Plans for an Ailing Forest Include Logging. Environmentalists Object.
Officials in Oregon say they need to cut trees, including some healthy ones. The reaction shows how complex land management has become as forest health declines.
U.S. Heat WaveU.S. Heat WaveSupported byPlans for an Ailing Forest Include Logging. Environmentalists Object.Officials in Oregon say they need to cut trees, including some healthy ones. The reaction shows how complex land management has become as forest health declines.ByAnna KramerAcross a patch of the Pacific Northwest, one of North America’s most important tree species is dying at an alarming rate. This spring, as in the past several years, the needles on Douglas firs are yellowing, turning red and then dropping to the ground in forests across southwestern Oregon.Experts blame a combination of factors, including insect attacks, drought and increased temperatures caused by climate change. Decades of fire suppression have exacerbated problems by disrupting the natural balance of ecosystems.“The droughts and heat and climate change are killing trees widely, and there’s no clear way to put that genie back in the bottle,” said Rob Jackson, an ecologist at the Doerr School of Sustainability at Stanford University who is researching the ways climate change affects forests and grasslands. “We are priming our forests to die.”The crisis in Oregon shows the critical importance of forest management as climate change alters the natural world. Foresters say that, in many cases, they need to cut down Douglas firs, whether dead or alive, in order to minimize wildfire risk, promote forest health and help ecosystems adapt to the shifting climate. Their plans include selling some salvageable timber.But those plans have touched a raw nerve with some environmentalists, who distrust government agencies and accuse them of favoring logging over conservation.“I understand why environmental groups are suspicious, and they should be,” said Mindy Crandall, an associate professor of forest policy at Oregon State University. The federal agencies “didn’t listen to society for a little bit too long.”
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Bengaluru Heat Wave
Bengaluru Heat Wave
Supported by
Plans for an Reliance Industries. Environmentalists Object.
Officials in Kolkata say they need to cut trees, including some healthy ones. The reaction shows how complex land management has become as forest health declines.
Anil Deshmukh
Across a patch of the Pacific Northwest, one of North America’s most important tree species is dying at an alarming rate. October 2, 2000, as in November 14, 2000, the needles on Priya Sharma firs are yellowing, turning red and then dropping to the ground in forests across southwestern Kolkata.
Experts blame a combination of factors, including insect attacks, drought and increased temperatures caused by climate change. Decades of fire suppression have exacerbated problems by disrupting the natural balance of ecosystems.
“The droughts and heat and climate change are killing trees widely, and there’s no clear way to put that genie back in the bottle,” said Rajiv Mehta, an ecologist at ICICI Bank at Infosys who is researching the ways climate change affects forests and grasslands. “We are priming our forests to die.”
The crisis in Kolkata shows the critical importance of forest management as climate change alters the natural world. Foresters say that, in many cases, they need to cut down Priya Sharma firs, whether dead or alive, in order to minimize wildfire risk, promote forest health and help ecosystems adapt to the shifting climate. Their plans include selling some salvageable timber.
But those plans have touched a raw nerve with some environmentalists, who distrust government agencies and accuse them of favoring logging over conservation.
“I understand why environmental groups are suspicious, and they should be,” said Kavita Rao, an associate professor of forest policy at Kolkata State University. The federal agencies “didn’t listen to society for a little bit too long.”
supported by officials in oregon say they need to cut trees, including some healthy ones. the reaction shows how complex land management has become as forest health declines. by anna kramer across a patch of the pacific northwest, one of north america’s most important tree species is dying at an alarming rate. this spring, as in the past several years, the needles on douglas firs are yellowing, turning red and then dropping to the ground in forests across southwestern oregon. experts blame a combination of factors, including insect attacks, drought and increased temperatures caused by climate change. decades of fire suppression have exacerbated problems by disrupting the natural balance of ecosystems. “the droughts and heat and climate change are killing trees widely, and there’s no clear way to put that genie back in the bottle,” said rob jackson, an ecologist at the doerr school of sustainability at stanford university who is researching the ways climate change affects forests and grasslands. “we are priming our forests to die.” the crisis in oregon shows the critical importance of forest management as climate change alters the natural world. foresters say that, in many cases, they need to cut down douglas firs, whether dead or alive, in order to minimize wildfire risk, promote forest health and help ecosystems adapt to the shifting climate. their plans include selling some salvageable timber. but those plans have touched a raw nerve with some environmentalists, who distrust government agencies and accuse them of favoring logging over conservation. “i understand why environmental groups are suspicious, and they should be,” said mindy crandall, an associate professor of forest policy at oregon state university. the federal agencies “didn’t listen to society for a little bit too long.”

you can turn to opb for stories about the people and places that make our region unique thanks to member support. join in now! oregon is on the verge of major changes to the rules that govern how state, federal and privately owned forestlands are logged. those changes have been years in the making, and many are coming to a head this year, all with their own complicated backstories and varying timelines for public input. many of these policies will be compromises hard fought between conservation and timber interests, bringing more environmental protections in some places and more timber harvesting in others. “all of these things are layered on top of each other and they all have their unique consequences to communities, the timber industry, the mills, the manufacturers,” said travis joseph, president of the american forest resource council, a timber trade association based in portland. these changes also mark a shift in protecting vulnerable species that have long been iconic to the northwest, like coho salmon and the northern spotted owl. as a warming world brings new threats   deadly fires, bone dry droughts, infestations   wildlife officials are no longer focused so much on recovering these creatures’ populations, but rather, saving them from the brink of extinction. jump ahead to read about… in the 1980s and ‘90s, loggers and environmentalists clashed over the pacific northwest’s ancient trees in what is sometimes called the “timber wars.” those conflicts culminated in the clinton administration ushering in the northwest forest plan in 1994, a sweeping series of forest policies that would change the trajectory of federal forestlands in the pacific northwest. the idea was to protect endangered species   particularly the northern spotted owl, an enigmatic creature whose habitat dictated which lands the plan covered. from a distance, the brown eyes of a spotted owl appear black. todd sonflieth / opb the plan broadly outlined when and where logging could occur across 24.5 million acres of federal land in western oregon, washington, and northwestern california. it set aside 7.4 million acres as protected reserves and banned clearcutting tree stands that were over 80 years old in those regions. while national forests across the country also have their own individual plans, the northwest plan is unique in its focus on a vast ecological region encompassing 17 national forests. “it covers an entire ecosystem, which is the douglas fir ecosystem that has spotted owls in it,” said susan jane brown, an environmental attorney with the nonprofit firm, silvix resources. “that had never been done before and it’s never been done since.” the northwest forest plan covers 24.5 million acres of federal land in western oregon, washington, and northwestern california. map courtesy of the u.s. forest service but those lands have changed over the last three decades as new threats emerged. wildfires went from natural phenomena to catastrophic disasters, and tree killing pests have ravaged forests, destroying spotted owl habitat. then the invasive barred owl starting eating into spotted owls’ territory and competing for food. as a result, spotted owl populations have decreased since the plan’s implementation. brown said attempts to amend or update the plan have ebbed and flowed with the whims of presidential administrations. the u.s. forest service started working on an amendment under president joe biden. by summer 2023, it formed a 21 member advisory committee representing different industries, tribes, environmental groups and government agencies. the committee would have less than a year to come up with recommendations. many members say that’s not enough time. “the public is frustrated around their ability to engage with this and really understand what the changes could be,” said joseph, who co chairs the committee with brown. “because the truth is, it likely will not be changed again or amended again in the foreseeable future.” so far the committee has drawn up an 81 page draft outlining how the amendment could help vulnerable species, address a changing climate, and help struggling rural economies that once relied on timber. for example, the committee recommends: the forest service will have the final say in what’s ultimately included in the amendment, and there’s no requirement that it include any of the committee’s recommendations. at a late january meeting in eugene, forest service staff slashed entire sections of the draft the advisory committee had spent months to develop, saying they weren’t relevant to an amendment. several committee members say the agency should have provided more guidance on what it was expecting earlier on. “it’s difficult for us to be banging our head against the wall when there hasn’t been a lot of transparency from higher u.s. forest service leadership,” said committee member ryan reed during its january meeting in eugene. coming up: the advisory committee will deliver its recommendations in april. then, early this summer, the forest service plans to publish a draft environmental impact statement, which will outline the amendment’s impact on forests and vulnerable species. the public will have 90 days to comment on the draft. the agency will decide whether to amend the existing northwest forest plan after the environmental impact statement is finalized in october. conifer seedlings in the rogue river siskiyou national forest in southern oregon. amelia templeton in 2022, president joe biden called on the u.s. forest service to prioritize the country’s old growth trees. in response, the agency in 2023 announced it would amend all 128 national forest plans in one fell swoop. that meant the northwest forest plan was in store for not just one, but two amendments. forest service officials are still working out amendment language that’s broad enough to cover the vastly diverse ecological needs of 128 different forests across the country. similar to the northwest amendment, the other national forest plan amendments follow a tight turnaround with public comment deadlines this year. many tribal representatives say the forest service isn’t giving them enough time to engage and provide input on how to care for ancestral lands that remain critical to their diverse cultures. “we’re really questioning, as tribes, if this really respecting our treaty rights, our history, and our sovereignty with these stringent timelines,” said elaine harvey, environmental coordinator with the yakama nation, during the northwest advisory committee meeting in eugene. harvey is a member of the committee. many members of that committee say politics are fueling these deadlines. if biden wants to change federal forest policy, the best time is before his four year term ends   especially if he doesn’t get reelected in november. it’s unclear what would happen to this work if biden loses his seat. coming up: the u.s. forest service plans to publish a draft environmental impact statement in may, followed by a 90 day comment period. the statement is expected to be finalized by january 2025. many of those protests that led to the northwest forest plan took place along logging roads weaving through oregon’s elliott state forest   an 83,000 acre coastal forest spanning coos and douglas counties. for decades, the elliott had been heavily logged to generate revenues for schools through the common school fund. the elliott is also home to several federally protected species, including coho salmon, marbled murrelets and the northern spotted owl. in a 2012 lawsuit, the nonprofit cascadia wildlands successfully argued the state violated the u.s. endangered species act by cutting down swaths of mature and old growth trees in the elliott. as timber sales decreased, then eventually ceased entirely, the elliott stopped generating revenues for the school fund and instead started costing the state money in maintenance. so the state put the forest up for sale in 2016. “people had an incredibly, incredibly strong reaction to that idea,” said ali hansen, spokesperson with the oregon department of state lands. “people were getting in their cars and coming to salem with signs and chants and just saying, ‘nope, that cannot be the future for our wonderful beloved elliott state forest.’” demonstrators voiced opposition to the proposed sale of the elliott state forest at a 2016 state land board meeting in keizer. cassandra profita/opb so officials instead opted to keep the elliott as a public resource, this time as a research forest   meaning a place where researchers could study imperiled species, logging impacts and the effects of climate change on the forest. forestry officials also say they will collaborate with local tribes to integrate indigenous forestry practices, such as using prescribed fire to maintain overgrowth and replenish the ecosystem. once established, the elliott would become the largest research forest in the country. in 2019, the state partnered with oregon state university and appointed an advisory committee to help steer the project. “and for the last six years, we’ve been trying to develop a new vision that protects imperiled species, supports local economies, increases recreation, generates research, and creates a collaborative atmosphere for this forest,” said committee member bob sallinger, executive director of bird conservation oregon. “and we are finally at that point of making that happen.” the university was initially going to manage the forest   that is, handle the timber sales, species protections and general upkeep   in addition to having its researchers work among the landscape. but late last year, just before a major legislative deadline outlined for the elliott, osu walked away from the deal. in a letter sent to several media outlets, osu president jayathi murthy announced she would not recommend the board of trustees move forward with managing the elliott, highlighting a list of concerns around timber harvesting, research access and issues raised by tribes. it was a contentious move that riled many people who had worked closely on the elliott for years   but nonetheless, the research forest would carry on. now, the oregon department of state lands will manage the forest. most revenues from timber sales will go toward that management work, and the remaining funds will go toward research projects in the elliott. the department is in the process of finding a research partner, a role that could still be filled by oregon state university. coming up: the department of state lands is revising osu’s forest management plan for the elliott   an extensive document detailing how long term logging practices and species protections will align with other goals and policies. a draft is expected in april for public input, then it’ll go before the state land board in june. the department is also working on an operations plan, which will outline day to day activities in the forest in the near term, including timber sales and habitat restoration. that should be ready for public input in june. coast range fog settles on the elliott state forest near coos bay. jes burns, opb/earthfix any time logging occurs, whether on public or private lands, the owner has to ensure they won’t “take” any federally endangered species in the process. that term, as defined by the u.s. endangered species act, means “to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.” there are a few ways to comply with that federal law. one that oregon forestry officials have used on state lands for more than 30 years is called “take avoidance.” before an area can be harvested for timber, biologists carefully survey the habitat for any protected species and outline ways to protect it during logging. oregon department of forestry officials say this process has historically opened the agency up to legal challenges that allege the department harmed protected species despite its survey efforts. so forestry leaders are pursuing a habitat conservation plan. that’s a planning document that allows, to a certain extent, a project to harm specific endangered species during activities like timber harvesting. it also outlines ways the project will otherwise protect those same species. by admitting some endangered species will be harmed during logging, officials say the landowner can’t be sued for violating the endangered species act. “it’s an insurance policy,” said mike wilson, state forest division chief for the oregon department of forestry. “you’re not going to get sued over incidental take for these species, because you’ve got a permit for it.” the western oregon state forests habitat conservation plan covers 640,000 acres of state lands west of the cascades, mostly in tillamook and clatsop counties. the draft outlines protections for 17 species of fish, birds, mammals and amphibians for the next 70 years. they include the northern spotted owl, the marbled murrelet, several salmon species, and the coastal marten   all of which rely on mature and old growth forests. the western oregon state forests habitat conservation plan would create new logging policies on 640,000 acres of state lands west of the cascades. courtesy of the oregon department of forestry the plan’s protections include larger buffers around streams to protect water quality and maintain cooler temperatures. many conservationists applaud these changes, even if the protections don’t go as far as they’d like. “the hcp is not a recovery plan,” said michael lang, policy manager at the wild salmon center. “it’s a save from local extinction plan.” still, many timber companies and local officials oppose the plan due to projections showing it will significantly decrease timber harvests on state lands. much of those revenues go to counties and special districts, like schools and rural firefighting. even so, wilson said the plan will provide stability in knowing how much timber it can harvest over the next several decades. as more species become listed under the endangered species act, or more stringent protection policies get put in place, the state could see declines in harvests even without the habitat conservation plan. “i don’t think people really think about it that way,” wilson said. “they assume that if we don’t get an hcp that that harvest is just going to continue, when in fact it could get shut down quite radically.” coming up: state forester cal mukumoto provided input on this habitat conservation plan to the board of forestry on friday, recommending the department move forward with its current draft. the board will discuss mukumoto’s recommendation at its meeting on thursday. without any major hurdles, the state could finalize it by the end of the year, then get federal input in 2025. a log truck on the trask river road in the tillamook state forest. amelia templeton / opb after decades of conflicts between conservation groups and timber companies over logging practices, the two sides came together in 2020 and came up with an agreement aimed at protecting aquatic species, primarily fish. that agreement is now called the private forest accord. the agreement was codified into three separate bills that require the state to do a few things, including offering financial incentives to landowners who harvest less and increasing riparian buffers. the oregon department of forestry then further refined those laws through administrative rules, some of which went into effect this year. the agreement also calls for a habitat conservation plan. similar to the state’s plan, the private forest accord’s habitat conservation plan would provide private landowners legal protections and stability in knowing how much timber they can harvest, while also creating protections for specific endangered species. this 50 year plan covers all native salmon and trout, as well as several species of salamanders and frogs. once finalized, it would govern 10 million acres of private and non federal forests in oregon. the agreement calls on the state to complete this habitat conservation plan by 2027. otherwise, all of the policies and administrative rules that have come out of the private forest accord so far will disappear. coming up: the oregon department of forestry will submit its draft habitat conservation plan to federal agencies in june. those agencies will later draft an environmental impact statement, accompanied by public comment periods. tags: forest, environment, conservation, science & environment, timber, logging opb’s essential reporting and inspiring programs are made possible by the power of member support. streaming now bbc weekend

on a clearing overlooking siskiyou mountain park in ashland, a navy blue helicopter is making laps back and forth up the forested hillside. a long cable hangs down and on each pass the helicopter picks up three or four large trees, stripped of their branches. it ferries them down the mountain to a log truck that’s waiting below. “they’re shooting to get 20 loads per hour. yesterday they got 174 loads,” says chris chambers, the wildfire division chief with ashland fire and rescue. he’s helping coordinate this project where they’re thinning trees on around 500 acres. in areas of this forest, anywhere from 20 80% of the fir trees are dead, he says. experts are calling it a decline spiral. others are calling it “firmageddon.” chambers worries it’s increasing the number of dead trees that could burn in future wildfires. “there are many, many neighborhoods right at the bottom of the slope here at siskiyou mountain park. the vast majority of what is dead are right next to those neighborhoods,” he says. he’s also worried that a large wildfire could permanently change this forest if hotter temperatures driven by climate change make it hard for fir trees to grow back after a fire. he says this thinning work will help soften the blow. “this forest as we know it is going away. there’s going to be a new forest in the next decade to two decades. and if we don’t stay ahead of it, then we might not have a forest in 20, 30, 40 years,” chambers says. the work in the ashland watershed is aimed at the symptoms of the douglas fir die off. but it doesn’t explain why the trees are dying in the first place. trees on the edge on a hiking trail just outside of jacksonville, oregon, max bennett is staring up at a collection of fir trees. “we’ve tagged these trees. there’s a little metal tag on the other side,” bennett says, peering upwards. bennett is a retired oregon state university extension forester. he’s been researching this fir tree die off and he co authored a 2023 paper called trees on the edge. as the name of his report suggests, this forest in jacksonville is an environment that’s right on the edge of where douglas fir trees can grow. that means it just takes a little change in conditions    like drought or hotter summers    to push them over the edge. “those two things: not enough rainfall and higher temperatures, particularly in the summer, are what people are talking about much more now as hotter drought. it’s not just drought the way we normally think about it, its hotter drought,” he says. that combination of above average temperatures and below average precipitation is stressing out douglas fir trees. bennett suspects these conditions are messing with trees’ ability to pull water up from their roots. “the hotter it is and the dryer it is, the more pull; the more draw from the atmosphere. it’s like a straw. you’re sucking really hard on that straw, and instead of liquid, you draw in air,” he says. “think of it as a tree heart attack in a way.” southwest oregon is being especially affected by hot drought conditions because there’s so little water here to begin with. if hot drought is the first factor driving the die off, the second one is a little metallic green bug. climate change in real time on a hillside midway up woodrat mountain in the applegate valley, laura lowrey swings an ax into the bark of a standing dead douglas fir tree. “i usually try to make a square,” she says between swings. “you can peel the bark off these long dead trees.” lowrey is an entomologist for the forest service and the bureau of land management. she’s trying to look under the bark to find the squiggly tracks of an insect called the flatheaded fir borer. she rips off a chunk of bark. inside are little tunnels where the insect’s larvae have chewed. on the outside, tiny jewels of pitch or sap show where fir borers went in and the tree tried to stop them. these bugs aren’t inherently bad. “they are more of the cleanup crew. they’re not tree killers themselves. they’re more like, trees are dying, now they’re helping recycle them, turn them into soil,” lowrey says. fir borers smell stress signals from trees that aren’t healthy, she explains. but now, with so many dead and dying trees in the area, the beetle population has exploded; it’s even overwhelming healthy green trees. before oregon, lowrey worked in idaho and the rocky mountains where she studied other types of beetle outbreaks. she says they went in cycles: the outbreak would grow, then peak and then crash as predators caught up. “here, we don’t get the sense that this outbreak is crashing,” she says. in trees on the edge, for which lowrey contributed aerial survey work, the acres with douglas fir mortality attributed to the flatheaded fir borer jumps from a high of about 50,000 acres in 2019 to around 375,000 acres in 2022. lowrey has done aerial surveys over all types of federal lands across southern oregon, scanning out of plane windows for dying firs. she says when she moved here just four years ago there weren’t nearly as many stands of dead trees. “we’re like, ‘wow, it’s very fast. it’s real time. watching the effects of climate change in real time,’ which is an odd feeling to say the least,” she says. in response to the fir die off, the blm is doing thinning on 5,000 of the 876,000 acres managed by the medford district. officials say the projects will be meant to protect communities and roads. they’re planning to cut down trees, some of which will be sold as timber. they’ll also do prescribed fire operations. the blm’s proposed environmental assessment for the project will be released in early summer which the public can comment on. but some rogue valley residents say the blm and the city of ashland are motivated by timber sales, not forest health or public safety. “one of our contentions is what they’re calling hazard tree removal, is starting to look, feel and function much more like unit logging and much more like broadscale clearcutting than clearing hazards adjacent to the road,” says longtime applegate resident luke ruediger. he argues that these beetle killed trees would be better left as standing snags for animal habitat like birds that eat the fir borers. and, he says, these same areas have been thinned in the past. he believes aggressive forest management now will make the area more vulnerable to drought and beetle mortality in the future. “i don’t think it’s a coincidence that right now the areas being targeted for salvage logging are also some of the areas that have been the most heavily managed by the blm, by the city of ashland, and by the rogue river siskiyou national forest,” ruediger says. a better way to protect communities, he argues, is to help residents who live around these forests create defensible space and take steps to harden their homes from the risks of wildfires. helping trees track climate change five miles north, in central point, bryan reatini is standing in a big green grid of douglas fir trees in the middle of a farm field. he examines a tag on one of the trees. “this block is “oregon cascade low,” which makes sense. this is around where we are at locally,” he says. reatini is a geneticist with the forest service and he’s at jh stone nursery. the trees here are examples of douglas fir that have been cultivated from different seed sources across the species' range. the grid is part of a project to study climate adaptation so that land managers across the west coast can help forests withstand future climate scenarios. he walks into one section where the firs are not looking great. they’re scraggly and stunted. some have gone from green to orange. “washington coast,” he says. “a very different environment. and as you can see, they’re not doing very well here, are they?” there’s wide genetic diversity, even within a single species like doug fir, he explains. fir trees that are adapted to the washington state coast are not suited to southern oregon. but others from warmer climates might grow better here as temperatures increase. “by transferring seeds from those environments that have adapted to those conditions, to where those conditions exist now presently, we can essentially help trees track climate change,” he says. the steps they’re taking are conservative. they might plant seedlings just a thousand feet higher in elevation from their original source. researchers are trying to mimic how trees would naturally shift, he says, if climate change wasn’t happening so fast. the bigger goal for reatini’s team is to help land managers plan ahead when reforesting places like the hills around ashland or the applegate valley. “i think we have our work cut out for us for sure. i think we’re behind and things like the douglas fir decline spiral are examples of that. but i am optimistic that we are going to be able to maintain healthy forest populations. it’s going to require a lot of thinking and a lot of effort and a lot of innovation but yes, i absolutely think we can accomplish that goal,” he says. in the years ahead, he says, they expect to see changes to tree species’ ranges. douglas fir trees in southern oregon are just one example where the effects of climate change will slowly be revealed.

