July Update
The vast majority of us Oregonians get our drinking water from forested watersheds. Join me to stay aware of what’s happening with private & state forests, at the legislature, and among other public agencies. Then together, let’s take action to protect our own forest watersheds and others across Oregon. If you find this helpful, share it with a friend!
Action Alert: The regular reader of the Your Forest Watershed newsletter knows that Oregon State Forests are intensively logged for cash to fund county services, to fund the Oregon Department of Forestry wildfire response on private & state land, and to run ODF’s state forest division. You also know that these state forests are failing to produce clear, clean, cold water for humans and fish. The proposed state forest habitat conservation plan is a compromise to balance timber production with protecting struggling bird, mammal, and fish populations. The plan is under attack, but the Governor will support a strong plan if she hears from us. Please lend your voice here; it is quick and easy: https://oregonwild.org/oregon-state-forests-need-your-voice
Private Forest Accord: Have you seen the ads promoting the Forest Activity Electronic Reporting and Notification System (FERNS)? Sign up today https://yourforestwatershed.org/getting-started-with-ferns ! What might you learn by signing up for notifications? You can be alerted to pesticide applications and clearcuts near you. The private forest habitat conservation plan for salmon and other fish (apologies to the “other fish”), covering 10 million acres of private forest in Oregon, is moving forward, but like with all things water, it is slow going to implement an agreement to protect the basics: soil, shade, and stream-side trees. Part of the private forest accord is funding for small forestland owners to improve fish passage or repair failing roads; if you are or know a small forestland owner that could benefit, reply to this email and we’ll get it started!
State Forests: Do you want to go hiking or biking in the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests but don’t know how to get started? If you missed the July 19 Oregon Wild webcast on hiking the State Forests of Western Oregon with Kira Taylor (which was the 50th anniversary of establishing the Tillamook), you can watch the recording on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/ORWild. Kira covered the basics of where to go, what to bring, what plants to spot, and how to do it all safely, so that you can hike with confidence. Ready to hike but don’t want to go alone? Join us for a guided hike September 15th. Sign up for the hike at https://oregonwild.org/events/tillamook-state-forest-hike.
Legislature: Part of Governor Kotek’s agenda when campaigning was to improve state agency performance; now that we organized to pass the natural climate solutions bill, it is time to work with agencies to implement the law and distribute funds fairly and effectively. Stay tuned if you have a carbon sequestration project that you want funded! Remember the bill to help purchase drinking watersheds? It passed! There’s only $4 million for purchases, but I think we can find other places to braid money together if you have a project. Do you have a forest or water issue that you really want legislators to see in person? I’m starting to plan for legislator tours, because there’s nothing like seeing a problem or a solution in person to make change. Drop me a note!
Other agencies: The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries is a pretty low-profile agency, unless you have a landslide or rock quarry (or live near one!). Their staff is heavy on geologists and they produce an amazing LiDAR-based map of Oregon. Using the ‘bare earth hilllshade’ layer on their map viewer, you can see old landslides, ancient homesites, abandoned roads and skid trails, meander scars from rivers, even mines! Check it out and thank a geologist (turn off the “project area” layer and turn on the “bare earth hillshade” layer): https://gis.dogami.oregon.gov/maps/lidarviewer/
