February Update: Clearcuts for Kids is Unacceptable!
Our water comes from the forest. Let’s learn what’s happening with private & state forests, at the legislature, and among other state agencies. Then together, let’s take action to protect forest watersheds across Oregon.
Take Action
Right now, Oregon State Forests are logged to fund local governments. Senate Bill 90 forms a task force to find alternative funding for local governments so that we can protect fisheries & drinking water while expanding recreation opportunities on State Forest land. Please share your support for protecting state forest land with the Natural Resources Committee.
Private Forest Accord
The negotiated improvements in forest practices that were included in the Private Forest Accord traveled through the Legislature to become law, through the Board of Forestry to get rules drafted for implementation, and now the extensive updates to the 50-year-old Oregon Forest Practices Act are getting folded into a private forest Habitat Conservation Plan for fish & amphibians. This next step means the federal government will bless the improvements in forest practices as sufficient to protect threatened species. Here at Oregon Wild, we continue to push for strong forest protections and for the science to back up the protections. I’ll make sure you know about opportunities to get involved!
State Lands
The Oregon Board of Forestry is busy considering a state forest Habitat Conservation Plan that would designate particularly important regions of the Coast Range as protected spaces for threatened and endangered fish, but the plan still proposes to use the rest of the forest for high-intensity commercial logging. The cash generated from logging our public forests goes one-third to the Department for managing the land and fighting wildfires and two-thirds to the counties where the logging takes place. I’ll make sure you know how to join Oregon Wild and the Wild Salmon Center to protect these public forest watersheds for all of us from fish to people.
Oregon Legislature
The Legislature convened in January, and bills are moving out of committee! (This can be exciting or terrifying, depending upon the bill.) There are a number of bills that improve forest watersheds that you may want to know about. You can take action to support SB 90 today (see above). Senate Bill 530 (https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/SB530) will fund natural climate solutions to store carbon, improve drinking water and air quality, and benefit forest and farm business finances. House Bill 3019 (https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB3019) reforms the Oregon Forest Resources Institute in alignment with the Secretary of State’s audit in order to limit OFRI’s dissemination of industry propaganda. House Bill 2813 (https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB2813) will fund communities purchasing their watershed to protect drinking water. House Bill 3159 (https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/HB3159) raises the statewide transient lodging tax to fund critical wildlife habitat restoration, much of it in forested watersheds across Oregon.
Other Agencies
This month, we’re highlighting Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s water advisory report (https://sos.oregon.gov/audits/documents/2023-04.pdf). She concludes (1) Oregon agencies need to work together, (2) a statewide water strategy needs to include local priorities for water use (whether that is emphasizing rural drinking water quality or in-stream water for fish or irrigation), and (3) state & federal water managers need to include tribal communities in water decisions.