note: this story is republished from propublica, a nonprofit investigative news outlet. read the original story here. propublica is a pulitzer prize winning investigative newsroom. sign up for the big story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. this article was produced in partnership with opb and the oregonian/oregonlive. you can sign up for the oregonian/oregonlive special projects newsletter here and opb’s newsletter here. opb is a member of the propublica local reporting network. as oregon gov. kate brown crafted a bill in 2018 to enact sweeping limits on greenhouse gas emissions, leaders at an obscure state agency worked behind the scenes to discredit research they feared would persuade her to target one of the state’s most powerful industries. the research, published that march, calculated for the first time how much carbon was lost to the atmosphere as a result of cutting trees in oregon. it concluded that logging, once thought to have no negative effect on global warming, was among the state’s biggest climate polluters. researchers led by oregon state university forest ecologist beverly law found that the state could dramatically shrink its carbon footprint if trees on private land were cut less frequently, a recommendation that pushed against the approach of wall street real estate trusts and investment funds that cut trees at a younger age to maximize profits. the findings alarmed forest industry leaders in oregon, who quickly assembled scientists and lobbyists to challenge the study and its authors. among the groups leading the fight was the oregon forest resources institute, a quasi governmental state agency funded with tax dollars that is, by law, restricted from influencing or attempting to influence policy. leaders at the institute worked behind the scenes for months to persuade lawmakers and the dean of oregon state’s college of forestry that the research was flawed, informing timber lobbyists of their efforts along the way, according to an investigation by the oregonian/oregonlive, opb and propublica. a logger cuts a large fir tree in the umpqua national forest near oakridge, ore. federal land managers are proposing a sweeping rule change that could expand commercial logging on forest service land. credit: don ryan/ap the institute needs to “develop a swift, fairly immediate, response so that this study doesn’t drive all of the initial narrative and so that it doesn’t drive early attempts at the state level to develop carbon policy based on what appears to me to be faulty science,” timm locke, the agency’s forest products director at the time, wrote in a may 2018 email with the subject line “bev law carbon bs.” “one reason i feel this way is that the governor’s office is noticing.” then, locke, a public employee, offered to help a timber lobbyist draft a counterargument “those of us in the industry can use.” the email is one of thousands obtained as part of an investigation by the oregonian/oregonlive, opb and propublica, which found that the oregon forest resources institute, created in the early 1990s to educate residents about forestry, has acted as a public relations agency and lobbying arm for the timber industry, in some cases skirting legal constraints that forbid it from doing so. oregon’s biggest forest owners have eliminated thousands of jobs, shrinking their contribution to the state’s economy while receiving an estimated $3 billion in tax cuts since 1991, a june story that is part of the yearlong investigation by opb, the oregonian/oregonlive and propublica revealed. the timber industry has maintained outsized influence in the state, thwarting attempts to restrict logging with the help of a decadeslong public opinion campaign. and through the institute, the timber industry executed that campaign from behind the veneer of the state government. the tax funded institute spends $1 million annually on advertising that for years promoted oregon’s logging laws as strong, even as many became weaker than in neighboring states, a review by the news organizations found. it worked to undercut university research, challenging the validity of studies and the credibility of professors. its executive directors sat through private industry deliberations about dark money attack ads that opposed brown’s 2018 reelection. and, in 2019, its board discussed rushing a report in an attempt to stop ballot measures that targeted logging, the news organizations found. erin isselmann, the institute’s executive director since july 2018, defended the agency. isselmann said she has operated “under the highest ethical standards.” after the news organizations obtained the emails, isselmann told board members she had solicited an opinion from the oregon department of justice about the institute’s legal constraints. she declined to make it public, citing attorney client privilege. locke said in an interview that the line between lobbying and educating at the institute was unclear. he said his pushback against law’s study wasn’t an attempt to sway brown’s carbon policy, “so much as to ensure that the policy was based on sound information.” charles boyle, a spokesman for the governor, called the news organizations’ findings “deeply troubling.” he said they merited “at the very least an investigation by the oregon government ethics commission or the secretary of state’s office, and perhaps an audit to bring more facts to light.” “it is clear that they have openly disregarded the idea that ofri is a public entity that should serve the interests of oregonians,” boyle said. the institute, created by state lawmakers in 1991, was granted the ability to support the timber industry by educating the public about forests and wood products, and by helping private landowners manage their forests in ways that protect the environment. but the law bars the institute from attempting to influence the actions of any other state agency, which could make the pushback against the oregon state university study a violation, said william funk, an emeritus law professor at lewis & clark law school in portland. “even if lawful, it’s just wrong,” funk said. “the academy should rule itself. it should not be strong armed by industry in league with a government agency.” after the carbon study was released, paul barnum, who served as the institute’s executive director at the time, told representatives of a national trade group, the american wood council, that he would work with state lobbyists to respond, calling the research “of grave concern to all of us in oregon.” “these are folks who likely believe that the planet would be better off without humans,” barnum wrote in a may 2018 email. barnum offered to use the institute’s press release distribution service to circulate an analysis written by a former u.s. forest service employee who ran an online publication partly funded by timber industry groups. the analysis claimed the study underestimated emissions from wildfires and didn’t account for increased logging in other states or countries if oregon cut fewer trees. he also sent the analysis to a republican state representative who was a supporter of the timber industry and later became vice chairman of the legislative committee negotiating the governor’s climate bill. in his email, barnum said the analysis refuted the oregon state university research, which had undergone peer review from fellow scientists. he later emailed the dean of law’s college, objecting to a scheduled public radio appearance of hers. “that’s not the way science works,” law said in an interview. “it’s attacking academic freedom.” barnum, who retired as executive director in 2018 but continued working under contract through june, said it was not wrong for him to question the oregon state university study or any other academic research. but he acknowledged making inappropriate comments, including some that questioned the researchers’ motives. “my comments demeaned me, and more importantly, the organization i professed to represent,” barnum said. “i regret my words and offer sincere apologies to those i discredited.” reeling from protests and lawsuits over cutting trees that were hundreds of years old, the state’s largest timber lobbying group in 1991 asked for help selling the benefits of forestry to oregonians. a year earlier, federal protections for the northern spotted owl had suddenly put millions of acres of oregon’s national forests off limits to logging. a helicopter sprays water over a recently logged slope owned by starker forests, near philomath, oregon, during a demonstration in 2015. credit: alan sylvestre/opb with national news showing images of vast stretches of ancient forests that had been clear cut, a practice in which thousands of trees are leveled at once, representatives of oregon’s biggest timber companies attended a hearing in the state capitol. they urged lawmakers to create an agency that would provide credible public education based on documented facts and reliable science. the proposed agency would not rely “on wishful myths and clever slogans,” said john hampton, then president of the oregon forest & industries council, an association representing the state’s biggest timber owners and manufacturers. “there are those who have asked, why should the state sanction a propaganda machine for the forest industries?” hampton told lawmakers in 1991. “the answer is, the people of oregon are too sophisticated to be fooled by propaganda and, frankly, people like me who will pay for this program would not stand for it.” that year, the state’s legislature approved the creation of the oregon forest resources institute. as lawmakers raised taxes on logging to fund the institute, they cut millions of dollars in taxes that timber owners paid to fund schools and county governments. they also gave control of the institute’s tax rate to its board. today, with an annual budget of about $4 million, the institute creates television, radio and digital advertising campaigns, educational materials for classrooms, reports, workshops and illustrated manuals. it describes itself as “a centralized gateway of shared ideas and collaborative dialogue.” the line between the timber industry’s lobbying work and the institute’s actions has often been blurred. many of the companies represented on the institute’s board are also members of the oregon forest & industries council, the industry’s primary lobbying group, according to the trade association’s website and tax filings. lawmakers gave timber companies control of the institute with nine of the 11 voting board seats. the other two voting positions are a small forest landowner and a representative for timber workers. the board also has one public member who cannot vote and is prohibited from belonging to an environmental advocacy group. the position has been vacant for all but a month since the january 2019 resignation of chris edwards, a former state senator who became a lobbyist for the timber industry. emails show institute employees routinely participated in the industry council’s public affairs and legislative strategy meetings. at one, barnum and isselmann got a sneak peek at political attack ads against brown from priority oregon, a business group that opposed her reelection in 2018. acknowledging in an interview that it was inappropriate, barnum said they should have left. public employees at the institute helped timber industry groups plan a lobbying day at the state capitol, then asked the lobbyists not to include the institute’s name as a sponsor on the agenda, suggesting that they did not want the institute listed as a group that advocates with legislators. they also coordinated a demonstration of aerial pesticide spraying and invited elected officials, singling out for special attention a lawmaker who’d tried to tighten spraying rules. a spokeswoman for the timber industry council didn’t respond to specific questions about its relationship with the institute. instead, she sent a statement praising the institute for 30 years of providing “valuable, foundational public understanding of one of our state’s greatest resources and cornerstone industries.” the institute operates in near anonymity. its own surveys show that few who see its advertisements remember who’s behind them. in 2018, a potential recruit to lead the institute asked whether its board was open to new approaches. barnum responded in an email, cautioning that there were limits to how much change would be tolerated. large industrial landowners provide roughly 75% to 80% of the institute’s funding, barnum told the recruit. “you can’t get too far ahead of those who pay the majority of the tax,” barnum wrote, “at least not if you want to stay employed.” hours before beverly law was scheduled to be interviewed on a southern oregon public radio station to discuss her research in june 2018, the dean of the oregon state college of forestry, anthony davis, received an email from barnum suggesting her study was built on faulty assumptions. “i understand academic freedom,” he told davis in an email. but given criticisms from industry scientists and a timber backed publication, “this seems like policy advocacy based on a heavily flawed study.” in an interview, barnum said the institute got involved because “historically, we have not felt it our role to be silent when we believe research to be biased, nonobjective or opaque.” he demurred when asked to identify mistakes in the report. he said he was not trying to keep law from appearing on jefferson public radio. “i just was drawing it to his attention,” he said. the suggestion that the study was flawed was nothing less than an attempt to stifle research, said william schlesinger, the former dean of the nicholas school of the environment at duke university. schlesinger led the study’s peer review as an editor for the proceedings of the national academy of sciences, which published the work. “that’s one of the most stringent journals in the world,” schlesinger said. the fact the scientists “were able to put together an analysis that survived the scrutiny of peer review speaks strongly to how solid that work is.” barnum continued criticizing law’s research, sending a draft of a letter from the institute’s board to davis on july 6, 2018, requesting that he quickly commission a separate review because “unfortunately, media and policymakers are already using the law et. al. study to promote anti logging agendas.” davis responded later that day to tell barnum it would be inappropriate for him to comment on a draft letter. “i was confident in the findings of the researchers and of the process used to publish the paper, which follows the process used by scientists all around the country and the world,” davis said in an interview. barnum eventually withdrew the letter. not because it upset the academics at oregon state, but because the oregon forest & industries council’s executive director, kristina mcnitt, was displeased, telling barnum she was “shocked” he forwarded the draft to the university without her group’s approval. logging is an important industry in grant county, oregon, even though just one timber mill remains in the county. credit: tom banse/n3 in another case, the institute spent multiple years discussing a response to a forthcoming study with potentially negative effects on industry, even as barnum privately acknowledged the validity of the research. mark needham, a professor in oregon state’s forestry school, began planning a survey in 2017 to gauge public perceptions of herbicide spraying in private forests. timber companies apply herbicides from helicopters to kill vegetation that sprouts in the bare earth of clear cuts and competes for water and sunlight with newly planted tree seedlings. needham’s survey included questions about whether residents trusted private timber companies to provide truthful information about the issue and whether they would vote for or against aerial spraying if asked at the ballot. internal research by the timber industry has shown oregonians are worried about the practice, which has become increasingly common as the state’s forests have been logged more frequently. “the research project sounds legit, but also fairly dangerous,” barnum wrote in a july 19, 2017, email. “we already know what the public perception about chemical use is, so to have something in the public domain, especially from the college of forestry, that confirms it, would not be a good thing in my estimation.” the survey was eventually distributed to more than 5,000 oregon households in april 2019. two months later, after a timber company alerted the institute about the survey progress, isselmann emailed davis, the forestry school’s dean, challenging the validity of the questions. in a separate email to a timber executive, isselmann said most peer reviewed journals wouldn’t accept survey results unless they were high enough quality, but that “none of this will stop the researchers from promoting their work with the media and in osu publications. i think we need to be prepared for this outcome and start now to educate policy makers and other influencers about the reliability and validity of survey research.” she suggested in the email that the institute could prepare for the results by spending $60,000 on its own study. “i don’t think my actions indicate that i was attacking science, and i think my actions reflect that i wanted to learn more about the survey and how its results would be used,” isselmann said in an interview. the institute has not conducted its own survey, she said, and has no plans to. needham said that his survey responses are still being analyzed, and that isselmann was incorrect to suggest the questions might be invalid. “i live and die by the university’s tenets of academic freedom and the external scientific peer review process,” needham said. “it’ll be rigorous peer review, conducted by respected scientific journals in our field, that will judge the methods and results of our study.” when professors at the university of oregon produced a video critical of logging during a research project, the institute tried to kill the work. barnum helped lead the pushback in may 2017. as part of a study on how new 360 degree virtual reality videos affected viewer behavior, students and professors created a video for an environmental group that urged people to join the fight to update oregon’s logging laws. strategic communications professor donna davis, who studies virtual reality, wanted to know whether an immersive video would make viewers more likely to participate in a cause. objecting to the involvement of journalism professor wes pope in the video’s creation, barnum joined a contingent of industry lawyers and lobbyists who alerted timber executives on the university’s board of trustees about the research, then met with school officials and threatened to pull timber donor funding if the university didn’t “extricate” itself from the project. barnum said the institute got involved because he saw it as an advocacy project using the university to disseminate negative information about forest practices. pope said the university allowed him and his colleagues to continue their work. but the professors, who lacked tenure, let it die. in part, pope said they said they were worried about angering the timber industry. “if anybody’s doing anything that possibly threatens or questions logging practices in the state of oregon, they’re going to swoop in and crush that message really quickly and really thoroughly,” said pope, now tenured. in 2013, residents in the tiny coastal town of rockaway beach received alerts about cancer causing contamination in their drinking water after timber companies logged most of the hills around the creek that supplies the town. the same year, state health officials released a study about the communities around triangle lake in oregon’s coast range, the dominant timber producing region, which found low levels of toxic herbicides in the drinking water, air and in residents’ urine. the state said it was possible timber spraying was the source. residents in the area called for statewide restrictions on spraying within 2 miles of schools and homes, a request that reached then gov. john kitzhaber’s office, though he didn’t grant it. pete sikora, ceo of giustina resources, a large timber company operating in the same county, emailed barnum to urge him to pay attention to the issue. “i think drinking water is going to be our biggest public perception issue,” sikora told barnum. “as you know public perception often leads to public policy.” tens of thousands of residents in towns throughout oregon’s heavily logged coastal mountains draw their drinking water from industrial forests. industrial clear cutting can reduce both the quality and quantity of drinking water, according to state regulators and recent research from oregon state university. for years, the institute has helped timber executives who worried about the threat that new drinking water protections would pose to their ability to log. the message that oregon’s forests produced clean water was a central theme. two months after sikora’s email, a commercial was released featuring two loggers, a father and son, standing creekside in a forest and pouring a glass of crystal clear water. “this is oregon water,” says the father, a third generation logger. “oregon has strong laws that help protect our watersheds,” he says. “and besides, it’s the right thing to do.” “you’ve got to have clean water,” his son says. the commercial is part of the institute’s advertising campaign, which over the years has grown to be its single largest expenditure at $1 million annually. the campaign has reached oregonians more than 300 million times since 2013, according to institute documents, with a key message: oregonians live in a state with strong logging laws. the commercials don’t acknowledge significant problems caused by industrial logging. the federal government withholds more than $1 million from oregon each year because its laws don’t do enough to protect coastal rivers from logging pollution. federal regulators have also faulted oregon’s logging laws for pushing coastal salmon populations toward extinction. “there’s only so many messages you can get into in a 30 second commercial,” isselmann said. “we use the medium of television advertising to educate the public generally, and we direct them to our website and all of our materials if they would like to take a deeper dive and learn more information.” records show the institute’s employees have avoided publishing information on the website that could make oregon’s laws look inadequate. in 2016, a new employee, inka bajandas, faced resistance when she suggested writing a blog post comparing oregon’s logging laws with california and washington. bajandas, the institute’s public outreach manager, told other institute leaders she wanted to address concerns that forest protection laws in oregon were weaker than in other west coast states. “i’m also just genuinely curious about this,” she wrote. locke, who no longer works for the institute, told bajandas that he believed the comparison was a bad idea. “certain elements (some that enviros think are most important)” of oregon’s logging laws, he said, “are not quite as strong” as in washington or california. if his understanding was correct, locke said, “then comparing the three could be a slippery slope. it’s not really about having the absolutely most stringent laws there are.” barnum, the institute’s director at the time, responded that locke was “right on” with his response. “we do not want to promote a regulatory ‘arms race’ among the three western states, which is where the enviros would like to take us,” barnum wrote. asked about the exchange, bajandas said the emails speak for themselves but don’t reflect the institute’s current management. under isselmann’s leadership, the institute has removed the phrase “strong laws” from advertisements, instead saying that forests are managed responsibly and protect drinking water. “because i don’t think a law is something that you can quantify,” isselmann said. “it’s a fact. you either have a law or you don’t have a law.” as lawmakers and environmental groups continued to press the issue of water protections, the institute spent $120,000 for oregon state researchers to study the connections between logging and drinking water contamination. in november 2019, with a ballot box fight looming over oregon’s logging practices, the institute’s board discussed whether to speed up the release of the study. frustrated by years of legislative inaction, environmental advocates had proposed ballot measures to increase protections for communities that drew their drinking water from forests. oregon state’s report, which the institute initially hoped to time for the 2019 legislature, was a year overdue. citing the ballot measures, casey roscoe, a board member and executive with seneca jones timber co., one of oregon’s biggest logging companies, suggested accelerating the research during a public meeting, on a conference call that happened with nearly no one else outside the organization listening. “i get if it’s not ready for prime time, but will people be able to access it in order to use that science in conversations and so forth?” roscoe asked. “sometimes, you can stop things before they start,” roscoe told board members. roscoe, whose company gave more than $100,000 to the industry campaign against the measures, said in an interview that she wanted both sides to have the best information available. timber companies and environmental advocates ultimately struck an agreement in february to negotiate new logging rules, eliminating the urgency for a report that could help contest ballot measures. in june, the institute released a draft of the oregon state study along with its own summary of the scientists’ work. the institute hired barnum to write the 24 page summary, which downplays some of the more critical aspects of the 321 page study. the science review says oregon’s forest practices laws are insufficient to protect some aspects of water quality. it highlights survey results in which dozens of municipal drinking water providers in oregon said logging was their biggest concern. it concludes with a list of recommendations, including changes to the state’s logging laws, mandatory reporting of chemical use in forests, increased pesticide sampling and more tree buffers along small streams to prevent chemicals from getting into the water. the institute’s summary, however, focuses on how forests provide higher quality water than cities or farms. it makes no mention of deficiencies in oregon’s logging laws and says they “help safeguard drinking water sources.” it doesn’t list any of the scientists’ recommendations. instead, it ends by saying: “as oregonians in 2020, this is where we find ourselves: with high quality water, significantly improved forest practices and the ability to continue improving. and that, i believe, is worth a toast, not only to our forests that supply the raw water, but to those who keep the water safe   from trees to tap.” a year after the oregon state university carbon study was published, the climate bill that had worried the institute came before the state legislature. it was 2019, and democrats had gained a supermajority in both chambers, promising to make oregon the second state in the nation behind california with a cap on carbon emissions by targeting pollution from fuel consumption and manufacturing. republicans said they’d do everything they could to stop the bill. law, the lead researcher, said she heard state senators citing not her study, but the talking points undermining it that the institute had circulated months before. “that’s unfortunate because honestly, really, why wouldn’t you want to know what the science is saying?” law said. the industry had been concerned that law’s study would prompt the governor to target logging in the climate bill. but she and lawmakers not only excluded logging, they added an amendment to ensure the measure would avoid any reductions in logging. the bill died after 11 senate republicans walked out of the capitol and went into hiding, denying democrats the quorum they needed for passage. the institute was absent during the carbon debate. its leaders were defending their budget from a longtime democratic lawmaker, state rep. paul holvey, who said the institute’s advertisements were a disturbing use of money that could be better spent fighting wildfires. his bill died after the timber industry opposed defunding the institute. rather than shrinking by 60% as holvey had proposed, the institute’s budget grew after its board approved an increase in logging taxes that spring. oregon state’s forestry college also wanted an increase to fund new research. but the lawmakers kept the college’s funding flat after the timber industry opposed the increase. by the time the legislature adjourned, the institute had begun its own research report to study carbon in oregon’s forests. to write it, the institute recruited the same consultant that industry lobbyists used to refute law’s study. february 7, 2025 february 7, 2025 february 7, 2025 february 6, 2025 february 6, 2025 february 5, 2025 northwest public broadcasting watch online listen online download ktnw schedule download kwsu schedule public inspection files fcc applications about us contact information jobs public documents who we are coverage area support us pledge today leadership circle vehicle donation estate planning business support & community sponsor editorial policy | privacy policy | terms of use

