The Board of Forestry at its meeting January 4th greeted Jason Miner, Governor Kate Brown’s new Natural Resources Policy Director. Mr. Miner explained the Governor’s approach to natural resources (NR) issues and the Governor’s NR Office (GNRO).

– Governor Brown is committed to significant investment in rural communities and realizes that NR is the base for job creation. She is particularly interested in rural infrastructure improvements.

– The Governor’s three priorities are to reduce greenhouse gases, align human and public health, and get Oregonians outdoors enjoying what the state offers.

– The GNRO will remain at its smaller size, with two generalists (Mr. Moner and Lauri Aunan) handling the broad array of issues. There may be, as there is now, a third person assigned to a specific issue (Jim McKenna, Portland Harbor). The GNRO will advance communication and resolve disputes among state agencies, but it will not serve as a deep problem solver.
Rather, the Governor has confidence to rely on state NR agencies to resolve NR issues.

– The Governor has prioritized the federal forest partnership, with its proven record on forest health and job creation; strengthening rangeland associations; and using the Good Neighbor Authority. She will host a small meeting of the Western Governors Association on January 23-24 in Bend to highlight breaking down barriers between the states and federal government on land management.

The Board heard an overview of State Forest outcomes in 2016.

– 236 million board feet was harvested on forest trust lands, raising $94.8 million in revenue, of which $60.1 million was shared with the counties.

– Revenues exceeded costs, due to a good timber market and $1 million of reductions to the Department of Forestry’s budget. Neither the good timber prices nor the reductions to the ODF budget is sustainable, however. The immediate effect of the productive year was to move the expected draining of the Forest Development Fund from 2021 to 2022. ODF is hoping that
improvements in business practices will lower costs in the future.

– ODF made a successful first attempt at a sort sale, authorized by 2016 legislation. In a sort sale, ODF hires the logger, then sorts the timber by more sellable groupings.

– ODF noted that the Linn County class action law suit is “having an effect”.

– Wildfire danger on state forests has been lessened by the drought trend receding southward, with the snow pack statewide at 100%.