t use it.” Read the blog.
BLOG: "The new Oregon Forest Facts 2021-22 Edition is here"
The latest edition of Oregon Forest Facts is here. OFRI Director of Forestry Mike Cloughesy recently wrote a blog highlighting some of the important “forest facts” found in the Oregon Forest Facts 2021-22 Edition. Read the blog.
BLOG: "New year, new Oregon forest practices laws"
At the beginning of this year some changes to the Oregon Forest Practices Act went into effect. Julie Woodward, OFRI’s senior manager of forestry education, outlines these changes in a new blog post. Read the blog.
OSWA hires new executive director
The Oregon Small Woodlands Association (OSWA) has hired Amy Jahnke as its new executive director. Jahnke started Feb.1 and replaces Jim James, who is retiring but will continue working for OSWA during a three-month leadership transition period. Before joining OSWA, Jahnke worked in forest inventory for the U.S. Forest Service, as a forester for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and as a research fellow for an international hardwood veneer supplier. Learn more.
Logging conference takes hybrid approach
The 2021 Oregon Logging Conference will feature a mix of virtual and in-person events this spring. The conference will host five pre-recorded panel discussions and is offering a series of videos for high school students who would normally attend its Future Forestry Workers Career Day. This year’s Sawdust Bowl will be broken into a series of smaller events across the state. An auction benefiting forestry workers affected by last year’s wildfires will be held with limited capacity on March 20 in Sweet Home. Learn more.
Order your "Planted" signs today
Winter and early spring is tree planting season in Oregon, which means it’s a great time to order a “Planted” sign through OFRI’s landowner signage program. The program provides free signs to forest landowners identifying the year seedlings were planted, to display in replanted areas that lie along heavily traveled highways and roads throughout the state. Learn more about the program and order a planted sign here.
Learn how to plant trees
All geared up for tree planting season, but could use some pointers? Oregon State University Extension Service is hosting a forest tree seedling planting workshop from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on March 13 at the Hopkins Demonstration Forest in Oregon City. Participants will gain hands-on experience by helping plant trees in the demonstration forest. The workshop will cover the basics of tree planting, including site preparation, seed sources, nursery availability, tree seedling types and seedling care. Space is limited due to COVID-19 restrictions. Event registration.
State report shows improved water quality
A new interagency report shows a drop in pesticide levels in a majority of watersheds across Oregon monitored by a coalition of state natural resource agencies. The finding is contained in the 2017-19 Biennium Report, which looks at pesticide levels in selected streams in various parts of Oregon. The report is authored by an interagency water quality management team making up Oregon’s Pesticide Stewardship Partnership. The program works to reduce levels of pesticides in watersheds through voluntary public-private partnerships. Read the report.
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Oregon Forest Resources Institute |
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 sustainable 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 © 2021, Oregon Forest Resources Institute. All Rights Reserved.
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