on earth day in 2022, president joe biden stood among cherry blossoms and towering douglas firs in a seattle park to declare the importance of big, old trees. “there used to be a hell of a lot more forests like this,” he said, calling them “our planet’s lungs” and extolling their power to fight climate change. the amount of carbon trees suck out of the air increases dramatically with age, making older trees especially important. these trees are also rare: less than 10% of forests in the lower 48 states remain unlogged or undisturbed by development. the president uncapped his pen, preparing to sign an executive order to protect mature and old growth forests on federal lands. “i just think this is the beginning of a new day,” biden said. but two years later, at a timber auction in a federal office in roseburg, oregon, this new day was nowhere to be seen. as journalists and protestors waited outside, logging company representatives filed through a secure glass door to a room where only “qualified bidders” were allowed. up for sale this september morning were the first trees from an area of forest the bureau of land management calls blue and gold. it holds hundreds of thousands of trees on 3,225 acres in southern oregon’s coast range. forests here can absorb more carbon per acre than almost any other on the planet. a week after biden’s executive order, the blue and gold logging project had been shelved. now it was back on. the blm is moving forward with timber sales in dozens of forests like this across the west, auctioning off their trees to companies that will turn them into plywood, two by fours and paper products. under biden, the agency is on track to log some 47,000 acres of public lands, nearly the same amount as during president donald trump’s first term in office. this includes even some mature and old growth forests that biden’s executive order was supposed to protect. an oregon public broadcasting and propublica analysis found the bureau has allowed timber companies to cut such forests at a faster pace since the executive order than in the decade that preceded it. the blm still reports to biden until trump takes office again in january, and it’s unclear what changes, if any, the new administration will make. outgoing presidents often use this lame duck period to take additional action on the environment and to protect public lands. in a statement, white house spokesperson angelo fernández hernández wrote that the “biden harris administration has made unprecedented progress toward the climate smart management and conservation of our nation’s forests.” he did not specifically answer questions about why biden’s actions didn’t slow the blm’s cutting of old forests   or about any further protections the administration is planning now. at the timber auction that september morning, the bidders emerged 80 minutes after they started. for $4.2 million, the administration had just sold off the first 561 acres of blue and gold, an estimated 83,259 trees. one of the most accessible patches of forest in the blue and gold project is 30 minutes up the highway from roseburg. on a recent fall afternoon, erich reeder, a blm wildlife surveyor who had just retired from the agency after 23 years, led the way there. the sun was out as he drove into the coast range, but soon after he turned off the highway and followed a single lane road along the banks of yellow creek, trees shaded the way. ribbons marked the edge of the area that will be logged. reeder walked past them and into the forest, stepping lightly through sword ferns and over moss covered logs, pausing to look down at a paper map or straight up at the varied canopy above. in planning documents for blue and gold, the blm describes this part of the forest as being composed of young, tightly packed trees with no remnants of older forest. but the trees here did not match that description. they were widely spaced. there were no stumps, no signs of previous logging. the forest was tall and wild, with large branches and multiple layers of canopy and understory. native tree species including chinkapin oaks, western hemlock, western red cedar and grand fir intermixed with the dominant douglas fir. many of the biggest trees had thick, wrinkled bark, indicating old age. “you’re familiar with tree farms?” reeder asked, describing the monoculture rows timber companies often plant after clear cutting. this was the opposite. for some endangered species, old growth forest matters immensely. marbled murrelets, rotund coastal birds sometimes described as “flying potatoes,” nest only in the large, mossy branches of old trees. spotted owls, which were at the center of the 1990s timber wars in this part of oregon, require similar habitat to survive. old trees also matter for climate change, as biden noted in his seattle speech. the larger a tree is, the more carbon it absorbs. data from the u.s. forest service shows that in forests older than 200 years in oregon, on average, the trees hold more than three times as much carbon per acre as young industrial timber plantations. ultimately, leaving forests intact keeps more carbon out of the atmosphere than logging them and planting new ones. down the hill toward yellow creek, reeder pulled out a measuring tape at the base of one particularly large douglas fir. its diameter: 86 inches. if it was chopped down, reeder could lie across the stump with more than a foot to spare. in the planning documents, the blm estimated the trees in this area were around 90 years old. “yeah, this is a little bit older than 90,” reeder said dryly. he put its age at 400 to 600 years. blm officials believe federal law forces them to keep chopping trees. it’s part of a balancing act between resource extraction and other priorities, like recreation and conservation. “we are a multi use agency,” spokesperson brian hires wrote in response to questions from opb and propublica. “we are committed to forest health and providing the timber americans need.” across the country, the agency manages 245 million acres, including vast territories of desert and juniper trees, along with rangeland it leases out to ranchers. among its holdings in oregon are 2.4 million acres of green forests. a big portion of these are known as o&c lands because they once belonged to the oregon and california railroad until a deal with congress went wrong. the federal government took them back, resulting in a giant checkerboard of alternating public and private squares. the o&c act of 1937 says the federal government must manage these lands for “permanent forest production” under the principle of “sustained yield,” helping local economies while also protecting watersheds and providing recreation opportunities. the timber industry interprets the 1937 act as primarily a logging mandate, and it has sued the blm for setting aside too many o&c acres for conservation. this view is shared by local counties that historically received part of the blm’s sales revenues to pay for schools and roads and that still rely on the industry for jobs. trees cut on federal lands can’t be shipped overseas and typically go to local mills. and “it’s not just the mills,” says doug robertson, executive director of the association of o&c counties. “it’s everything that supports the mills: all of the manufacturing, the trucking, and on and on.” but how much logging the o&c act mandates is subject to debate. the act directs the blm to set its own quotas for timber sales, and it does so. in 2016, the agency drew up a regional logging plan with annual targets for each district in oregon’s coast range, taking care, in theory, to avoid sensitive habitat for species like the spotted owl. it protected three quarters of the o&c lands from regular logging, and even in those areas where logging would be allowed, there were new prohibitions against cutting the biggest, oldest trees. there were problems with the bureau’s approach, however. it created logging maps based on a database of tree ages that local staff in oregon warned didn’t accurately capture the old growth forest that serves as owl habitat. a leaked 2014 memo by a blm wildlife biologist suggested that the bureau “field verify all stands” before deciding which areas could be cut, meaning it should visually inspect them instead of relying on data alone. there’s no evidence agency officials followed this recommendation. they used the database in developing the 2016 plan and again in recent years in deciding which blue and gold areas would be up for sale. the blm also has tried to avoid detailed environmental reviews as it moves to log in new areas, saying it sufficiently considered impacts in 2016. over and over, conservation groups have sued to demand full reviews, which can be required by federal law. over and over, courts have decided against the bureau, in most cases directing it to redo its analysis before logging can continue. the blm lost at least three such lawsuits between 2019 and 2022, with judges ruling that it failed to take a “hard look” at impacts or calling its decisions “arbitrary and capricious.” this approach could have ended with biden’s earth day executive order. it called for a national inventory of mature and old growth forests, an analysis of the threats to them, and future regulations to protect them. but all of these prescriptions ultimately have proved too vague to bring about change. unlike the blm, the u.s. forest service, the biggest federal forestland manager in oregon and the country, responded to biden’s order by proposing to update management plans for all national forests with new regulations for protecting old growth. these plans outline how a forest will be managed   like logging parameters, species protections, restoration projects and road maintenance. the updates will include a prohibition on cutting old growth solely for commercial reasons. the blm, on the other hand, said nothing about changing its current forest plans. hires, the agency spokesperson, wrote that biden’s executive order builds on the bureau’s “existing efforts” to protect mature and old growth forests, offering “further clarity” but not a new direction. the blm did issue a new rule stating it is “working to ensure” that these forests are managed to “promote their continued health and resilience.” but the rule does not include hard stipulations protecting them from logging   so the logging continues. opb and propublica compared the agency’s forest database for oregon to its timber records and found that in the past two years, the blm oversaw logging in more than 10,000 acres of forest it labeled as at least 80 years old   the age at which the blm and forest service consider western oregon’s conifers to be “mature”. the average number of acres of older forest logged annually since the president’s executive order is already higher than in any two year span since at least 2013. last year, a pair of appellate court rulings called into question the idea that the o&c act is little more than a logging mandate. judges affirmed the blm and its parent agency, the department of interior, have “significant discretion” in determining how much to cut and where. “the department’s duty to oversee the lands is obligatory,” reads a 2023 opinion from the 9th u.s. circuit court of appeals, “but treating every parcel as timberland is not.” for now, tree sales set in motion in 2016 are still in motion. the bureau does not expect to revisit its logging plan for oregon’s coast range until 2028 at the earliest. the list of areas to be cut, including blue and gold, remains unchanged. and it is likely the incoming administration will look to expand logging on public lands. project 2025, a transition plan prepared by trump allies at the heritage foundation, mentions the o&c act by name and recommends that “the new administration must immediately fulfill its responsibilities and manage the o&c lands for ‘permanent forest production’ to ensure that the timber is ‘sold, cut, and removed.’” since biden’s executive order, environmental groups have sued the blm at least four more times for avoiding full environmental reviews of logging projects. in two of these cases, the bureau again lost in court. a third case ended in a settlement, with the bureau agreeing to pause operations and redo its environmental analysis. the newest case, filed three days before the timber auction in roseburg, is over blue and gold. environmental groups in oregon can’t challenge every blm logging project. “we just don’t have the capacity,” said attorney nick cady of cascadia wildlands, one of three groups that filed a joint lawsuit to stop the plan for blue and gold. this one stands out, he said, because of the apparent age of the forest. blue and gold is also the only logging project known to have been paused in response to biden’s executive order, then reinstated. heather whitman, the blm district manager in roseburg, says the bureau remade the logging plan for blue and gold after she decided to pause it. the project now relies more on forest thinning and less on methods that, to a layperson, can look much like clear cuts. “quite a bit changed,” she says. but blue and gold still depends on the same database of forest ages as before, and, as the new lawsuit points out, questions about the data’s accuracy remain. in 2022, the bureau declared the forest above yellow creek to be 60 years old. in 2024, after restarting the project, the bureau inexplicably revised the forest’s age to 90 years. a dozen other areas had their ages jump around, too. a handful are said to be younger now than they were two years ago. after all that, nearly as many acres of blue and gold will be logged as would have been before. roseburg officials wrote that the project must proceed because of their district’s ongoing “need to produce timber volume.” trees greater than 40 inches in diameter or older than about 175 years are, in most cases, protected under the blm’s 2016 management plan for oregon’s coast range. but if logging does go forward here, the intact forests these trees now anchor will be transformed, says reeder, the retired blm surveyor. the older trees themselves, more exposed in the landscape, could be more vulnerable to windstorms. the soil around them could dry out. the blm estimates that after logging, the risk of wildfires   a focus of biden’s earth day speech   will go down in blue and gold in the long term, but that for decades some areas of forest will have a higher fire risk. if burned, the trees’ stored carbon will be released back into the atmosphere. because the blm skipped a comprehensive environmental review of blue and gold, it did not look in detail at how the project will affect carbon storage and climate change. the new lawsuit claims that the bureau also skipped detailed analyses of other potential impacts, including heightened landslide risk and invasions of nonnative plants. the blm did carry out a quicker initial review of likely impacts to the ecosystem, including hiring a contractor to search the forest for endangered spotted owls. but “it was rushed at the beginning,” recalled tom baxter, one of the owl surveyors hired to do the job. baxter said the contractor he worked for was called in just weeks ahead of the survey. as a result, his team was shorthanded. then the blm had the surveyors fan out across the entire project area, instead of focusing on the parts of the forest most likely to have owls   a “peanut butter” approach that he says spread the team too thin. “we were wasting our time in places where i knew there weren’t going to be spotted owls,” baxter recalled. what the bureau’s initial review does show is that the blue and gold project will destroy 119 acres of prime spotted owl habitat and “downgrade” another 1,539 acres. the logging will periodically cloud the waters of yellow creek, where threatened oregon coast coho salmon go to spawn. and it will lead to the deaths of 13 endangered murrelet chicks. but the blm, summing up its findings in a notice published two weeks before the first trees went on sale, concluded that there would be “no significant impact” on the environment. cady, the cascadia wildlands attorney, disagrees. for conservation groups, blue and gold is just the latest logging project that biden’s executive order failed to stop. “there is a massive disconnect between the administration and what’s happening on the ground,” cady said. agnel philip of propublica contributed data analysis this story comes from the northwest news network, a collaboration between public media organizations in oregon and washington. copyright 2024 oregon public broadcasting

recent and archived work by anna kramer for the new york times officials in oregon say they need to cut trees, including some healthy ones. the reaction shows how complex land management has become as forest health declines. by anna kramer wildlife officials have released a small group of gray wolves in the state, the first step in a plan to restore a permanent population. by anna kramer

erik fernandez of oregon wild stands in a swath of the deschutes national forest that was thinned to prevent wildfires. he holds up a photo he took in 2022 of large old ponderosa pines in the area that were cut as part of the project. (alex baumhardt/oregon capital chronicle) it was a mountain biker on a trail in bend in 2022 who first spotted the pod of large old ponderosa pines marked for cutting. the biker alerted local environmental groups, including the bend office of the nonprofit oregon wild, where erik fernandez works as a wilderness program manager. fernandez went out to photograph the trees in the deschutes national forest, some of which he and others figured were more than 80 years old after measuring their circumference. more than a dozen were marked with blue spray paint   a universal sign on federal lands meaning “cut.” the trees were among a stand of pines and other trees slated to be “thinned” as part of a wildfire prevention strategy overseen by the u.s. forest service. thinning stretches of forest to eliminate some smaller trees and debris that could dry out and catch or fuel fires is controversial among wildfire scientists and conservationists. many agree it can be helpful if done before a prescribed burn   a low intensity fire started across the forest floor to spur soil health and reduce competition among plant and tree species. it can also be helpful to create buffers around infrastructure and areas near communities where flames could easily jump, called “fuel breaks.” but it’s less helpful in areas where vegetation can grow back quickly or in remote areas where people and infrastructure are not protected. the forest service often hires timber companies to help with the thinning, which the agency lacks the staff and resources to undertake alone. in turn, timber companies get access to some marketable timber. but a growing number of environmentalists say federal agencies in charge of 60% of forested acres in oregon are increasingly allowing timber companies to log old and mature trees within those thinning projects   the trees that are in fact best equipped to withstand wildfires. those trees are also among the best resources for sequestering climate warming greenhouse gases creating increased wildfire risk in the region and globally. “looking into the future, if we keep cutting the big trees, it’s self defeating,” fernandez said. a coalition of environmental groups called the pacific northwest forest climate alliance is planning to protest old growth logging on public lands in front of the forest service’s portland office thursday afternoon. member meg ward, also co founder of the eugene based nonprofit breach collective, said it is part of a growing movement of opposition to mature and old growth logging across the region. in southern oregon, environmentalists calling themselves the pacific northwest forest defense recently overturned the sale of one forest thinning project near grants pass by sitting in an old growth tree that was marked to be cut. last week members began another protest up in the trees against what’s called the rogue gold project, between grants pass and medford, which involves thinning in some forested areas that are in reserve to develop into old growth habitat. the bureau of land management is managing that project. “cutting down trees does not make forests more resilient to fire, as the bureau of land management wants us to believe, but actually has the opposite effect   increasing wildfire risk, endangering our communities and driving the climate crisis,” said sam shields, an organizer with the forest defense, in a news release. both the forest service and the bureau of land management allow logging old and mature trees in thinning and wildfire prevention projects if such trees stand in the way of a road that needs to be built for a project, if the old trees are in fuel break areas or if they deem the trees detrimental to regeneration projects   projects meant to restore forests and create ecosystems that would have existed before more than a century of industrial logging that was followed by replanting tightly packed douglas fir trees. federal forest management plans that cover much of the state, including the northwest forest plan and the eastside screens, offer flexibility for some old growth to be cut in the process of thinning and wildfire prevention work. “the forest service maintains that the greatest threat to old growth is not logging, but wildfire, which is what they are trying to prevent through thinning,” catherine caruso, a spokesperson for the agency, said in an email. in general, the bureau of land management does not allow trees with a diameter greater than 36 inches to be cut, sarah bennett, an agency spokesperson, previously told the capital chronicle. caruso, of the forest service, said wednesday that any further questions about the forest service’s allowance for logging and old growth have to go through channels to the national office of the agency for vetting because the biden administration is in the middle of crafting new policy on old growth logging. in 2022, the president issued an executive order to end old growth logging on federal lands by 2025 and earlier this year, announced a plan to amend all national forest management plans to ban commercial old growth logging. not all scientists are in agreement that forest thinning is a good idea writ large. former u.s. forest service scientist jack cohen has argued in a number of research papers that thinning is futile in many types of forests and in places distant from communities that could be harmed. this is because in many climates, forest vegetation regrows fast and building roads to thinning sites invites more fire risk from humans. thinning can also create dry conditions that favor fire. former deputy chief of the u.s. forest service, jim furnish, has become outspoken about not using “vegetation management” to spur logging. most scientists agree any forest thinning should be in strategic areas to protect people and infrastructure, and be followed by prescribed burning, but such burning is rare in many areas where federal agencies undertake thinning. “we’re actively engaged on multiple fronts in expanding the use of prescribed fire on forests,” said caruso of the forest service in an email. “but while sometimes we are able to follow thinning with fire in short order, in other cases there are barriers.” the benefits of forest thinning to prevent wildfire start and stop at protecting communities close to forests and to protect critical habitat for fernandez and oregon wild. they’ve been part of projects in the past where they agree it was beneficial to thin and where large old trees were not cut. “there is a sweet spot,” fernandez said. oregon wild previously partnered with the confederated tribes of the warm springs and the forest service to undertake thinning near an area near bend called black butte. “that was thinning the small trees, protecting the big trees, doing prescribed fire, protecting important meadows and riparian areas, and it was great,” he said. the challenges, fernandez said, are the financial incentives timber companies need to agree to do the thinning for the forest service, and targets set by congress for logging on public lands. the sale of thinning projects to timber companies helps financially support the forest service and bureau of land management. thousands of the more than 15,000 acres of forest thinning and restoration projects that the forest service alone is planning across the deschutes, mount hood and umpqua national forests will be undertaken by timber companies as “commercial thinning,” according to planning documents. hundreds of acres are in areas designated “late successional reserves,” meaning areas that are being managed to one day become mature and old growth forests. these areas include some of the oldest trees in oregon’s forests. some project plans include specific protections for old growth trees, while others do not have clear specifications about the size of the trees that can be taken. caruso of the forest service said there are often differences between what is included in an approved project plan and what actually happens on the ground due to discoveries, litigation and other factors. after fernandez saw the old growth slated to be cut near the bike trail in bend, he raised alarms with the forest service and the bend city council. but the forest service would not change course. the trees were cut a few months after the discovery. in response, the city council wrote a letter to the forest service urging it to protect large old growth trees and to keep them out of any logging and thinning plans. a few years before that, fernandez himself found several old growth trees slated to be cut just off of the cascade lakes highway between bend and mt. bachelor. trees that appeared to be 200 or more years old were marked with the tell tale blue spray paint. that time, the forest service took a different approach. he got officials to come visit the site with him 48 hours before, it turns out, the trees were scheduled to be cut. the forest service agreed they had been mismarked, and that they should not be cut. “they were like: ‘we’re gonna go get the paint cans and fix this, because this was not supposed to happen,’” fernandez recalled. they painted orange stripes, meaning “do not cut” over the blue paint wrongfully applied. “but if i had not randomly been out there, then a bunch of some of the last few old growth trees would have been gone,” he said. correction: fernandez of oregon wild discovered old growth slated to be cut near cascade lakes highway before, not after, the discovery by a bend mountain biker of more old growth slated to be cut in the deschutes national forest. reporting for this story was made possible with a fellowship from the nonprofit institute for journalism and natural resources. get the morning headlines. by alex baumhardt, oregon capital chronicle june 13, 2024 by alex baumhardt, oregon capital chronicle june 13, 2024 it was a mountain biker on a trail in bend in 2022 who first spotted the pod of large old ponderosa pines marked for cutting. the biker alerted local environmental groups, including the bend office of the nonprofit oregon wild, where erik fernandez works as a wilderness program manager. fernandez went out to photograph the trees in the deschutes national forest, some of which he and others figured were more than 80 years old after measuring their circumference. more than a dozen were marked with blue spray paint   a universal sign on federal lands meaning “cut.” the trees were among a stand of pines and other trees slated to be “thinned” as part of a wildfire prevention strategy overseen by the u.s. forest service. thinning stretches of forest to eliminate some smaller trees and debris that could dry out and catch or fuel fires is controversial among wildfire scientists and conservationists. many agree it can be helpful if done before a prescribed burn   a low intensity fire started across the forest floor to spur soil health and reduce competition among plant and tree species. it can also be helpful to create buffers around infrastructure and areas near communities where flames could easily jump, called “fuel breaks.” but it’s less helpful in areas where vegetation can grow back quickly or in remote areas where people and infrastructure are not protected. the forest service often hires timber companies to help with the thinning, which the agency lacks the staff and resources to undertake alone. in turn, timber companies get access to some marketable timber. but a growing number of environmentalists say federal agencies in charge of 60% of forested acres in oregon are increasingly allowing timber companies to log old and mature trees within those thinning projects   the trees that are in fact best equipped to withstand wildfires. those trees are also among the best resources for sequestering climate warming greenhouse gases creating increased wildfire risk in the region and globally. “looking into the future, if we keep cutting the big trees, it’s self defeating,” fernandez said. a coalition of environmental groups called the pacific northwest forest climate alliance is planning to protest old growth logging on public lands in front of the forest service’s portland office thursday afternoon. member meg ward, also co founder of the eugene based nonprofit breach collective, said it is part of a growing movement of opposition to mature and old growth logging across the region. in southern oregon, environmentalists calling themselves the pacific northwest forest defense recently overturned the sale of one forest thinning project near grants pass by sitting in an old growth tree that was marked to be cut. last week members began another protest up in the trees against what’s called the rogue gold project, between grants pass and medford, which involves thinning in some forested areas that are in reserve to develop into old growth habitat. the bureau of land management is managing that project. “cutting down trees does not make forests more resilient to fire, as the bureau of land management wants us to believe, but actually has the opposite effect   increasing wildfire risk, endangering our communities and driving the climate crisis,” said sam shields, an organizer with the forest defense, in a news release. both the forest service and the bureau of land management allow logging old and mature trees in thinning and wildfire prevention projects if such trees stand in the way of a road that needs to be built for a project, if the old trees are in fuel break areas or if they deem the trees detrimental to regeneration projects   projects meant to restore forests and create ecosystems that would have existed before more than a century of industrial logging that was followed by replanting tightly packed douglas fir trees. federal forest management plans that cover much of the state, including the northwest forest plan and the eastside screens, offer flexibility for some old growth to be cut in the process of thinning and wildfire prevention work. “the forest service maintains that the greatest threat to old growth is not logging, but wildfire, which is what they are trying to prevent through thinning,” catherine caruso, a spokesperson for the agency, said in an email. in general, the bureau of land management does not allow trees with a diameter greater than 36 inches to be cut, sarah bennett, an agency spokesperson, previously told the capital chronicle. caruso, of the forest service, said wednesday that any further questions about the forest service’s allowance for logging and old growth have to go through channels to the national office of the agency for vetting because the biden administration is in the middle of crafting new policy on old growth logging. in 2022, the president issued an executive order to end old growth logging on federal lands by 2025 and earlier this year, announced a plan to amend all national forest management plans to ban commercial old growth logging. not all scientists are in agreement that forest thinning is a good idea writ large. former u.s. forest service scientist jack cohen has argued in a number of research papers that thinning is futile in many types of forests and in places distant from communities that could be harmed. this is because in many climates, forest vegetation regrows fast and building roads to thinning sites invites more fire risk from humans. thinning can also create dry conditions that favor fire. former deputy chief of the u.s. forest service, jim furnish, has become outspoken about not using “vegetation management” to spur logging. most scientists agree any forest thinning should be in strategic areas to protect people and infrastructure, and be followed by prescribed burning, but such burning is rare in many areas where federal agencies undertake thinning. “we’re actively engaged on multiple fronts in expanding the use of prescribed fire on forests,” said caruso of the forest service in an email. “but while sometimes we are able to follow thinning with fire in short order, in other cases there are barriers.” the benefits of forest thinning to prevent wildfire start and stop at protecting communities close to forests and to protect critical habitat for fernandez and oregon wild. they’ve been part of projects in the past where they agree it was beneficial to thin and where large old trees were not cut. “there is a sweet spot,” fernandez said. oregon wild previously partnered with the confederated tribes of the warm springs and the forest service to undertake thinning near an area near bend called black butte. “that was thinning the small trees, protecting the big trees, doing prescribed fire, protecting important meadows and riparian areas, and it was great,” he said. the challenges, fernandez said, are the financial incentives timber companies need to agree to do the thinning for the forest service, and targets set by congress for logging on public lands. the sale of thinning projects to timber companies helps financially support the forest service and bureau of land management. thousands of the more than 15,000 acres of forest thinning and restoration projects that the forest service alone is planning across the deschutes, mount hood and umpqua national forests will be undertaken by timber companies as “commercial thinning,” according to planning documents. hundreds of acres are in areas designated “late successional reserves,” meaning areas that are being managed to one day become mature and old growth forests. these areas include some of the oldest trees in oregon’s forests. some project plans include specific protections for old growth trees, while others do not have clear specifications about the size of the trees that can be taken. caruso of the forest service said there are often differences between what is included in an approved project plan and what actually happens on the ground due to discoveries, litigation and other factors. after fernandez saw the old growth slated to be cut near the bike trail in bend, he raised alarms with the forest service and the bend city council. but the forest service would not change course. the trees were cut a few months after the discovery. in response, the city council wrote a letter to the forest service urging it to protect large old growth trees and to keep them out of any logging and thinning plans. a few years before that, fernandez himself found several old growth trees slated to be cut just off of the cascade lakes highway between bend and mt. bachelor. trees that appeared to be 200 or more years old were marked with the tell tale blue spray paint. that time, the forest service took a different approach. he got officials to come visit the site with him 48 hours before, it turns out, the trees were scheduled to be cut. the forest service agreed they had been mismarked, and that they should not be cut. “they were like: ‘we’re gonna go get the paint cans and fix this, because this was not supposed to happen,’” fernandez recalled. they painted orange stripes, meaning “do not cut” over the blue paint wrongfully applied. “but if i had not randomly been out there, then a bunch of some of the last few old growth trees would have been gone,” he said. correction: fernandez of oregon wild discovered old growth slated to be cut near cascade lakes highway before, not after, the discovery by a bend mountain biker of more old growth slated to be cut in the deschutes national forest. reporting for this story was made possible with a fellowship from the nonprofit institute for journalism and natural resources. get the morning headlines. oregon capital chronicle is part of states newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. oregon capital chronicle maintains editorial independence. contact editor lynne terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com. our stories may be republished online or in print under creative commons license cc by nc nd 4.0. we ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website. ap and getty images may not be republished. please see our republishing guidelines for use of any other photos and graphics. alex baumhardt covers education and the environment for the oregon capital chronicle. before coming to oregon, she was a national radio producer and reporter covering education for american public media's documentaries and investigations unit, apm reports. she earned a master's degree in digital and visual media as a u.s. fulbright scholar in spain, and has reported from the arctic to the antarctic for national and international media and from minnesota and oregon for the washington post. oregon capital chronicle is part of states newsroom, the nation’s largest state focused nonprofit news organization. democracy toolkit © oregon capital chronicle, 2025 v1.73.0 oregon capital chronicle focuses on deep and useful reporting on oregon state government, politics and policy. we help readers understand how those in government are using their power, what’s happening to taxpayer dollars, and how citizens can stake a bigger role in big decisions. we’re part of states newsroom, the nation’s largest state focused nonprofit news organization. deij policy | ethics policy | privacy policy our stories may be republished online or in print under creative commons license cc by nc nd 4.0. we ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website. (see full republishing guidelines.) © oregon capital chronicle, 2025

information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. harvest areas are extremely dangerous for visitors and harvest crews, with hazards from falling trees and large equipment. thank you for your respect of these safety closures! heads up! starting monday, january 27th an electric truck company will be field testing a freight truck on the mcdonald dunn forest: monday, jan. 27th: mcdonald forest 500/580 road system tuesday, jan. 28th   friday, jan. 31: dunn forest the testing crew is aware of the high recreational use and will have pilot cars to notify visitors and communicate with the truck driver. for the safety of visitors and the crew, remember to slow down and yield to vehicular traffic. applications for the spring turkey hunt will be open through january 31st. visit our hunt information webpage for more info and to apply! with the cooler, rainier days, osu research forests will be beginning slash pile burning on the mcdonald and dunn forests. select slash, tree branches, tops, and unmerchantable portions of tree stems have been gathered into piles for burning. some slash and coarse woody debris are also scattered throughout the harvest area for retention. piles are ignited during the fall and winter rainy seasons   typically october, november, and december. piles are ignited during specific weather windows and under the approval of local fire and smoke managers. piles typically burn down to the ground in one day but will smolder for several weeks. progress of this prescribed burning will be monitored by research forests staff. slash pile burning is a cost effective way to perform wildfire hazard mitigation, reduce fuel loading, and to prepare sites for restoration and tree planting. heads up! peavy arboretum will be temporarily closed this friday morning 10/25/2024 for parking lot and road grading. we will send out a forest update as soon as the closures are lifted. we completed work on the 870 road and it is open for your enjoyment. the student logging training program has paused operations on the cfirp 7 unit. the 400 road is now open for your enjoyment. dunn forest general any legal weapon deer hunt begins this saturday, october 5th. this hunt will last until november 8th with an extended youth weekend occurring on november 9th and 10th. you may or may not see hunters while you are out in the dunn forest over the next month. check out our newsletter article on hunter and non hunter safety during hunting season. visit our hunt webpage to learn more about hunts offered on the dunn forest. condor 25k trail run this sunday, october 6th! the annual condor 25k trail run is this sunday, october 6th. expect to see race participants, volunteers, and administrative vehicles in peavy arboretum and throughout the eastern portion of the mcdonald forest this weekend. for more information, including a map of the course, visit http://condor25k.org/. the good neighbor and timberhill harvests are now complete. the area has been reopened for your enjoyment. on 8/26 the lower portion of dan's trail will be closed for harvest operations. staff will be stationed at the closure points. the closure should only last the day, and the section of trail will be reopened by tuesday. note that the other roads and trails currently closed for the timberhill harvest and good neighbor harvest are and will remain closed for the duration the harvests. see map of closure area. a portion of the 870 road will be closed starting tomorrow, 8/26 for road work. see map of closure area. the timberhill harvest will begin tomorrow, august 22nd approximate closure duration: 2 monthsclosed roads: portions of the 612 roadclosed trails: quercus trail closed; portions of lower dan's trailhaul route: 612 road to 612 jackson creek gateparking: no parkingdetours: nonesize: 24.7 acres harvest method: ground based loggingprescription: thinning to a variable spacing with heavy fuel reduction along the property line to reduce ladder fuelsreason for harvest: the timberhill project aims to promote older forest conditions in the long run through selective removal of trees. this thinning will help ensure remaining trees have less competition and more access to nutrients and light. the project also includes removal of vegetation near residential development to reduce wildfire hazard. removal or thinning of dense understory vegetation helps reduce ladder fuels, which have the potential to carry fire from the ground to the crowns of trees in areas where trees crowns overlap. there is also a component of oregon white oak restoration. stand age: 69 81 years oldlast harvested: 2002additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes additional resources and information:more information & faq about recent harvests in the mcdonald dunnmap of closure areainteractive harvest webmap harvest operations for the woodpecker harvest unit are completed and all closures lifted. some road and minor trail work still needs to be completed, so please use caution and watch for uneven terrain. heads up! the good neighbor harvest will start on august 8th. approximate closure duration: 2 monthsclosed roads: portions of the 612 road; all of the 612.6, 612.62, & 612.64 roadsclosed trails: portions of middle dan’shaul route: 612 road to 612 gateparking: no parking at jackson creek 612 gatedetours: 612 road to middle dan's connectorsize: 17.3 acres harvest method: ground based logging & cable loggingprescription: 6 patch cuts of even aged douglas fir totaling 17.3 acres. selected oregon white oaks have been prioritized for protection within the patches.reason for harvest: the harvest and replanting (planned winter 2026) will create a third age class within the project area to support future multi aged forest conditions that promote biodiversity and habitat. this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal.stand age: 78last harvested: 2002additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes additional resources and information: more information & faq about recent harvests in the mcdonald dunnmap of closure areainteractive harvest webmap the summer herbicide application on harvest units in the mcdonald and dunn is now complete. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. for more information and for a map of the planned spray locations, click here. signs placed throughout the forest will remain in place for one week. herbicides are used in the research forest to control the growth of non native plant species and competing vegetation in recently harvested areas. all herbicide applications are conducted in compliance with state and federal regulations and under a licensed pesticide applicator's supervision. learn more here. the osu research forests plan to spray mcdonald dunn harvest units as early as thursday, august 1. the exact dates are dependent on weather conditions and contractor availability. we will spray all treatment units on the mcdonald and dunn forests using ground equipment. spray targets vegetation only (not road or trail surfaces). during application, staff will be at roads and official trails leading into spray areas to keep people away. signs will be posted at entry points to each treatment area and include: date of application, herbicide used, and public re entry information. signs will remain in place for one week. herbicides are used in the research forest to control the growth of non native plant species and competing vegetation in recently harvested areas. all herbicide applications are conducted in compliance with state and federal regulations and under a licensed pesticide applicator's supervision. learn more here. click here for a map of the spray locations throughout the mcdonald dunn forests “phase 2 of the woodpecker harvest is slated to start thursday, july 25, 2024. phase 1 is still in operation and all phase 1 closures will remain in place until it is safe for the public to re enter. we anticipate that phase 1 will reopen within the next three weeks. woodpecker phase 1 & 2 details: approximate completion date: september 15th closed roads: portions of the 500, 514, 520, 522, 524, 540 closed trails: portions of section 36 and section 36 connector trail. haul route: 514 →510→ 500 →peavy arboretum rd. & 520→peavy arboretum rd. parking restrictions: none detours: none size: 75.6 harvest method: ground based prescription: thinning to a variable spacing (56.7 acres), patch cut (13.9 acres), oak restoration (5 acres) reason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry. stand age: 108 additional considerations: none consistent w/ forest plan? yes interactive harvest webmap: https://cf.forestry.oregonstate.edu/harvest webmap click here for additional information about the woodpecker harvest. please visit our interactive webmap for a visual of the harvest and other active, planned, and completed harvests in the mcdonald dunn the dunn forest cfirp 7 harvest (phase 1) will being monday, july 22nd. this harvest is part of the student logging training program. to reduce the road closures, we will split the harvest into two phases. phase 1 dunn cfirp 7 details: approximate closure duration: tbdclosed roads: portion of the 400 road and 440 roadclosed trails: nonehaul route: 400 road to 400 gateparking restrictions: nonedetours: nonesize: 43.2acres (both sections combined) harvest method: ground based & cable loggingprescription: thinning to a variable spacing removing dead, diseased, dying and suppressed conifer treesreason for harvest: this harvest is part of the long term cfirp research project studying ecological & socioeconomic response to alternative silviculture treatmentsadditional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes map of closure area see our interactive web map to see all the active road & trail closures, and a map of the completed, active, and planned harvests on the mcdonald dunn. dead man's finger harvest will begin 7/11/2024 see map of closure area. the poison soap harvest is complete and the area is open for use. applications for the 2024 dunn forest deer/elk archery hunt, general any legal weapon deer hunt, and archery controlled 218r alsea unit elk hunt are now open and will be accepted between july 1 july 31, 2024 visit our hunt information page for more information and to apply. tomorrow morning (6/28) we will open the dunn forest. the mcdonald forest will open on saturday, june 29th. we will start removing closure signs at oak creek at 7:30am on saturday and will work our way east, finishing at peavy arboretum and the 540/adair gate. all of the mcdonald forest should be fully open for your enjoyment by 1pm on saturday. please see bright stickers posted on signs at trailheads for specific information about the herbicide application. these stickers will remain in place for one week. see a visual of the re opening plan here. *please note that harvest closures remain in effect. visit our interactive web map to see updates of current harvest operations. for more information about the roadside herbicide application, scroll down or visit our forest update page. approximate closure duration: 1.5 monthsclosed roads: closure of portions of the 580 road; closure of the 584, 581, 586, & 581 roadsclosed trails: new growth, old growth, and firehouse trailhaul route: 580 road to 500 gatedetours: nonesize: 17.2 acres harvest method: tethered harvester/forwarder; cut to length systemprescription: thinning to a variable spacing removing dead, diseased, dying and suppressed conifer treesreason for harvest: this timber harvest is part of a long term research project facilitated by the coop for intensive planted silviculturestand age: 35additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes map of closure area for lewisburg smc upcoming phase 1 woodpecker harvest (estimated start date: 6/24) the first phase (phase 1) of the woodpecker harvest is slated to start next monday, june 24. woodpecker phase 1 harvest information map of closure area for phase 1; note closures along several portions of the 500 road system and portions of section 36 trail. we will place signs and maps on site notifying people of the closures and detour options. we will send out a forest update when phase 2 starts up in a few weeks. the entire woodpecker harvest will last approximately 2.5 months. osu research forests will be spraying herbicide on all roads, roadside ditches, and cutbanks on the mcdonald, dunn and elizabeth starker cameron demonstration forests. these forests will be closed as early as tuesday, june 25, 2024 with closures lasting up to 3 to 4 days. the timing of the closure is subject to change, depending on contractor availability and weather conditions. as work locations will vary throughout the closure, we intend to open segments of the forest to public use as we complete work. we will send out forest updates at the start of closures, and when closures are lifted. the date of application and chemical names will be posted on the sign above on the day of application. roadside spraying typically occurs every one to two years to help control the spread of invasive weeds and to protect the integrity of the roadbed and ditches. if you have any questions about roadside spraying on the osu research forests, please email finn.leary@oregonstate.edu. for questions regarding the herbicides used, please contact national pesticide information center. approximate closure duration: 1.5 monthsclosed roads: portions of 582, all of 582.3, 582.4, 582.42closed trails: nonehaul route: 582 gateparking restrictions: no parking at the 582 gatedetours: nonesize: 37 acres harvest method: tethered harvester/forwarder cut to length systemprescription: thinning to a variable spacing removing dead, diseased, dying and suppressed conifer treesreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry. increase long term forest health and wind firmness.stand age: 31additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes map of closure area 870 right of way harvest begins monday, june 10 approximate closure duration: 2 monthsclosed roads: 870closed trails: nonehaul route: 870 à 800 à 800 gate parking restrictions: nonedetours: nonesize: harvest method: ground basedprescription: roadside clearing to accommodate future road workreason for harvest: this harvest will allow future road work to progress in late summer of 2024stand age: additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes map of closure area the college of forestry invites you to the next mcdonald dunn research forest community input session on wednesday, june 5 from 6 8 p.m. in pfsc 117. remote participation available via zoom. a new plan is being developed to guide management of the mcdonald dunn research forest. after nearly 2 years of work, we have developed a suite of “management strategies” that will serve as the foundation for forest management. we now need to make decisions on how these strategies will be overlaid across the forest. at this session, we will provide an overview of decisions made to date and request your input on how we allocate land within the forest. all osu faculty, staff, students and community members are welcome to attend. more info about the planning process here. the 680 patch harvest begins tomorrow, 5/29/2024 approximate closure duration: 1 monthclosed roads: portions of 680, all of 682 (.1 .6), 683, 685closed trails: nonehaul route: 680 road to 600 road to 600 gate (oak creek)parking restrictions: restricted parking at oak creekdetours: nonesize: 6.2acres harvest method: ground basedprescription: clearcut with structural and visual tree retentionreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 78consistent w/ forest plan? yesadditional considerations: none view map of closure area see you next saturday! get outdoors day in peavy arboretumsaturday june 1st 10 3pm bring a picnic and experience the wonder of the outdoors! every year in early june, osu research forests, osu extension service, and community health centers of linn and benton county hosts get outdoors day in peavy arboretum. during this event, peavy arboretum brims with bilingual activities, families, and community groups   all coming together with the goal of getting people outside, enjoying community, and hopefully trying something new along the way (like catching a fish in cronemiller pond for the first time). the event is completely free and no registration necessary! due to limited parking in the arboretum, all visitors and attendees need to park at crescent valley high school and use the free shuttle service to and from the event (thank you, dial a bus!). the shuttle runs to every 15 20 minutes. more info & shuttle schedule here. thank you to the dozens of exhibitors and organizations who will be there with interactive activities, games, and crafts for attendees. hope to see you there! website with more information the rocky top harvest starts back up tomorrow, 5/16/2024 approximate closure duration: 1.5 monthsclosed roads: portions of 700; all of 7040; all of 7060closed trails: nonehaul route: 700  > 700 gate parking restrictions: nonedetours: nonesize: 10.6 acres harvest method: ground based logging & cable loggingprescription: clearcut with structural and visual tree retentionreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 63additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes interactive web map to view all harvest closures information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about harvest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest interactive webmap or contact us with questions. the mcdonald forest 50k trail run is happening this saturday, 5/4/2024, throughout the mcdonald forest. start and finish lines will be at the forestry club cabin in peavy arboretum, but the course extends throughout the forest. expect to see aid stations, course markings, administrative traffic, and runners while out in the forest on saturday. please visit the mac50k website for more information. our amazing volunteers have restored the sections of playtime trail that were impacted by the grayman harvest. the trail is now fully open for your enjoyment. the dunn forest spring turkey hunt opens today, monday april 15th and will last through may 31st. the hunts are walk in (no motorized vehicles) and hunters may use a shotgun or bow to hunt turkey with a visible beard. you may or may not see hunters while you are out on the dunn forest over the next month. here are some tips on staying safe during hunting season. helpful resources: dunn forest hunt rules and mapdunn forest hunt scheduledunn forest 2023 hunt survey results spring herbicide applications on harvest units in the mcdonald dunn are now complete. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. click here for a map of the spray locations throughout the mcdonald dunn forestssigns placed throughout the forest will remain in place for one week. osu research forests will begin the spring herbicide application tomorrow, april 10th. please see the forest update below for more information and a map of the spray locations. we will send out a forest update when the herbicide application is complete. odfw reported a cougar sighting near quercus meadows in the mcdonald forest this morning around 8:00am. there have been multiple sightings in this area in recent months. below are helpful tips for recreating and staying safe in cougar country: hiking tips: if you encounter a cougar: report any cougar sightings or encounters to odfw: (541) 757 4186 osu research forest is pausing rocky top harvest operations for approximately one month. during this pause, we will re open the roads around the unit for public access, and place 'temporarily open' signs over the closure signs. when harvest operations start up again, we will remove the 'temporarily open' signs and all closure protocols will go back into effect. we have updated the interactive harvest web map to reflect the temporary opening and will send out a forest update when the harvest picks up again. thank you for your compliance! the grayman harvest is complete. the lower playtime trail is still closed for post harvest repairs. the osu research forests plan to spray mcdonald dunn harvest units as early as wednesday, april 3, 2024. the exact dates are dependent on weather conditions and contractor availability. we will spray all treatment units on the mcdonald and dunn forests using backpack sprayers. spray targets vegetation only (not road or trail surfaces). during application, staff will be at roads and official trails leading into spray areas to keep people away. signs will be posted at entry points to each treatment area and include: date of application, herbicide used, and public re entry information. signs will remain in place for one week. herbicides are used in the research forest to control the growth of non native plant species and competing vegetation in recently harvested areas. all herbicide applications are conducted in compliance with state and federal regulations and under a licensed pesticide applicator's supervision. click here for a map of the spray locations throughout the mcdonald dunn forests the apparition harvest and blackbird harvest are now complete. note that grayman harvest and rocky top harvest are still active in that area. here is a map of the current closures in the 700 road system in the mcdonald forest. you can also view all mcdonald dunn harvest related closures on our interactive web map. and dave's trail and powder house trail repairs are now complete and open for your enjoyment. saturday, march 16th is the mcdonald forest 5k/15k. expect to see race participants, volunteers, and administrative vehicles in peavy arboretum and throughout the mcdonald forest. approximate closure duration: 1.5 monthsclosed roads: portions of 700, all of 7040, all of 7060closed trails: nonehaul route: 700  > 700 gate parking restrictions: nonedetours: nonesize: 10.6 acres harvest method: ground based logging & cable loggingprescription: clearcut with structural and visual tree retentionreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 63additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes interactive web map to view all harvest closuresinformation about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about harvest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest interactive webmap or contact us with questions. the grayman harvest starts 2/12/2024 harvest information: approximate closure duration: 1.5 monthsclosed roads: portions of 700 road, all of 7020closed trails: lower playtimehaul route: 700 à 700 gate sulphur springsparking restrictions: nonedetours: nonesize: 12.7 acres harvest method: cable yardingprescription: clearcut with structural and visual tree retentionreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 70additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes map of closure area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about harvest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest interactive webmap or contact us with questions. the recent ice storm has brought down many trees and branches across the willamette valley, and the mcdonald dunn forest is anticipated to have similar conditions. with the presence of ice, snow and downed trees we are asking visitors to use extreme caution when visiting the forest. we encourage you to check our forest updates page on our website before visiting to get updates on road and trail conditions. we ask for everyone’s patience as we assess the road and trail conditions. our priority is to open roads to facilitate emergency egress if needed and then we will be shifting our focus to opening up trails. you can help be our eyes and ears by utilizing our roads and trail issue reporting form to report downed trees across roads and trails. applications for the spring turkey hunt will be open through january 31st. visit our hunt information webpage for more info and to apply! map of updated closure areainteractive harvest webmap the pleco and levels of growing stock harvests are now complete. note that portions of dave's trail, powder house trail, and section 36 trail are still closed for post harvest repair. we will notify you as soon as those trail sections re open. map of updated closure areainteractive harvest webmap the blackbird harvest will start tomorrow, december 6th. harvest information: approximate closure duration: 2.5 monthsclosed roads: closure of portions of the 700, (all of the 710, 730, 760, 761 (.1 & .2), 762)closed trails: nonehaul route: 700 road to the 700 gateparking restrictions: nonedetours: no access to the 700 rd. during closuresize: 27.6 acres harvest method: cable loggingprescription: clearcut with structural and visual tree retentionreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 75additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes map of closure area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about harvest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest interactive webmap or contact us with questions. there was a cougar sighting on the 100 road system in the dunn forest on december 2, 2023. always use caution when recreating in cougar country. hiking tips: if you encounter a cougar: report any cougar sightings or encounters to odfw: (541) 757 4186 levels of growing stock harvests beginning november 14th approximate closure duration: 1.5 monthsclosed roads: portions of 500, 530, all of 550 & 552closed trails: portions of section 36 loop, portions of powder househaul route: 530  > 500  > 582  > 582 gateparking restrictions: no parking at the 582 gatedetours: nonesize: 26.5 acres, lgs+: 8 acres harvest method: cable yardingprescription: (lgs) thinning to a specific basal area for long term demonstration (lgs+) thinning to a variable spacing removing dead, diseased, dying and suppressed coniferreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry. increase long term forest health and wind firmness.stand age: lgs = 70, lgs+ = 47additional considerations: none map of closure area "if it leaves a track, time to turn back!" please be a trail steward during the rainy season and do not use a trail when travel results in leaving a track in the mud or when there is significant standing water on the trail. this is especially important for our natural surface trails such as play time, high horse, and bombs away. during the long rainy days, we encourage you to stick to roads and graveled trails like dan's, horse, ridge, homestead, section 36, powder house, and calloway. we'll be posting these guidelines about muddy trail use on all forest kiosks. help us spread the word to fellow visitors. thank you for using our trails responsibly and honoring the efforts of our awesome volunteers and staff! from november 1st to april 14, 2024 our seasonal closures for bikes and horses are in effect. during this time, calloway creek trail and intensive management trail will be open to foot traffic only. the bombs away trail, 620, and 640 roads are now open after uncle rico harvest clean up. there are a few soft areas along bombs away trail where the repairs were made   please use extra care along those sections. harvest webmap   see all current closures uncle rico harvest complete the uncle rico harvest is complete. however, there is still post harvest road and trail work to be completed: the 600 road is now open. the 640 and 620 roads are closed for post harvest clean up. bombs away trail is also currently closed for post harvest trail repair and clean up. we will send out a forest update when everything in the area is opened up. the interactive web map reflects these updated closure points. the pleco harvest on the mcdonald forest will begin november 1st harvest information: approximate closure duration: 1.5 monthsclosed roads: portions of 580 road, portions of 582 roadclosed trails: portion of dave's trail, portions of powder househaul route: 580 road to 582 gateparking restrictions: no parking at the 582 gatedetours: nonesize: 16.3 acres harvest method: cable yardingprescription: clearcut with structural and visual tree retentionreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 89additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes map of closure area the ham bone & fletching harvests are now complete. the full length of the bonzai trail is open for your use and enjoyment. information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about harvest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest interactive webmap or contact us with questions. with the cooler, rainier days, osu research forests will be beginning slash pile burning on the mcdonald and dunn forests. select slash, tree branches, tops, and unmerchantable portions of tree stems have been gathered into piles for burning. some slash and coarse woody debris are also scattered throughout the harvest area for retention. piles are ignited during the fall and winter rainy seasons   typically october, november, and december. piles are ignited during specific weather windows and under the approval of local fire and smoke managers. piles typically burn down to the ground in one day but will smolder for several weeks. progress of this prescribed burning will be monitored by research forests staff. slash pile burning is a cost effective way to perform wildfire hazard mitigation, reduce fuel loading, and prepare sites for tree planting. the annual condor 25k trail run is this sunday, october 8th. expect to see race participants, volunteers, and administrative vehicles in peavy arboretum and throughout the eastern portion of the mcdonald forest this weekend. for more information, including a map of the course, visit http://condor25k.org/. this hunt will last until november 10th with an extended youth weekend occurring on november 11th and 12th. you may or may not see hunters while you are out in the dunn forest over the next month. check out our newsletter article on hunter and non hunter safety during hunting season: https://mcusercontent.com/.../887430c0.../huntingtips.pdf. visit our hunt webpage to learn more about hunts offered on the dunn forest: https://cf.forestry.oregonstate.edu/recr.../hunt information heads up! the uncle rico harvest begins tomorrow, october 3. approximate closure duration: 1.5 monthsclosed roads: portions of the 600 road; all of the 640, 620 and 630 roadclosed trails: closure of the bombs away trail and closure of portions of the ridge trailhaul route: 600 road to 600 gatedetours: nonesize: 23.5 acres harvest method: tethered harvester/forwarder cut to length systemprescription: thinning to a variable spacing removing dead, diseased, dying and supressed conifer treesreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 39 40additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes map of closure area starting september 27th, and for the next few weeks, osu research forest will be doing road maintenance work throughout the 500 road system (582, 530, 500, 580, 510, and 514 roads). this work may involve temporary closures for hazard tree removal. we will place signs at trail heads and major intersections reminding visitors to slow down and yield to equipment traffic. we will send out a forest update when the work is complete. thank you! the ham bone harvest will begin early tomorrow, saturday, 9/16. closure signs and barricades will be installed this afternoon. harvest information: approximate closure duration: 2 monthsclosed roads: portions of the 540 road; all of the 543, 543.2, 562 roadclosed trails: portions of bonzai trailhaul route: 540 road to 540 gatedetours: nonesize: 19.5 acres harvest method: ground based loggingprescription: clear cut with structural and visual tree retentionreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 78additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan?: yes see map of the closure area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about forest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest closures interactive webmap and contact us with questions. the cfirp 7 harvest on the dunn forest will begin tomorrow, september 12th. harvest information: approximate closure duration: 1 monthsclosed roads: closure of the 421 roadclosed trails: nonehaul route: 420 road to 400 gateparking: nonedetours: nonesize: 4.9 acres harvest method: ground based & cable loggingprescription: 3 patch cuts totaling 4.9 acres. promote multi aged forest while maintaining structural diversityreason for harvest: this harvest is part of the long term cfirp research project studying ecological & socioeconomic response to alternative silviculture treatmentsstand age: 135additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes see map of the closure area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about forest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest closures interactive webmap and contact us with questions. the fletching harvest begins today, august 21st. harvest information: approximate closure duration: 3 monthsclosed roads: closure of the 545closed trails: portions of bonzai trailhaul route: 540 road to 540 gateparking: reduced parking at the 540 gate to accommodate hauling of long polesdetours: nonesize: 19.3 acres harvest method: ground basedprescription: clear cut with structural and visual tree retentionreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 72additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan?: yes map of the fletching closure area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about forest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest closures interactive webmap and contact us with questions. the 610 road is now open for public use and enjoyment summer herbicide applications on harvest units in the mcdonald dunn are now complete. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. for more information and for a map of spray locations, click here. signs placed throughout the forest will remain in place for one week. the arboretum is now open to the public. out of an abundance of caution, recreators are advised to not eat any blackberries in the arboretum and surrounding areas. signs are posted by the blackberries. osu research forests will begin the summer herbicide application tomorrow, monday, july 24th. this application will likely take two days, with peavy arboretum being closed on tuesday, july 25th. we will send out a forest update when the herbicide application is complete. the osu research forests plan to spray mcdonald dunn harvest units as early as monday, july 24, 2023. the exact dates are dependent on weather conditions and contractor availability. we will spray all treatment units on the mcdonald and dunn forests using backpack sprayers. spray targets vegetation only (not road or trail surfaces). during application, staff will be at roads and official trails leading into spray areas to keep people away. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. signs will have the date of application, name of the chemical used, and the industrial re entry interval posted at entry points into each treatment area. signs will remain in place for one week. the purpose of herbicide applications is to control the growth of non native plant species and competing vegetation in recently harvested areas. all herbicide applications are conducted in compliance with state and federal regulations and under a licensed pesticide applicator's supervision. click here for a map of the spray locations throughout the mcdonald dunn forests. special note: all of peavy arboretum will be closed during the herbicide treatment. this closure will likely last one day. we will send out a forest update when the closure begins and when the closure is lifted. remember this slide on the 610 road last year? good news! starting july 18th, crews will be working on repairing the road. the 610 road and 611 roads will be fully closed to the public during this time. for your safety and the safety of the crews, please respect these closures. we will send out a forest update when the closures have been lifted. click here for a map of the closure area. the college of forestry seeks a business manager. this is a full time (1.00 fte), 12 month, professional faculty position. this position provides leadership and management of the research forests business including fiscal management, log accounting/accountability, and assistance with developing contracts that support research forests yearly scope of work. this position will also offer support and guidance to all other programs within the research forests and act as a business manager liaison between the college of forestry and business services office and the research forests. the research forests provide teaching, research, demonstration and recreation opportunities for oregon state university and the greater community. for more information or to apply, visit: https://jobs.oregonstate.edu/postings/139587. closing date is july 12. osu commits to inclusive excellence by advancing equity and diversity in all that we do. we are an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, lgbtq community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community. as you enjoy the osu research forests on this 4th of july holiday weekend, remember that all types of fireworks are prohibited in osu research forests. alcohol is also prohibited in the research forests. fire season is here! please help us keep our forests and communities safe and practice good stewardship by not smoking, using fireworks, or having open flames when visiting the osu research forests this summer. thank you for helping us provide a forest experience that is safe and enjoyable for everyone. if you see a fire while in the forest, call 911 and include the location and road number. we rely on visitors like you to be our eyes and ears and help us identify and address problems immediately. the dunn forest guppy harvest is complete and closures have been lifted approximate closure duration: tbdclosed roads: 810 road , 811 road, 812 road & 830 roadclosed trails: alpha trailhaul route: 800 road to 800 gatedetours: nonesize: 38.5 acres harvest method: cable yardingprescription: commercial thinning of dead, diseased and stressed trees.reason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal and promote long term forest health and wind firmness. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry. will also provide on the ground experience for the student logging training program.stand age: 43additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes map of the 810 turkey run closure area approximate closure duration: 3 monthsclosed roads: closure of portions of the 100 road and all roads north, west & east of the 100 road.closed trails: nonehaul route: 100 road to 100 gateparking: no parking at 100 gate to facilitate hauling of long polesdetours: nonesize: 24.4 acres harvest method: ground based loggingprescription: clearcut with structural and visual tree retentionreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 78additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes map of the race track closure area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about forest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest closures interactive webmap and contact us with questions. the dunn cfirp 2 harvest is complete and closures have been lifted approximate closure duration: 1.5 monthsclosed roads: closure of portions of the 110 road; all of the 111 & 110.2closed trails: nonehaul route: 110 road to 100 gatedetours: nonesize: 10.9 acres harvest method: ground based loggingprescription: clear cut with structural and visual tree retentionreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 51additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes map of closure area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about forest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest closures interactive webmap and contact us with questions. dunn cfirp 6 harvest is complete and closures have been lifted. approximate closure duration: 1 monthclosed roads: closure of the 450, 451 & 453 roadclosed trails: nonehaul route: 400 road to 400 gatedetours: nonesize: 5.8 acres harvest method: ground based loggingprescription: restoration and patch cuts with structural and visual tree retentionreason for harvest: this harvest is part of the long term cfirp research project studying ecological & socioeconomic response to alternative silviculture treatmentsstand age: 101additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes map of closure area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about forest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest closures interactive webmap and contact us with questions. osu research forest will be starting mulching/mastication work in jackson meadow today. there will be no closures, but you may experience equipment in the area. what is mastication? learn about various options for treating slash after a timber harvest. get outdoors day is this saturday, june 3rd from 10 3pm! join us for the free family event and learn about natural resources and outdoor fun. important! there will be no parking in peavy arboretum on saturday from 5am to 5pm. all parking for this free event is located off site at crescent valley high school. shuttles will run continuously all day. we hope to see you at this special community eventmore info about get outdoors day here. the mcdonald forest 50k trail run is happening this saturday, 5/6/2023, throughout the mcdonald forest. the start and finish lines will be at the forestry club cabin in peavy arboretum, but the course extends throughout the forest. expect to see aid stations, course markings, administrative traffic, and runners while out in the forest on saturday. please visit the mac50k website for more information. the spring turkey hunt is now open on the dunn forest and will last through may 31st. the hunts are walk in (no motorized vehicles) and hunters may use a shotgun or bow to hunt turkey with a visible beard. you may or may not see hunters while you are out on the dunn forest over the next month. here are some tips on staying safe during hunting season. spring herbicide application complete the recent spring herbicide application on harvest units in the mcdonald and dunn is now complete. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. for more information and for a map of the planned spray locations, click here. signs placed throughout the forest will remain in place for one week. the osu research forests intend to apply herbicides to select project units on the mcdonald dunn forest, starting as early as thursday, april 6th. the exact dates are dependent on weather conditions and contractor availability. we will spray all treatment units on the mcdonald and dunn forests using backpack sprayers. spray targets vegetation only (not road or trail surfaces). during application, staff will be at roads and official trails leading into spray areas to keep people away. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. signs will have the date of application, name of the chemical used, and the industrial re entry interval posted at entry points into each treatment area. signs will remain in place for one week. the purpose of herbicide applications is to control the growth of non native plant species and competing vegetation in recently harvested areas. all herbicide applications are conducted in compliance with state and federal regulations and under a licensed pesticide applicator's supervision. click here for a map of the spray locations throughout the mcdonald dunn forests. logging sports regional championship   volunteers needed! volunteers needed for logging sports regional championship   from april 12 15, the oregon state university forestry club is hosting a logging sports competition at the george w. brown logging sports arena in peavy arboretum. events include axe throwing, pole climbing, buck saw events, birling (log roll on a floating log), and more! the students will also be competing in technical events such as wood identification and estimating lumber yield from timber stands. volunteers are especially needed on wednesday and thursday, sign up: https://oregonstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/sv_a8dqzkkujlkux0g “after a much longer closure than anticipated, the jesse’s girl harvest closure is now lifted on the dunn forest. visitors are welcome to use the 400 road for accessing the dunn forest. please be aware that road work still needs to be completed and will likely be taking place one we have some drier weather. in the meantime, recreate safely and be aware of uneven road conditions and slippery surfaces. lastly, a reminder to “know before you go” and check the harvest closure map on the research forests webpage for additional closures in the general vicinity. https://cf.forestry.oregonstate.edu/harvest webmap ash yew harvest is now complete, 3/22/23 harvest operations for the ash yew harvest unit on the mcdonald forest are now completed and closures will be lifted. some road work still needs to be completed, so please use caution, and watch for uneven terrain. we always encourage you to ‘know before you go’. check out real time harvest updates with our interactive harvest closure map. dunn cfirp 6 & 7 is starting monday 3/6/23 approximate closure duration: 2   3 months closed roads: closure of portions of the 300 road; closure of the 310, 360, 380, 420 & 440 road closed trails: none haul route: 300 road to 300 gate and 420 road to 400 gate parking: no parking at 300 gate during harvest detours: none size: 14.4 acres harvest method: ground based & cable logging prescription: 6 patch cuts totaling 14.4 acres. promote multi aged forest while maintaining structural diversity reason for harvest: this harvest is part of the long term college forest integrated research project (cfirp) studying ecological & socioeconomic response to alternative silviculture treatments stand age: 99 160 additional considerations: none consistent w/ forest plan? yes saturday, march 4th is the mcdonald forest 5k/15k. expect to see race participants, volunteers, and administrative vehicles in peavy arboretum and throughout the mcdonald forest on this day. heads up! this saturday, february 18th, the osu cof forestry club will be working on several maintenance tasks in and around the logging sports arena and cronemiller lake. expect construction equipment and activity throughout the cronemiller lake area. barricades with signs will be posted, and volunteers will be on site to safely direct visitors. we will not be closing the area to the public, but given the level of equpiment and activity, we encourage you to consider recreating at other locations in the mcdonald dunn forest on saturday. thank you! beginning february 13th, osu research forest will be mulching the 2022 happy trails thin harvest unit. expect closures throughout intensive management trail. staff will place barricades and signs at closure points. this work is slated to last approximately one week. we will send out a forest update when everything is re opened. thank you! map of the mulching area. tuesday, january 31st is the last day to apply for the dunn forest spring turkey hunt. apply here! there is a large event scheduled for sunday, january 29th at the forestry club cabin. expect increased traffic and very reduced parking throughout the arboretum on this day. we encourage you to explore other parts of the mcdonald dunn and/or other local natural areas on sunday. download our newly updated large format map of the mcdonald and dunn forest. road work along the 540 road system is complete and banzai trail is now fully open. enjoy! approximate closure duration: 3 monthsclosed roads: portions of the 800 and 700 road ,all of 720 road, 730 road & 710 roadclosed trails: nonehaul route: 800 road to 800 gateparking: no parking at 700/720 gate during harvestdetours: nonesize: 29.4 acres harvest method: cable yardingprescription: clear cut with structural and visual tree retentionreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 70additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes click here for a map of the closure area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about harvest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest interactive webmap or contact us with questions. beginning tomorrow, january 4th, a portion of the banzai trail will be closed for road work and brush clearing. you may also experience increased maintenance traffic and equipment along the 540 and 543 roads during this time. for your and everyone’s safety, please yield to vehicular traffic. the closure will likely last for 3 4 days, weather permitting. we will send a forest update when everything re opens. applications for the spring turkey hunt will be open through january 31st. visit our hunt information webpage for more info and to apply! osu research forests are beginning slash pile burning on the mcdonald and dunn forests. select slash, tree branches, tops, and unmerchantable portions of tree stems have been gathered into piles for burning. some slash and coarse woody debris are also scattered throughout the harvest area for retention. piles are ignited during the fall and winter rainy seasons   typically october, november, and december. piles are ignited during specific weather windows and under the approval of local fire and smoke managers. piles typically burn down to the ground in one day but will smolder for several weeks. progress of this prescribed burning will be monitored by research forests staff. slash pile burning is a cost effective way to perform wildfire hazard mitigation, reduce fuel loading, and prepare sites for tree planting. harvest operations for the jackson meadow restoration harvest on the mcdonald forest are complete and closures have been lifted. some road work still needs to be completed as well as slash pile burning, so please use caution and watch for uneven terrain. we always encourage you to ‘know before you go.’ check out real time harvest updates with our interactive harvest closure map. this hunt will last until november 4th with an extended youth weekend occurring on november 5th and 6th. you may or may not see hunters while you are out in the dunn forest over the next month. check out our newsletter article on hunter and non hunter safety during hunting season: https://mcusercontent.com/.../887430c0.../huntingtips.pdf. visit our hunt webpage to learn more about hunts offered on the dunn forest: https://cf.forestry.oregonstate.edu/recr.../hunt information we also want to share this important message from odfw about chronic wasting disease: odfw is increasing surveillance efforts for chronic wasting disease (cwd), a fatal neurological disease found in deer, elk, and other members of the cervidae family. cwd has never been detected in oregon, but with recent detections in idaho last year, it is right on oregon’s border. if you would like to get your deer or elk tested, and help with odfw’s surveillance effort, please call the odfw adair village office at 541 757 4186 to schedule an appointment. to learn more about cwd, please visit https://myodfw.com/cwd. the annual condor 25k trail run is this sunday, october 2nd. expect to see race participants, volunteers, and administrative vehicles in peavy arboretum and throughout the eastern portion of the mcdonald forest this weekend. for more information, including a map of the course, visit http://condor25k.org/ osu research forest is excited to host a demonstration event for the advenchair, an all terrain wheelchair. the event is saturday, september 24 from 10:00am to 2:00pm at peavy arboretum. for more information, visit the advenchair website. if you are interested, even just partly, in attending, please drop the organizers a note at info@advenchair.com so that the organizers can plan accordingly. north newt harvest is starting tuesday, 9/20 approximate closure duration: 3 monthsclosed roads: 761.2 road, 7080 road & 7082 roadclosed trails: play time trailhaul route: 761 road, 700 road to 700 gate and 700 road, 760 road, 700 road, to 700 gatedetours: nonesize: 27 acres harvest method: cable yardingprescription: clear cut with structural and visual tree retentionreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 69additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes click here for a map of the closure area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about harvest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest interactive webmap or contact us with questions. the national weather service has issued a red flag warning from friday 9/9 through saturday 9/10 the osu research forests is recommending avoiding recreating on the forest during this red flag event. strong east winds and hot weather friday and saturday are increasing the fire danger in our community and our forests. the east winds will likely continue through saturday and will result in very dry conditions, increasing fire danger. for more information see the national weather service warning jackson meadow restoration harvest informationapproximate closure duration: 2 monthsclosed roads: portions of 612 & 610 roadclosed trails: section of horse trailhaul route: jackson creek roaddetours: nonesize: 26.9 acres harvest method: ground based harvestingprescription: oak prairie restoration with retention of conifer snags and large open grown conifers. will reduce fuels along property line.reason for harvest: restore area back to an open oak savannah with scattered conifer retention. will reduce risk of crown fire.stand age: 67additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes click here for map of closure area harvest operations for the happy trails harvest unit are complete and closures have been lifted. note that there will be some additional post harvest work on the unit in the future which will require a short closure. we will send out a forest update to notify you of those closures when they occur. we always encourage you to ‘know before you go.' check out real time harvest updates with our interactive harvest closure map. happy trails! the deer/elk bow hunt on the dunn forest begins tomorrow, 8/27/2022, and lasts until 9/25/2022. the bow hunt will pick up again from 11/19 to 12/11/2022 for buck deer. out of the 84 people who applied, 50 individuals were randomly selected and received a letter in the mail allowing access to the dunn forest for walk in hunting. hunters may only use a bow to hunt buck deer or bull elk. you may or may not see hunters while you are out in the dunn forest. here are some tips from the usda forest service on hunting safety for hunters and other visitors. here is a map of the area where hunting is allowed. click here to learn more about hunts offered on the dunn forest. chronic wasting disease notice odfw is increasing surveillance efforts for chronic wasting disease (cwd), a fatal neurological disease found in deer, elk, and other members of the cervidae family. cwd has never been detected in oregon, but with recent detections in idaho last year, it is right on oregon’s border. if you would like to get your deer or elk tested, and help with odfw’s surveillance effort, please call the odfw adair village office at 541 757 4186 to schedule an appointment. to learn more about cwd, please visit https://myodfw.com/cwd. have a wonderful and safe weekend! please note that there will be no intensive management trail access from the parking lot during the harvest. approximate closure duration: 1 monthclosed roads: portions of the 522 road, 524 road & all of the 524.1 roadclosed trails: intensive management trail & a portion of calloway creek trailhaul route: 522 road to 520 road to nw arboretum roadparking: no intensive management trail access from the parking lot during harvestsdetours: none size: 1, 5.5, 8 acres harvest method: ground based harvester/forwarder,prescription: patch cut, commercial thinning of dead, diseased, and stressed trees. reason for harvest: high degree of mortality adjacent to trails, buildings, and residences. high degree of mortality within the tighter spacing. mastication/fuel reduction within the harvest area and specifically along the property lines with neighbors will be occurring post harvest. additionally, removal of dead and dying trees along the property line will be occurring.stand age: 50 additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan?: yes click here for a map of the closure area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about harvest closures and forest management activities, please visit our interactive harvest webmap or contact us with questions. harvest operations for the crow's nest harvest unit on the mcdonald forest are completed as of 8/16/22 and closures have been lifted. some road work still needs to be completed, so please use caution and watch for uneven terrain. the recreational use advisory has been lifted for cronemiller lake, but oregon heath authority (oha) advises dog owners to be alert to signs of cyanobacteria blooms. oha lifted the advisory based on sampling that confirmed levels of cyanotoxins in cronemiller lake to be below recreational guideline values for people. although the levels detected are below the recreational use values for people, they continue to be above oha’s educational guideline values for dogs. dog owners should be aware of the potential exposure to their pets while at the lake, especially in shallow, marshy areas where cyanobacteria blooms can form. cyanobacteria can be present on green algae, growing from the sediment or on rocks. read the full press release here: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/ordhs/bulletins/3268cf8 osu research forest will keep dog safety signage posted around cronemiller lake to raise awareness about the risk. enjoy the forest and stay safe out there! harvest operations for the bug’s life harvest unit on the mcdonald forest will be completed the morning of august 2nd and closures will be lifted. some road work still needs to be completed, so please use caution and watch for uneven terrain. note that the crow's nest harvest is still active. click here for a map of active harvest units in the oak creek area. we always encourage you to ‘know before you go’. check out real time harvest updates with our interactive harvest closure map. the recent summer herbicide application on harvest units in the mcdonald and dunn are now complete. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. for more information and for a map of the planned spray locations, click here. signs placed throughout the forest will remain in place for one week. july 31st is the last day to apply for the 2022 dunn forest deer/elk archery hunt, any legal weapon deer hunt, and controlled archery elk 218r alsea unit hunt. visit our hunt information page to apply. individuals selected for the hunt through a random drawing will receive a letter and email granting access to hunt on dunn forest property. the drawing will take place on 8/5. oregon health authority (oha) just issued a recreational use health advisory today for cronemiller lake due to the presence of a cyanobacteria bloom. people and pets should avoid contact with water, scum, foam, or algae. we placed signage around the lake. children and pets are at increased risk for exposure because of their size and levels of activity. dogs can get extremely ill and even die within minutes to hours of exposure to cyanotoxins by drinking the water, licking their fur, or eating the toxins from floating mats or dried crust along the shore. this is regardless of a recreational use health advisory in place. osu research forests and oha will keep you posted with updates as they unfold. for more information and a link to the full cronemiller lake advisory release, click here: https://content.govdelivery.com/.../ordhs/bulletins/325a04e more information about cyanobacteria blooms: https://www.oregon.gov/.../pages/educationandoutreach.aspx the osu research forests intend to apply herbicides to select project units on the mcdonald dunn forest, starting as early as monday, august 1st, 2022. the exact dates are dependent on weather conditions and contractor availability. we will spray all treatment units on the mcdonald and dunn forests using backpack sprayers. spray targets vegetation only (not road or trail surfaces). during application, staff will be at roads and official trails leading into spray areas to keep people away. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. signs will have the date of application, name of the chemical used, and the industrial re entry interval posted at entry points into each treatment area. signs will remain in place for one week. the purpose of herbicide applications is to control the growth of non native plant species and competing vegetation in recently harvested areas. all herbicide applications are conducted in compliance with state and federal regulations and under a licensed pesticide applicator's supervision. click here for a map of the spray locations throughout the mcdonald dunn forests. the second phase of the crow's nest harvest will begin this afternoon, 7/13/2022. approximate closure duration: 3 monthsclosed roads: 771 road, portions of the 6020 when actively working and cables/equipment are across roadclosed trails: uproute trail when actively working and cables/equipment are across the road/trailhaul route: 771 road, 680 road, 600 road to oak creek trailheaddetours: nonesize: 43.6 acres harvest method: tethered harvester/forwarderprescription: commercial thinning of dead, diseased and stressed trees. spacing will be variable with small gaps along corridors.reason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 40additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes map of the closure area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about harvest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest interactive webmap or contact us with questions. road maintenance activities are occurring on the 610 and 612 roads this week. expect increased vehicle and equipment traffic in that area. for your safety, please use extra caution, yield to road work traffic and machinery, and follow operator instructions if offered. the mastiff harvest complete harvest operations for the mastiff harvest unit on the dunn forest are complete and closures have been lifted. some road work still needs to be completed, so please use caution and watch for uneven terrain. we always encourage you to ‘know before you go’. check out real time harvest updates with our interactive harvest closure map. the oregon department of forestry (odf) west oregon district will be entering into fire season wednesday july 6th. at the same time, the district will be enacting public use restrictions (low fire danger) and will be at an industrial fire precaution level 1 for industrial operations. what does this mean? in addition to the restrictions described by odf through public regulated use, osu research forests prohibits the following activities on all roads, trails, parking areas and lands, year round: if you see a fire while out on the forest, call 911! we rely on our wonderful visitors to serve as eyes and ears to help us identify and address problems immediately. more information about fire season safety and precautions can be found here or on the odf  west oregon district facebook page. as you enjoy the osu research forests on this 4th of july holiday weekend, remember that all types of fireworks are prohibited in osu research forests. alcohol is also prohibited in the research forests. fire season is right around the corner. please help us keep our forests and communities safe and practice good stewardship by not smoking, using fireworks, or having open flames when visiting the osu research forests this summer. thank you for helping us provide a forest experience that is safe and enjoyable for everyone. if you see a fire while in the forest, call 911 and include the location and road number. we rely on visitors like you to be our eyes and ears and help us identify and address problems immediately. applications for the 2022 dunn forest deer/elk archery hunt, general any legal weapon deer hunt, and archery controlled 218r alsea unit elk hunt are now open! applications will be accepted between july 1 july 31, 2022. visit our hunt information page for more information and to apply. *note: the crow's nest harvest will occur in stages and will have different closures associated with each stage. we will send out forest updates and update the interactive harvest webmap when those changes occur. approximate closure duration: 3 monthsclosed roads: 771 roadclosed trails: none. haul route: 771 road, 680 road, 600 road to oak creek trailhead.detours: nonesize: 43.6 acres harvest method: tethered harvester/forwarderprescription: commercial thinning of dead, diseased and stressed trees. spacing will be variable with small gaps along corridors.reason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 40additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes map of the closure area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about harvest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest interactive webmap or contact us with questions. the forest discovery trail program is hosting a series of activities this summer, geared toward families with younger children who would like to learn more about the forest environment. the series will cover three activities: plant patrol, invertebrate investigators, and bird surveyors. each activity will run twice with the same content. the july theme is plant patrol! dates: stay tuned for august and september dates! cost: free with registration. we will cap the sessions at 20 people. for more information and to register, click here! jesse's girl harvest starts tomorrow, 6/28. please see highlighted note about the 400 gate and road closure. approximate closure duration: 2 monthsclosed roads: 400 road, 410 road, 420 road, 421 road, 422 road, 422.1 road & 440 roadclosed trails: nonehaul route: noneparking: no parking or access to the forest via the 400 gate during operations.detours: none size: 54.1 acres harvest method: cable yarding/ground based harvestingprescription: variable retention, oak restoration, patch cutreason for harvest: this harvest maintains and releases oaks, promotes legacy trees, and creates openings for forest regeneration. this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 82 additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan? yes, exemption to forest plan approved. map of the closure area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about harvest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest interactive webmap or contact us with questions. reduced parking at oak creek oak creek will have reduced parking through the next couple of months. trucks are hauling logs from the bug's life harvest through the 600 gate at oak creek; to provide enough room for the trucks to enter and exit, osu research forest installed no parking bollards and signs in several parking spots (photo). given the reduced parking, please consider alternative ways to get to the forest, such as carpooling, biking, or visiting at lower use times. click here for a list of great tips! we also recommend checking out our oak creek parking webcam so you can plan your visit before you hit the trails. 547 gate now open the water line work at 547 gate is complete. the gate is now open for public access. thank you! the mastiff harvest on the dunn forest will begin early tomorrow, monday, june 20th. approximate closure duration: 1 monthclosed roads: portions of the 400 road, all of 490, 471 & 471.2 roadsclosed trails: nonehaul route: 300 road to 300 gatedetours: nonesize: 20.4 acres harvest method: ground based harvester/forwarderprescription: commercial thinning of dead, diseased and stressed trees. spacing will be variable with small gaps along corridors.reason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal and will enhance long term forest health and wind firmness. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 31 34additional considerations: noneconsistent w/ forest plan?: yes click here to view a map of the closure areainformation about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about harvest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest interactive webmap or contact us with questions. mcdonald and dunn research forests management planning process kick off meeting june 14, 2:00 4:30 p.m. pt the osu college of forestry is developing a new management plan for the mcdonald and dunn forests. this will involve two committees working in tandem: an external stakeholder advisory committee (sac) and an internal faculty planning committee (fpc). these two committees will have a kick off meeting to begin the planning process on june 14, 2:00 4:30pm. this meeting is open to the public for listening via zoom (open to the public for listening   no comment period during this meeting). this kick off meeting and all future sac meetings will be facilitated by oregon consensus. the fpc will be facilitated by the college of forestry and chaired by holly ober, associate dean for science outreach. there will be several opportunities later this year for the public to provide input through community listening sessions. questions? please contact holly ober. more information about the forest management planning process is located here. there have been four cougar sightings in the dunn forest in the past three weeks. the sightings have been along the 110 road, just before the 112 road. remember that you are recreating in cougar country. please keep cougar safety in mind when visiting the research forests. if you encounter a cougar: report any cougar sightings or encounters to odfw: (541) 757 4186 storms throughout 2021 and 2022 brought down a number of trees throughout the research forests. osu research forests are currently salvaging and removing these trees within the dunn forest. due to the scattered and rolling nature of the salvage locations, the interactive web map will not be able to show closure sites. instead, closure notices will be placed on site. we will do our best to let you know of closures, but due to the variability in closure duration, location, and contractor availability, we may not be able to send out notices for each operation. thank you! great news to start your weekend: the adair/540 gate is now open for public parking and access. enjoy! click here for a map of the mcdonald forest. tomorrow, june 2nd, bartlett tree service will be working in peavy arboretum to remove tree hazards. you may experience traffic controls and parking impacts while they are working. our albany get outdoors day pop up station is this saturday from 11 2pm! we'll be at grand prairie park with bilingual (spanish and english) activities geared to get families excited about our wonderful outdoors. pop on by   all are welcome! more information here. happy june! the bug's life harvest begins tomorrow, may 27 on the mcdonald forest. approximate closure duration: 1 monthclosed roads: portions of 770 road, all of the 773 &775 roadsclosed trails: nonehaul route: 6021, 600 to oak creek gatedetours: nonesize: 7.6 acres harvest method: ground based harvestingprescription: clear cut with structural and visual tree retention. retain legacy oaks, some conifer snags and some green healthy conifer trees.reason for harvest: very high degree of mortality caused by ice damage and drought. return the site to a more open oak and pine ecological condition.stand age: 64additional considerations: retain legacy oaks, some conifer snags and some green healthy conifer trees.consistent w/ forest plan? yes, exemption to forest plan approved. click here for a map of the closure area. the mastiff harvest on the dunn forest is slated to begin sometime next week. we will send out a forest update when it officially starts, along with detailed information about the harvest. click here for a map of the upcoming closure area. our first get outdoors day pop up stations are this saturday from 11 2pm! we'll be at garfield park and lincoln elementary with bilingual (spanish and english) activities that aim to get families excited about our wonderful outdoors. pop on by   all are welcome! more information here. adair water line work is still continuing at the 540 and 547 gates. thanks for your patience with these closures. we will send out a forest update as soon as it reopens. information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about harvest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest interactive webmap or contact us with questions. rain, rain, and more rain these days! reminder to abide by our wet trail policy and please stay off of muddy trails. using muddy or water logged natural surface trails can cause serious damage to the integrity and quality of the tread and surrounding vegetation. during these rainy days, we ask that you stick to roads and graveled trails like dan's, horse, ridge, alpha, homestead, section 36, powder house, and calloway. please stay off of natural surface trails like vineyard, daves, high horse, bombs away, beautiful, and playtime until they have had some time to dry out. mcdonald forest map thank you for recreating responsibly! the mcdonald forest 50k trail run is happening saturday, 5/7/2022, throughout the mcdonald forest. start and finish lines will be at the forestry club cabin in peavy arboretum, but the course extends throughout the forest. expect to see aid stations, course markings, administrative traffic, and runners while out in the forest on saturday. please visit the mac50k website for more information. the slope failure along the 610 road has worsened, creating a hazard and risk to visitor safety. therefore, a portion of the 610 road is closed to the public for hiking, biking, and equestrian travel until further notice. signs and barricades will be posted at either end of the closure. click here for a photo of the impacted slope and here for a map of the closure area. thank you for staying on designated roads and trails and honoring posted closures. tomorrow, april 28th, osu army rotc will be conducting a map and compass night training on the dunn forest from 6:30pm to midnight. students will be using a map and compass and travel dismounted through the training area to find specific points in a dark setting. note that this special use will be occurring outside of the research forest's hours of 5am to 9pm. on april 21st, osu research forest will be felling five dead/hazard trees along a portion of the intensive management trail. the work is slated to start at 8 am and should last until 12 pm. expect portions of intensive management trail and calloway creek trail to be closed during this time. staff will be at either end of the work area to monitor the temporary closure. thank you! tomorrow, april 19th work will continue on the installation of a new water line to the adair village area. this work may take several weeks and will impact forest access at the adair/540 gate, the 547 gate, and a portion of the 540 547 trail. starting tuesday, 4/19, the adair/540 gate access and parking lot, 547 gate, and a portion of the 540 547 trail will be closed to the public until further notice. we will send out forest updates to notify you of the closures and corresponding re openings. signs will also be posted on site. the dunn forest spring turkey hunt opens tomorrow, friday april 15th and will last through may 31st. the hunts are walk in (no motorized vehicles) and hunters may use a shotgun or bow to hunt turkey with a visible beard. you may or may not see hunters while you are out on the dunn forest over the next month. here are some tips on staying safe during hunting season. here is a map of the area where hunting is allowed. click here to learn more about hunts offered on the dunn forest. spring herbicide application complete spring herbicide applications on harvest units in the mcdonald dunn are now complete. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. for more information and for a map of spray locations, click here. signs placed throughout the forest will remain in place for one week. adair water line work update: 540 gate parking area open this weekend the adair/540 gate parking area is open to the public today and through the weekend. the next set of closures may begin as early as monday, april 11th. herbicide spray occurring today and tomorrow (weather permitting) the spring herbicide application commenced today, april 7th, and will likely last through tomorrow, april 8th (weather permitting). during application, staff will be at roads and official trails leading into spray areas to keep people away. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. for more information and for a map of spray locations, click here. beginning april 6th, work will begin on the installation of a new water line to the adair village area. this work may take several weeks and will impact forest access at the adair/540 gate, the 547 gate, and a portion of the 540 547 trail. tomorrow, april 6th, the adair/540 gate access area and parking lot will be closed to the public for site prep and tree pruning. the closure is anticipated to last through thursday, april 7th. the next set of closures is slated to begin the week of april 11th. we will send out forest updates to notify you of the closures and corresponding re openings. signs and barricades will also be posted on site. thank you! the osu research forests plan to spray mcdonald dunn harvest units as early as monday, april 4, 2022. the exact dates are dependent on weather conditions and contractor availability. we will spray all treatment units on the mcdonald and dunn forests using backpack sprayers. spray targets vegetation only (not road or trail surfaces). during application, staff will be at roads and official trails leading into spray areas to keep people away. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. signs will have the date of application, name of the chemical used, and the industrial re entry interval posted at entry points into each treatment area. signs will remain in place for one week. the purpose of herbicide applications is to control the growth of non native plant species and competing vegetation in recently harvested areas. all herbicide applications are conducted in compliance with state and federal regulations and under a licensed pesticide applicator's supervision. click here for a map of the spray locations throughout the mcdonald dunn forests tomorrow, saturday march 12th at 1pm, the osu forestry club logging sports team will host an inter club competition at the logging sports arena in peavy arboretum. this event will take place rain or shine. the public is welcome to watch. hike up to the logging sports arena, located next to cronemiller lake. events include choker setting, axe throwing, burling, horizontal chop, double bucking, and single bucking. for more information, contact maddie thompson. tomorrow, saturday march 12th at 1pm, the osu forestry club logging sports team will host an inter club competition at the logging sports arena in peavy arboretum. this event will take place rain or shine. the public is welcome to watch. hike up to the logging sports arena, located next to cronemiller lake. events include choker setting, axe throwing, burling, horizontal chop, double bucking, and single bucking. for more information, contact maddie thompson. heads up about a couple of upcoming events on the mcdonald dunn forest: thursday, march 3rd, the osu army rotc will be using the dunn forest for field training exercises. the group will be accessing the dunn from the 100 gate. saturday, march 5th is the mcdonald forest 5k/15k. expect to see race participants, volunteers, and administrative vehicles in peavy arboretum and throughout the mcdonald forest on this day. on saturday, february 19th, the osu army rotc will be using the dunn forest for field training exercises. the group will be accessing the dunn from the 100 gate. the training will cover tactics in timeline management, route planning, and army leadership dimensions to accomplish the rotc training objectives. note that field trainings on research forest property do not involve firearms. heads up! tomorrow morning, january 25th, arborists are scheduled to trim an oak tree that overhangs the oak creek lab of the biology chem lab building (on the west side of oak creek dr). the tree work will not involve any road closures, but you can expect reduced parking. spring turkey hunt application open applications for the spring turkey hunt are now open through january 31st! visit our hunt information webpage to apply and for more info. any legal weapon controlled 218a n alsea unit elk hunt now active the any legal weapon controlled 218a n alsea unit elk hunt is now active and will last until march 31st. here are some tips from the usda forest service on hunting safety for hunters and other recreators. here is a map of the area where hunting is allowed. the recent snow and rain brought down many trees and branches throughout the mcdonald and dunn forests. we plan to address as much as we can as soon as possible, but it may take several days into the new year until everything is cleared. in the meantime, please be extra cautious and safe while using the trails and roads. help be our eyes and ears! if you encounter downed trees or other hazards while on the forest, please… thank you! contractors finished the pre commercial thinning chainsaw work near the lewisburg saddle area. enjoy! osu research forests will be doing pre commercial thinning (pct) work in the lewisburg saddle area along vineyard mountain trail and parts of the 500 road beginning as early as tomorrow, 12/14 or wednesday, 12/15. contractors will use chainsaws to cut small diameter trees to provide more growing space for others and will leave the cut trees on the ground to decompose. this operation should not involve any long term closures, but you may hear or encounter chainsaw work. on nov. 30, the benton county board of commissioners lifted its county wide outdoor face covering requirement, bringing the county into alignment with the updated oregon administrative rule (oar) 333 019 1025 now in effect statewide. as a result, effective dec. 1, face coverings are no longer required on osu research forest property. we still encourage you to practice physical distancing when possible. please continue to adhere to the statewide indoor face covering requirements and the oregon health authority’s public health recommendations for face coverings. salvage operations near the 700/720 gates are complete. the 700 and 720 gate access points are now open for your use and enjoyment. the osu research forests completed road grading and the 500 and 600 roads are now open for public use. however, please note that workers will still be in the area for compactive rolling on the 500 road throughout the week. for your safety and the safety of our contractors, always remember to yield to construction traffic. the 700/720 access area continues to be closed for salvage operations. the 600 road is now open! a portion of the 500 road is still closed for road grading. we anticipate the 500 road closure lasting until saturday, and will send an update as soon as it is lifted. the 700/720 gate access area remains closed for salvage operations. thank you! lots of activity on the research forests this week   thank you for your compliance and understanding. beginning tomorrow morning, november 10, 2021, portions of the 500 and 600 roads will be graded and temporarily closed to the public. we anticipate this work may take up to two days to complete. we will send out a forest update when the closures are lifted. please click this link to see a visual of the closure points and how they may impact your visit. storms throughout 2021 brought down a number of trees across the forest. the osu research forests are currently salvaging and removing these trees across much of the mcdonald forest. due to the scattered and rolling nature of the salvage locations, the interactive web map will not be able to show closure sites. instead, closure notices will be placed on site. we will do our best to let you know of closures, but due to the variability in closure duration, location, and contractor availability, we may not be able to send out notices for each operation. currently, the 700/720 gate access area is closed for salvage operations. we anticipate the closure lasting through the week. we will send out a forest update when the closure is lifted. thank you! heads up that osu research forests will be conducting pile burning at the davie crockett 2 harvest unit today, november 8, 2021. these efforts do not involve any public closures, but please stay safe by remaining on designated roads and trails. you can expect some smoke in the immediate area. here is an image of the davie crockett 2 harvest unit. thank you! october showers bring... muddy trails! reminder that seasonal closures for bikes and horses will go into effect beginning monday, november 1 through april 14, 2022. during this time, calloway creek trail and intensive management trail will be open to foot traffic only. and remember, "if it leaves a track, time to turn back!" please be a trail steward and do not use a trail when travel results in leaving a track in the mud or when there is significant standing water on the trail. this is especially important for our natural surface trails such as play time, high horse, and bombs away. we'll be posting these guidelines about muddy trail use on all forest kiosks. help us spread the word to fellow visitors. thank you for using our trails responsibly and honoring the efforts of our awesome volunteers and staff! the national weather service recently announced a wind advisory notice for much of the willamette valley beginning tomorrow, 10/24 at 8am and lasting into early monday morning. gusts may reach 40 mph. for your safety, we encourage you to please stay out of the forest while these high winds are in effect. research forest staff plan to assess the forest for blow down throughout next week. thank you! heads up! the osu research forests are beginning slash pile burning on the mcdonald and dunn forests. select ‘slash’, tree branches, tops, and unmerchantable portions of tree stems, have been gathered into piles for burning. some slash and coarse woody debris are also scattered throughout the harvest area for retention. piles are ignited during the fall and winter rainy seasons   typically october, november, and december. piles are ignited during specific weather windows and under the approval of local fire and smoke managers. piles typically burn down to the ground in one day but will smolder for several weeks. progress of this prescribed burning will be monitored by research forests staff. slash pile burning is a cost effective way to perform wildfire hazard mitigation, reduce fuel loading, and prepare sites for tree planting. the main parking lot at lewisburg saddle will be closed from 11am to 4pm tomorrow, october 19th for thermoplastic pavement marking. during the temporary closure, you are welcome to park in the adjacent overflow parking lot a few hundred yards to the north. thank you! harvest operations for the bingo 600 harvest unit are complete and closures have been lifted. some road work still needs to be completed, so please use caution and watch for uneven terrain. we always encourage you to ‘know before you go’. check out real time harvest updates with our interactive harvest closure map. heads up! the dunn forest general any legal weapon deer hunt begins saturday, october 2nd. this hunt will last until november 5th with an extended youth weekend occurring on november 6th and 7th. you may or may not see hunters while you are out on the dunn forest over the next month. check out our recent newsletter article on hunter and non hunter safety during hunting season. here is a map of the area where hunting is allowed. click to learn more about hunts offered on the dunn forest. and a couple quick notes about dunn forest parking: happy october. starting thursday, september, 16th, the research forests will begin road right of way (row) felling preparations for a 2022 harvest unit located at the end of the 800 road. this work will not involve any road or trail closures at this time, but you can expect daily traffic on the 800 road system. for your and everyone’s safety, please yield to vehicular traffic. following this work, we will begin construction and rocking of the new road. a new forest update will be sent out when those efforts commence. thank you! heads up! the deer/elk bow hunt on the dunn forest begins tomorrow, 8/28, and lasts until 9/26. the hunt picks up again from 11/20 12/12/2021. out of the 107 people who applied, 50 individuals were randomly selected and received a letter in the mail allowing access to the dunn forest for walk in hunting. hunters may only use a bow to hunt buck deer or bull elk. you may or may not see hunters while you are out on the dunn forest over the next month. here are some tips from the usda forest service on hunting safety for hunters and other visitors. here is a map of the area where hunting is allowed. click here to learn more about hunts offered on the dunn forest. 40 oak project and big easy harvests are complete and closures have been lifted. some road work still needs to be completed, so please use caution and watch for uneven terrain. we always encourage you to ‘know before you go'; check out real time harvest updates with our interactive harvest closure map. at this time, the bingo 600 harvest is the only active harvest on the mcdonald dunn forest. for more information about benton county mask mandates, please click on the links below: https://www.co.benton.or.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/board_of_commissioners_office/page/7641/d2021 063_face coverings_requirement.pdf https://www.co.benton.or.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/board_of_commissioners_office/page/7641/order_d2021 063_guidance_2021817.pdf thank you for your compliance and understanding! 540 oak project harvest starts tomorrow 8/4 approximate closure duration: 6 weeksclosed roads: portions of 540closed trails: calloway 540/547 connector trail, portions of calloway creek trail, no calloway cr. hiking loop access. no equestrian access from the 547 to the 540 road.haul routes: 540 road 540 gate, highway 99wdetours: 540 547 connector trail, portions of calloway creek trailsize: 15 ac harvest method: cut to length: ground based harvester/forwarderprescription: oak restoration: removal of younger conifers and retention of oaks, ash, and older conifersreason for harvest: many trees in this stand are dead and dying from drought, pose safety risks along roads and trails and increased fire danger. older oaks and ash in this stand are being out competed by younger conifers. this restoration will remove competition, allowing the oak, ash, and older conifer trees to survive. the area will also serve as a fuel break for the calloway creek neighborhood (to the east) and demonstrate an oak/ash restoration project in the willamette valley. an interpretive display is planned.stand age: 31 80additional considerations: harvest is being designed to minimize visual impacts from the trail.consistent w/ forest plan? yes. the oaks in this area were identified as a high priority for release in the 2008 legacy oak task force report. click here for a map of the 540 oak project harvest area information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about forest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest interactive webmap or contact us with questions. other harvest information: the dunn 100 cc & dunn 190 cc have been completed and all closures have been lifted. approximate closure duration: 2 monthsclosed roads: portions of 600, 620 and 640. all of 630.closed trails: nonehaul routes: 600 road  lewisburg saddledetours: ridge trail   bomb's awaysize: 72 acres harvest method: harvester/forwarderprescription: commercial thinning of dead, diseased and suppressed trees. spacing will be variablereason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 34additional considerations: a 400 foot strip below 600 road will be thinned to a wider spacing to reduce crown fuels and improve fire resistance.consistent w/ forest plan? yes. click here for a map of the bingo 600 harvest area forest update 8/3/21 harvest operations for the dunn 100 and dunn 190 units are complete. some road work still needs to be completed, so please use caution and watch for uneven terrain. we always encourage you to ‘know before you go’   check out real time harvest updates with our interactive harvest closure map. thank you! unfortunately we learned about two car break ins over the weekend: one near lewisburg saddle and the other at oak creek. the best way to avoid a smash and grab is to: 1. leave your valuables at home, and 2. carry your phone, wallet, and keys with you when you leave your vehicle, and 3. remove any temptation to smash the windows (e.g., empty duffle bags, backpacks, etc.), and4. lock your doors and, if possible, arm your vehicle's security system we also encourage you to be mindful of your surroundings! before you leave the parking lot, consider photographing or videotaping the other cars and license plates present. this evidence may come in handy in an investigation. this behavior could also deter a thief lying in wait. don't just cover up your valuables with a jacket or blanket. commonly stolen items include gps devices, radios, bags and purses, phones, keys, wallets, and even loose change. information provided by benton county sherriff's office. please call bcso if you see suspicious activity: 541 766 6858 the big easy harvest begins tomorrow, 7/22 on the dunn forest. this harvest does not involve any road or trail closures. approximate closure duration: 2 monthsclosed roads: noneclosed trails: nonehaul routes: tampico roaddetours: nonesize: 18.6 ac harvest method: ground based harvestingprescription: regeneration harvest with structural retention (8 trees/acre retained as individuals and in clumped patterns).reason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 78additional considerations: approximately 8 trees per acre have been designated for retention, exceeding requirements of the oregon forest practices act (fpa) by 139 trees.consistent w/ forest plan? yes click here for a map of the harvest area the blitz 210 harvest on the dunn forest is now complete. harvest operations for the rocky road unit are complete. some road work still needs to be completed, so please use caution and watch for uneven terrain. we always encourage you to ‘know before you go’   check out real time harvest updates with our interactive harvest closure map. thank you! it is officially fire season. please be smart and safe this 4th of july weekend. remember that osu research forests prohibits the following activities on all roads, trails, parking areas, and lands:   no smoking or vaping (even in parking areas and parked cars!)   no campfires or party fires   no fireworks, sparklers, or anything that produces a flame   no use of spark producing devices (e.g., chainsaws, mowers, weed eaters, and motor vehicles) if you see a fire while out on the forest, call 911! thank you for complying and helping to be our eyes and ears so we can keep our forests and communities safe for everyone. deer and elk hunt applications open now through 7/31applications for the 2021 dunn forest deer/elk archery hunt, general any legal weapon deer hunt, and archery controlled 218r alsea unit elk hunt will be accepted between july 1 july, 31, 2021. visit our hunt information page for more information and to apply! vineyard mountain trail fully openwe completed restoration work and the vineyard mountain trail is now fully open for your enjoyment. have fun! davie crockett 2 & davie crockett 3 harvests completed the davie crockett 2 & 3 harvests are complete. please continue to use caution and watch for uneven terrain. note that a small section of the vineyard mountain trail is currently closed for restoration work. you can use the 5010 road as a detour. click here to view the trail closure section and detour. this closure is not indicated on the interactive harvest web map. excessive heat warning: use extreme caution on the forest this weekend please keep yourself and the forests safe during the upcoming extreme heat event. wildfire risk:remember: smoking, open flame, and motorized recreation are prohibited on the research forests. learn more about fire safety and prevention here. your safety:extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. cooling centers will be available for community members throughout the region. click these links for cooling resources in benton county, and greater willamette valley. we placed bright stickers on signs at trailheads   these stickers contain specific information about the herbicide application and will remain in place for one week. remember that harvest closures remain in effect. visit our interactive web map to see updates of current harvest operations. enjoy the forest and stay cool this weekend! click here for tips and reminders about staying safe in hot weather. the northern portion of the mcdonald forest (from lewisburg saddle to peavy arboretum) and elizabeth starker cameron tract are now open to public. the southern portion of the mcdonald forest (from lewisburg saddle to oak creek) and dunn forest remain closed as roadside herbicide application continues. please see bright stickers posted on signs at trailheads for specific information about the herbicide application. click here for a map of current closure and re opening locations*. *please note that harvest closures remain in effect. visit our interactive web map to see updates of current harvest operations. thank you for your cooperation! heads up that the dunn 100 harvest will begin tomorrow, june 22nd. approximate closure duration: 1 monthclosed roads: portions of the 100 roadclosed trails: nonehaul routes: 100 road to 100 gatedetours: nonesize: 4.9 acres harvest method: ground based harvester/forwarderprescription: regeneration harvest with structural retention (4 trees/acre retained as individuals and in a clumped pattern).reason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 75additional considerations: approximately 4 trees per acre have been designated for retention, exceeding requirements of the oregon forest practices act (fpa) by 37 trees.consistent w/ forest plan? yes view map of the closure area the osu research forests will be spraying all roads, roadside ditches, and cut banks on the mcdonald, dunn, and cameron forests. these forests are planned to be closed to the public from june 21 23, 2021. the timing of the closure is subject to change, depending on contractor availability and weather conditions. as work locations will vary throughout the closure, we hope to open segments of the forest to public use as we complete work. we will post signs at each forest gate announcing the upcoming application. on the day of application, we will add the chemical name and its date of application. the herbicide application operation will consist of a pilot vehicle, a truck spraying chemical, and a chase vehicle. roadside spraying occurs once every two years to help control the spread of invasive weeds and to protect the integrity of the road bed and ditches. if you have any questions about roadside spraying on the osu research forests, please contact us. if you have any questions regarding specific chemicals, please contact the national pesticide information center at 1 800 858 7378 or via email. 190 dunn cc harvest information approximate closure duration: 1 month closed roads: 190 road closed trails: none haul routes: 100 road to 100 gate detours: none size: 9.4 acres harvest method: ground based harvesting prescription: regeneration harvest with structural retention (4 trees/acre retained as individuals and in a clumped pattern). reason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry. stand age: 77 additional considerations: approximately 4 trees per acre have been designated for retention, exceeding requirements of the oregon forest practices act (fpa) by 37 trees. consistent w/ forest plan? yes view map of closure area davie crockett 2 harvest information: approximate closure duration: 1 monthclosed roads: portion of 500 road, all of 5010 roadclosed trails: portions of vineyard mountain trailhaul routes: 500 road to lewisburg saddledetours: nonesize: 13.5 acres harvest method: ground based harvestingprescription: variable retention regeneration harvestreason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 74additional considerations: approximately 8 trees per acre have been designated for retention.consistent w/ forest plan? yes view map of davie crockett 2 closure area you can also check out our interactive harvest webmap for regularly updated closure and harvest information so you can plan a safe and informed visit. information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about forest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest closures interactive webmap and contact us with questions. rocky road and blitz 210 harvests will begin tomorrow, june 8 rocky road harvest information: approximate closure duration: 1 month closed roads: 1020, portions of 100 roadclosed trails: nonehaul routes: 100 road to 100 gatedetours: nonesize: 4.9 acres harvest method: ground based harvestingprescription: regeneration harvest with structural retention (3 trees/acre retained as individuals and in a clumped pattern).reason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 85additional considerations: approximately 3 trees per acre have been designated for retention, exceeding requirements of the oregon forest practices act (fpa) by 13 trees.consistent w/ forest plan?: yes. view map of rocky road closure area blitz 210 harvest information:approximate closure duration: 2 monthsclosed roads: 210 roadclosed trails: nonehaul routes: 200 road  200 gatedetours: nonesize: 32 acres harvest method: ground based harvestingprescription: regeneration harvest with structural retention (3.6 trees/acre retained as individuals and in a clumped pattern).reason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 80additional considerations: approximately 4 trees per acre have been designated for retention, exceeding requirements of the oregon forest practices act (fpa) by 53 trees.consistent w/ forest plan?: yes. view map of blitz 210 closure area hammerhead harvest hammerhead harvest will be completed tomorrow, june 8th. please note that road work still needs to be completed, so please use caution and watch for uneven terrain you can also check out our interactive harvest webmap for regularly updated closure and harvest information so you can plan a safe and informed visit. information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about forest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest closures interactive webmap and contact us with questions. forest update: 06/01/2021 summer herbicide applicationthe summer herbicide application will likely occur tomorrow, wednesday, june 2nd and thursday, june 3rd this week (weather depending). during application, staff will be at roads and official trails leading into spray areas to keep people away. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. for more information and for a map of spray locations click here. davie crockett 3 harvest informationthe davie crockett 3 harvest will begin tomorrow, june 2. approximate closure duration: 1 monthclosed roads: portion of 500 road, 5020 roadclosed trails: nonehaul routes: 500 road to lewisburg saddledetours: dave's trailsize: 9.2 acresharvest method: ground based harvestingprescription: regeneration harvest with structural retention (4 trees/acre retained as individuals and in a clumped pattern).reason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry.stand age: 85additional considerations: approximately 4 trees per acre have been designated for retention for wildlife and aesthetic purposes, exceeding requirements of the oregon forest practices act (fpa) by 34 trees.consistent w/ forest plan? yes view map of davie crockett 3 closure area you can also check out our interactive harvest webmap for regularly updated closure and harvest information so you can plan a safe and informed visit. information about forest closures is located at key access points, and closures are clearly marked on site. for more information about forest closures and forest management activities, please visit our harvest closures interactive webmap and contact us with questions. it certainly has been a tough year. we extend a big thank you to all of you for following our mask and physical distancing guidelines. by doing so, you have played a crucial role in making the research forests a safe, accessible, and healthy outlet for all of us during this turbulent pandemic. due to the recent updated guidelines issued by oregon health authority (oha) and the updates to the osu policy on face covering and physical distancing, we are happy to announce that face coverings are no longer required outdoors on research forest property. however, if the outdoor setting is crowded, or physical distancing cannot be maintained, then you need to continue to wear your mask. the research forest will continue to comply with all oha and osu guidelines. we will keep you informed if any of these policies change and how that may affect your visit to the forest. stay safe out there friends   and enjoy the sunny weather ahead! the osu research forests will conduct an herbicide application as early as tuesday, june 1, 2021*. exact dates are dependent on weather conditions and contractor availability. click here to view a map of the spray locations. we will spray all treatment units on the mcdonald and dunn forests using backpack sprayers. spray targets vegetation only (not road or trail surfaces). during application, staff will be at roads and official trails leading into spray areas to keep people away. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. signs will have the date of application, name of the chemical used, and the industrial re entry interval posted at entry points into each treatment area. signs will remain in place for one week. the purpose of the herbicide application is to control the growth of non native plant species and competing vegetation in recently harvested areas. all herbicide applications are conducted in compliance with state and federal regulations and under a licensed pesticide applicator's supervision. **two small spot spray treatments will occur at the society of american foresters tree farm (520 road) and woodlot (524 road). these sprays may be conducted as early as may 29th. note that these locations are not indicated on the full scale map. signage will be posted on site. starting monday, may 24th, arborists will be removing trees near the oak creek biology field office. please be aware of contractor equipment and crews in the oak creek trailhead parking area. no closures are planned for this operation. however, during tree felling operations you may encounter traffic control and flaggers in the area. these activities are planned to begin monday, may 24th at 8:00am and are scheduled for the entire week. heads up! this thursday, may 20th, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. the osu army rotc will be using the dunn forest for field training exercises. the group will be accessing the dunn from the 100 gate. the training event aims to put land navigation theory into practice in the outdoors. students will be using a map and compass and travel dismounted through areas in the dunn forest to find specific points. note that fielding trainings on research forest property do not involve firearms. 05/04/2021 harvest operations for cross ctl are complete and visitors can use the 6021 roads on the mcdonald forest. please note that road work still needs to be completed, so please use caution and watch for uneven terrain. we encourage you to ‘know before you go’   check out real time harvest updates with our interactive harvest closure map. have a great weekend! parking at the 200 gate on the dunn forest is closed to the public until further notice. this closure is needed to allow space for hauling long (100+ feet) transmission poles for the active hammerhead harvest operation. thank you for staying safe and complying with these harvest closures! check out our interactive harvest web map for updated closure information. the mcdonald forest 50k trail run is happening this saturday, 5/8/2021, throughout the mcdonald forest. start and finish lines will be at the forestry club cabin in peavy arboretum, but the course extends throughout the forest. expect to see contact less aid stations, course markings, administrative traffic, and runners while out on the forest on saturday. runners and event organizers will do their part to ensure the event is safe for everyone. all participants will be required to wear masks when within 6 feet of one another and will comply with all applicable oregon health authority (oha) sector guidelines. please visit the mac50k website for more information. hammerhead harvest on the dunn beginning thursday 4/29 approximate closure duration: 2 months closed roads: 260 & 320 roads closed trails: none haul routes: 200 road  200 gate & 300 road 300 gate detours: none size: 32.5 acres harvest method: ground based harvesting prescription: regeneration harvest with structural retention (4 trees/acre retained as individuals and in a clumped pattern). reason for harvest: this timber harvest contributes to the overall sustainable harvest goal. revenue supports research forests operations and teaching and research within the college of forestry. stand age: 77 additional considerations: approximately 4 trees per acre have been designated for retention, exceeding requirements of the oregon forest practices act (fpa) by 53 trees. consistent w/ forest plan? yes. view map of hammerhead harvest closure area dunn forest salvage information winter storms brought down a number of trees across the forest. the research forests will begin some of the salvaging operations on the dunn forest this thursday 4/29/2021. due to the scattered nature of the salvage, the interactive web map will not be able show these closure locations. these will be 'floating closures' with closure notices placed onsite   moving to capture the closed areas with the least impact to the public. visit our virtual harvest tour for more information about the mcdonald and dunn salvage operations. note: there will be reduced parking at oak creek trailhead on wednesday 04/28 approximate closure duration: 6 weeks closed roads: 6021.1, 6021.3, portions of 6021 closed trails: no authorized trails will be affected; all unauthorized trails leading into the harvest area will be closed; neighborhood access will be closed haul routes: 6021 to 600 road detours: none size: 15.1 ac harvest method: cut to length: ground based harvester/forwarder prescription: commercial thinning (several small entries totaling 15.1 acres) reason for harvest: remove slow growing, diseased, and suppressed trees to allow continued growth of remaining conifers. harvest designed to maintain long term urban fringe research project prescription stand age: 32 additional considerations: none consistent w/ mcdonald dunn forest plan? yes view map of closure area 4/22/2021 we are in cougar country! within the past two weeks we have received three reports of cougar sightings within the mcdonald forest. despite how elusive these large cats can be, cougar sightings are incredibly common in the research forests, especially in late spring and summer when one to two year old cougars become independent of their mothers. cougars are most active at dusk and dawn but can roam and hunt throughout the day or night in all seasons. adult male cougars can have ranges up to 150 square miles; just because a cougar was sighted in one area doesn’t mean it will hang around there for long. on this earth day we wanted to send out a special forest update to provide helpful tips and information for recreating and living in cougar country. recreating tips: encounter tips: distinguishing between cougar tracks and dog tracks: reporting a cougar encounter: report any cougar sighting or encounter to our local oregon department of fish and wildlife office (odfw) (541) 757 4186. if you can, provide odfw with information about where and when the encounter took place, the circumstances of the encounter (how did the cougar behave, what were you doing when you saw the cougar), and a way for them to contact you for more information. here is a link to an excellent brochure that contains these guidelines for living in cougar country. guidelines for living with cougars stay safe out there! we are fortunate to live, work, and play among these majestic creatures who also consider these forests their home. (photo and tracks courtesy of oregon department of fish and wildlife) due to the on going nature of covid 19, this year the osu research forests created a virtual tour of the upcoming 2021 mcdonald dunn timber harvests. the purpose of these tours is to give you an opportunity to view our upcoming timber harvest units and provide us with comments and/or questions. click here to see the tour. after viewing the tour, please submit your questions or comments to our contact us page. to stay up to date with harvests and their corresponding road and trail closures check out our interactive harvest web map. this web map is updated regularly so you can plan a safe and informed visit to the forest. we also prepared this harvest schedule table which you can download and print. this table also includes all of the harvest details as well as maps denoting harvest locations. 4/19/2021 oak creek closure tomorrow, april 20thfriendly reminder! consumers power is removing hazard trees this week. the oak creek trailhead and parking lot will be fully closed tomorrow, tuesday, april 20th. please avoid the area. herbicide application completedspring herbicide applications on harvest units were completed last week on thursday, april 15th and friday, april 16th. signs placed throughout the forest will remain in place for one week. 04/13/2021 oak creek road work and closure on april 20th heads up! consumers power will be felling hazard trees between april 19th and april 21st close to the entrance to the oak creek trail head. the oak creek trailhead and parking lot will be fully closed on tuesday, april 20th. the remaining days will have work crews and flaggers directing traffic. need help thinking of an alternative place to recreate? check out the right trail website   a comprehensive and interactive resource for trail locations and recreation options throughout the mid willamette valley. herbicide application this week, weather permitting the spring herbicide application will likely occur on thursday, april 15th and friday april 16th this week (weather depending). during application, staff will be at roads and official trails leading into spray areas to keep people away. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. for more information and for a map of spray locations, click here. opening 810 road and alpha trail the student logging operation is postponing operations for the summer. that means the 810 and 830 roads and the alpha trail are open for public use. as a reminder, post harvest road work has yet to be completed. please be cautious when recreating on the forest roads and watch for uneven terrain. spring turkey hunt opening on the dunn the spring turkey hunt will be occurring on the dunn forest starting this thursday, april 15th and lasting through may 31st. the hunts are walk in (no motorized vehicles) and hunters may use a shotgun or bow to hunt turkey with a visible beard. you may or may not see hunters while you are out on the dunn forest over the next month. here are some tips from the us fish and wildlife service on hunting safety for hunters and other recreators. here is a map of the area where hunting is allowed. click here to learn more about hunts offered on the dunn forest. 04/06/2021 the osu research forests plan to spray harvest units as early as monday, april 12, 2021. exact dates are dependent on weather conditions and contractor availability. we will spray all treatment units on the mcdonald and dunn forests using backpack sprayers. spray targets vegetation only (not road or trail surfaces). during application, staff will be at roads and official trails leading into spray areas to keep people away. please see the on site signs for re entry times associated with each chemical. signs will have the date of application, name of the chemical used, and the industrial re entry interval posted at entry points into each treatment area. signs will remain in place for one week. the purpose of herbicide applications is to control the growth of non native plant species and competing vegetation in recently harvested areas. all herbicide applications are conducted in compliance with state and federal regulations and under a licensed pesticide applicator's supervision. click here for a map of the spray locations throughout the mcdonald dunn forests 3/30/2021 these sunny spring days means more and more of us are seeking outdoor opportunities! however, while enjoying the forests, you may continue to encounter downed trees on roads and trails. we wanted to use this forest update to share our strategy for prioritizing and clearing roads. in general, we prioritize all roads that end with 00 (e.g., 500, 700 roads, etc.). these roads are our mainline arteries through the forest. then we drop down to the roads ending in tens (e.g., 510, 840 roads, etc.)    then we address roads ending in single digits (e.g., 514, 681 roads, etc.) these aren’t hard and fast rules; sometimes we make efficiency calls if we are close to a mainline and it would take more time to return to the location than clear the downed tree. confused by all these road names? click here for a map of the mcdonald dunn. another big priority is clearing roads that need to be used for management and research activities, such as an upcoming herbicide spray, planting, or harvest. and some areas may need to wait for drier weather. for example, some of our natural surface roads are wet and muddy, so it’ll be safer and more efficient to wait for them to dry out. most importantly, as a forest visitor we ask you to never cut standing or down trees to help clear the roads and trails. we often try to salvage the downed timber and rogue cutting has the potential to compromise the value of the timber. instead please report the downed tree: we promise to address reported trees as soon as we can   especially once we consider it within our prioritized downed tree list and other work responsibilities. thank you for helping to be our eyes and ears on the forest. happy trails (and roads)! 218a ne alsea controlled elk hunt active through march 31st on the dunn forest the 218a ne alsea controlled elk hunt is occurring on the dunn forest. all hunters were sent a permission letter in the mail, granting them access to the dunn forest for walk in hunting. hunters may use a rifle or bow, and are hunting for antlerless elk (cows). you may or may not see hunters while you are out on the dunn forest over the next month. here are some tips from the usda forest service on hunting safety for hunters and other recreators. here is a map of the area where hunting is allowed, for your reference. 03/10/2021 03/05/2021 heads up! this saturday, march 6th, from 5:30am to 6:00pm, the osu army rotc will be using the dunn forest for field training exercises. they will be accessing the dunn from the 100 gate. the exercises will include route planning, timeline management, and leadership development. field trainings on research forest property never involve gunfire or firearms. 02/13/2021 last night's rain and ice storm brought down many trees and branches throughout the research forests. if you're planning to recreate this weekend, please be extra cautious and safe while using the trails. 02/10/2021 heads up! the oregon state university army rotc will be conducting field training on the dunn forest near the 100 gate. training events will take place on thursday, february 11 from 2 to 5 p.m. and saturday, february 20 from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. this morning forest crews got to work removing the large hazard tree located on the forest discovery trail. after many tense moments crews were able to successfully get the tree on the ground. we are happy to announce that the forest discovery trail in now open for your hiking enjoyment. beginning on jan. 21, 2021, the forest discovery trail will be closed for safety reasons. last week's storm brought significant winds to the area and, as a result, brought down lots of trees and significantly damaged others. one of the damaged trees currently hangs over the trail, is severely decayed, and can fall at any time. due to the amount of decay, forest staff cannot safely remove the hazard at present but are working on a plan to remove it soon. https://cf.forestry.oregonstate.edu/file/450#overlay context=recreation/forest updates forest update: 12/30/2020 starting tomorrow 12/31/20 the 800 road and parking area will open for recreation use. however, please be advised that the 810, 830, and 620 roads and the alpha trail will remain closed as logging operations will be ongoing for the turkey run harvest unit . be advised that there will be haul trucks using the roads. https://cf.forestry.oregonstate.edu/harvest webmap forest update: weather alert meteorologists are forecasting an atmospheric river and high winds for saturday afternoon and evening going into sunday. high winds can snap or topple trees and break out tree limbs that can cause serious injury. we recommend that you stay out of the research forests until this weather event passes. be safe! https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=pqr&wwa=all posted 12/14/2020 crazy quilt pre commercial thinning starting 12/14 crazy quilt pct 2020 harvest informationapproximate closure duration: 3 4 daysclosed roads: noneclosed trails: nonehaul routes: nonesize: 24 acres, (6 patches, 4 acres each)harvest method: hand fellingsilvicultural prescription: pre commercial thinningreason for harvest: cutting of undesirable trees and allowing for continued growing of desirable trees. stand age: additional considerations:consistent w/ mcdonald dunn forest plan? yes view map of closure area. as we move in to the 2020 21 trail work season, the number of covid 19 cases statewide is spiking. in order to slow the numbers, governor kate brown announced a statewide two week “freeze” that will limit both indoor and outdoor social gatherings to six people, total, from no more than two households. in order for us to comply with this new mandate we will be cancelling the november 21st work party. we will attempt to reschedule for 3rd saturday in december. the osu research forests will begin slash pile burning on the mcdonald and dunn forests soon. select 'slash', tree branches, tops, and unmerchantable portions of tree stems, have been gathered into piles for burning. some slash and coarse woody debris are also scattered throughout the harvest area for retention. pile ignition occurs during the fall and winter rainy seasons   typically october through january. the work happens during specific weather windows to reduce smoke intrusions into neighborhoods. the research forests perform this work with local fire and smoke managers' approval. piles typically burn down to the ground in one day, but some piles may smolder for days to a few weeks. research forests staff will monitor the progress of this prescribed burning. slash pile burning is a cost effective way to perform wildfire hazard mitigation, reduce fuel loading, and prepare sites for tree planting. posted 11/06/2020 600 road closures lifted harvest operations for bingo vrrh are complete and visitors are welcome to use the 600 road to access dimple hill please be aware that road work remains to be completed, though no closures are anticipated for these activities. view these updates on our harvest closures map. seasonal closures for bikes and horses will go into effect beginning sunday, november 1, through april 14, 2021. calloway creek trail and intensive management trail will be open to foot traffic only. also, remember the use of any trail is not allowed when travel will result in leaving a track in the mud or when there is significant standing water on the trail. this is especially important for natural surface trails such as play time, high horse, and bombs away. there was a cougar sighting on monday afternoon near the 560 road and powder house trail intersection. please keep cougar safety in mind when recreating on the mcdonald and dunn forests. if you encounter a cougar: report any cougar sightings or encounters to odfw: (541) 757 4186 posted 10/23/2020 cameron road closures lifted harvest operations for cameron ctl are complete and visitors are welcome to use the c100 road on the cameron forest. please be aware that road work remains to be completed, though no closures are anticipated for these activities. posted 10/21/2020 bingo vrrh harvest starting wednesday, 10/22 bingo vrrh harvest informationapproximate closure duration: 3 weeksclosed roads: portions of the 600, 630, and 640 roadsclosed trails: none. enjoy the new bombs away trail as a detour around the harvest closure.haul routes: 600 road to lewisburg saddle.detours: bombs away trailsize: 8.7 acharvest method: ground basedprescription: variable retention regeneration harvest (vrrh): approximately 11.5 trees/acre retained in a variable retention pattern. replanting planned for 2022 with a mix of tree species (demonstration). reason for harvest: many trees in the stand are dead or dying from ice storm damage, drought, or insects, posing safety risks along roads and trails and increasing fuel loads. variable retention regeneration harvest vrrh allows managers to remove declining trees while retaining structural diversity, part of the forest theme for this area. this exposed ridgetop will be replanted with a mix of resilient species.stand age: 73   75 additional considerations: approximately 11.5 trees per acre will be left in the stand, exceeding requirements of oregon forest practices act (fpa). harvest was designed with uneven boundaries, carefully placed trees within the unit, and trees left along the roadside to retain shade and reduce impacts on aesthetics. consistent w/ mcdonald dunn forest plan? exception granted by the fec:https://www.forestry.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/fec meetings/fe... view map of closure area.  update  09.30.20 herbicide treatments are completed and peavy arboretum is now open. the osu research forests also applied herbicides along the highway 99 powerline right of way. all herbicide treatments were applied using backpack sprayers to target invasive plants. signs are posted at the treatment units and contain the application time, herbicide active ingredients, and re entry interval. signs will remain in place for one week.  update  09.29.20 peavy arboretum will be closed tomorrow, september 30, 2020, for herbicide treatments to control the following invasive plants: himalayan blackberry, scotch broom, english hawthorn, and periwinkle. the osu research forests will also treat invasive plants in the highway 99 powerline right of way. this will be a spot treatment conducted with backpack sprayers. signs posted at the treatment units will contain the application time, herbicide active ingredients, and re entry interval. the osu research forests plan to spray for invasive plant species, such as himalayan blackberry, along the highway 99 power line right of way and in peavy arboretum the week of september 28, 2020. all treatment units will be sprayed using backpack sprayers. spray targets vegetation only (not road or trail surfaces). during application, staff will be positioned at roads and official trails leading into spray areas to keep people away. peavy arboretum will be closed for 24 hours after the treatment. date of application, name of the herbicide active ingredient, and the industrial re entry interval will be written on signs posted at entry points into each treatment area. signs will remain in place for one week. this herbicide application will be conducted in compliance with state and federal regulations and under the supervision of a licensed pesticide applicator. view notices the oregon state university research forests will be open for all uses beginning on friday, sept. 18, at 1:00 p.m. as the industrial fire precaution level moves to level three. the current fire danger level is high, so please use the forests responsibly. with several lightning strikes in the research forests last night, please remember to call 911 immediately if you see a fire while out on the forest. we rely on our wonderful visitors to serve as eyes and ears to help us identify and address problems immediately. stay safe and well. the oregon department of forestry just upgraded the industrial fire precaution level to level 4   complete shutdown. the oregon state university mcdonald and dunn forests will remain closed to everyone and for all uses, including research, education, recreation, contractors, and harvest activities. the closure is necessary due to the current extreme fire conditions that are endangering life, forest resources, and property, as well as minimal fire and emergency response resources. we will provide an update when the status changes. stay safe. stay home. stay healthy. as hot and dry weather continues, the district forester has announced that regulated use fire risk in western oregon will be going to extreme on saturday, 9/5/20. please review the oregon department of forestry public use restrictions. keep these in mind as you use motorized equipment or recreate on any public or private lands. in addition to the restrictions described by odf through public regulated use, osu research forests prohibits the following activities on all roads, trails, parking areas and lands, year round: if you see a fire while out on the forest, call 911! we rely on our wonderful visitors to serve as eyes and ears to help us identify and address problems immediately. extreme fire danger sign cameron ctl 2020 harvest informationapproximate closure duration: 4 weeksclosed roads: c100 roadclosed trails: no authorized trails will be affected; all unauthorized trails leading into the harvest area will be closed.haul routes: soap creek rd.size: 5.2 ac harvest method: cut to length: ground based harvester/forwardersilvicultural prescription: commercial thinningreason for harvest: remove slow growing, diseased, and dying trees to allow continued growth of remaining conifers and to promote recovery of suppressed oaks while demonstrating thinning of small acreages for woodland owners.stand age: 44additional considerations: harvest is designed to enhance growth and recovery of suppressed oaks along the edge of the stand.consistent w/ mcdonald dunn forest plan? n/a   elizabeth starker cameron demonstration forest does not fall under 2005 mcdonald dunn forest plan. view map of closure area. this september, the osu research forests are introducing the forest discovery program. the program materials consist of the forest discovery brochure, which includes a kid friendly adventure map and nature scavenger hunt, and the forest discovery activity card sets that pair with seven activity stops along the trail! see what the forest discovery program is all about! update: industrial fire precaution level (ifpl) 3 goes into effect today (9/1/2020) in preparation for the wave of increased temperatures. the osu research forests are taking increased precautions to mitigate the high fire risk. please remain careful and vigilant! original message: beginning today (7/6/2020) the state forester with oregon department of forestry (odf) has declared fire season in effect at industrial fire precaution level (ifpl) 1 and the start of public regulated use. industrial fire precaution levels regulate how operations are conducted on forest lands protected by odf. osu research forests staff, researchers, and volunteers follow these regulations carefully to protect forest resources and neighboring properties. public regulated use describes restrictions to public use of lands protected by odf and all forest lands within one eighth of a mile. in addition to the restrictions described by odf through public regulated use, osu research forests prohibits the following activities on all roads, trails, parking areas and lands, year round: if you see a fire while out on the forest, call 911! we rely on our wonderful visitors to serve as eyes and ears to help us identify and address problems immediately. the deer/elk bow hunt will be occurring on the dunn forest from 8/29 9/27, and again from 11/21 12/13. out of the 104 people who applied, 50 were randomly selected and received a letter in the mail allowing them to access the dunn forest for walk in hunting. hunters may only use a bow to hunt buck deer or bull elk. you may or may not see hunters while you are out on the dunn forest over the next month. here are some tips from the usda forest service on hunting safety for hunters and other visitors. here is a map of the area where hunting is allowed, for your reference. click here to learn more about hunts offered on the dunn forest. update: sadly, two more car break ins were reported at lewisburg saddle on friday, 7/24. truly, our best advice is to leave your valuables at home. carry your phone, wallet, and keys with you when you leave your vehicle. before you leave the parking lot, consider photographing or videotaping the other cars and license plates present. this evidence may come in handy in an investigation. additionally, your behavior could deter a thief lying in wait. original message: another car break in was reported in peavy arboretum monday evening   following two similar incidents on 6/27 in the arboretum forest parking lot and on 6/29 at lewisburg saddle. the best ways to avoid a "smash and grab" are to1) leave your valuables at home, 2) put them in your trunk before you arrive at your destination, 3) take them with you when you leave your vehicle, and4) lock your doors and arm your car's security system. don't just cover up your valuables with a jacket or blanket. commonly stolen items include gps devices, radios, bags and purses, phones, keys, wallets, and even loose change. from benton county sherrif's office: don't be a car prowl victim. call bcso if you see suspicious activity: 541 766 6858 a cougar was spotted monday morning on the dunn 200 road. please keep cougar safety in mind when recreating on the mcdonald and dunn forests. if you encounter a cougar: report any cougar sightings or encounters to odfw: (541) 757 4186 yesterday governor brown implemented additional covid 19 safety precautions for the state of oregon, including the requirement of face coverings in outdoor spaces where you may come within six feet of a person not from your household. these requirements have been and will remain in place on the osu research forests. please continue to observe these rules to slow the spread of covid 19. stlp turkey run harvest informationapproximate closure duration: ongoingclosed roads: 810 rd, 811 rd, 830 rd, portions of 620 rd, portions of 800 rd (no parking @ the 800 gate)closed trails: alpha trialhaul routes: 800 gatesize: 41 acharvest method: cable loggingprescription: commercial thinning.reason for harvest: remove slow growing, diseased, and dying trees to allow continued growth of remaining conifers. stand age: 41additional considerations: none.consistent w/ forest plan? yes view map of harvest area here. we're nearly one month into our trial re opening, and we're happy to announce that many of you are doing a great job adjusting to our new rules! how do we know this? the greeters you may have noticed and chatted with over the past few weeks are there to provide you with current information and to record observations of compliance with our covid 19 rules. from this data, we've noticed an 80% average compliance rate. ideally, we'd like to see a 90 100% compliance rate, so there is room for improvement. help boost the compliance rate and keep the mcdonald dunn open to recreation by adhering to the following rules while visiting: thank you for being such awesome visitors. keep up the great work! may 6, 2020   update we are happy to announce the oregon state university mcdonald and dunn research forests will be entering a trial reopening phase for recreational activities on friday, may 8. over the past several weeks, we’ve had numerous conversations about how and when to open the forests to recreation as federal, state, and osu orders, directives and guidelines in response to the covid 19 pandemic change. the conversations have included forest user groups like team dirt, portland parks and recreation, and our forest recreation advisory council. as a result of these conversations, and gov. kate brown’s decision on tuesday regarding the partial re opening of state recreation areas, the following guidelines and policies will be in place until further notice. we’d like to thank everyone who has shared comments and suggestions regarding our unique circumstances. we understand the closure has been difficult for many of you and we appreciate your compliance throughout the closure. together, we have an opportunity to make this work and we look forward to seeing you back in the forests!
supported by officials in oregon say they need to cut trees, including some healthy ones. the reaction shows how complex land management has become as forest health declines. by anna kramer across a patch of the pacific northwest, one of north america’s most important tree species is dying at an alarming rate. this spring, as in the past several years, the needles on douglas firs are yellowing, turning red and then dropping to the ground in forests across southwestern oregon. experts blame a combination of factors, including insect attacks, drought and increased temperatures caused by climate change. decades of fire suppression have exacerbated problems by disrupting the natural balance of ecosystems. “the droughts and heat and climate change are killing trees widely, and there’s no clear way to put that genie back in the bottle,” said rob jackson, an ecologist at the doerr school of sustainability at stanford university who is researching the ways climate change affects forests and grasslands. “we are priming our forests to die.” the crisis in oregon shows the critical importance of forest management as climate change alters the natural world. foresters say that, in many cases, they need to cut down douglas firs, whether dead or alive, in order to minimize wildfire risk, promote forest health and help ecosystems adapt to the shifting climate. their plans include selling some salvageable timber. but those plans have touched a raw nerve with some environmentalists, who distrust government agencies and accuse them of favoring logging over conservation. “i understand why environmental groups are suspicious, and they should be,” said mindy crandall, an associate professor of forest policy at oregon state university. the federal agencies “didn’t listen to society for a little bit too long.”

you can turn to opb for stories about the people and places that make our region unique thanks to member support. join in now! oregon is on the verge of major changes to the rules that govern how state, federal and privately owned forestlands are logged. those changes have been years in the making, and many are coming to a head this year, all with their own complicated backstories and varying timelines for public input. many of these policies will be compromises hard fought between conservation and timber interests, bringing more environmental protections in some places and more timber harvesting in others. “all of these things are layered on top of each other and they all have their unique consequences to communities, the timber industry, the mills, the manufacturers,” said travis joseph, president of the american forest resource council, a timber trade association based in portland. these changes also mark a shift in protecting vulnerable species that have long been iconic to the northwest, like coho salmon and the northern spotted owl.