Forest and Timber

Earlier this week, the Department of Agriculture announced the first investment of a $1 billion effort to mitigate wildfire risks as the nation faces an ongoing wildfire crisis.  USDA announced a $197 million investment for 100 projects that benefit 22 states as part of the Community Wildfire Defense Grant program.  The For...

Oregon’s junior senator is pushing for more funding for the U.S. Forest Service.  Jeff Merkley Chairs the Interior Subcommittee, which held hearings last week on the Administration’s proposed budget for the Forest Service.  That funding has do...

Pile burning, and the smoke it produces, could soon be a thing of the past in Oregon.  Via a pilot project, the Bureau of Land Management is testing the CharBoss Air Curtain Incinerator to burn the debris left behind from hazard tree logging efforts.   “It’ ...

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is scheduled to visit Oregon this weekend.  Senator Jeff Merkley said he’s asked the Secretary for some time to come to the state and talk about important investments in tourism.   “To discuss public recreation on public lands, which, we have these extraordinary lands that are in our collective ownership.  And we want to make sure...

On Wednesday, Idaho Senator Jim Risch, Idaho Congressman Russ Fulcher as well as Washington’s Marie Gluesenkamp Perez introduced the Treating Tribes and Counties as Good Neighbors Act.  The legislation looks to fully extend eligibility of the Good Neighbor Authority program for federal forest restoration and management projects to Tribes and counties as well as increase opportunities for cross-bou

Washington State University’s Forest Owners Winter School takes place this weekend.  Natalie Johnson with the state Department of Natural Resources, said the full day event is geared toward small forest landowners.   "It's everybody from very small forest land owners to moderate size," said Johnson.  "Our definition of...

The USDA announced Tuesday the investment of $48.6 million to mitigate wildfire risk, improve water quality as well as restore forest ecosystems.  The funds come via the Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership.   USDA announced the Forest Service and NRCS will invest in projects, including 14 new projects, bringing together agricultural producers, forest landowners, and National Forest Sys

A new program is underway to use Oregon mass timber products to build small modular homes that can be moved anywhere in the state.  The hope is these smaller homes will help reduce the housing crisis across Oregon.  A $5 million grant from the Legislature with a federal match helped start the program and build the first six homes.   "It's goin...

The Oregon Department of Forestry was scheduled to release the next draft of the controversial Wildfire Risk Map in March, but that has been put on hold, thanks to action by state lawmakers.  Under 2021’s Senate Bill 762, ODF was charged with the creation of the map, but the first draft that was released in August proved so unpopular statewide, the Department pumped the breaks for another six mont

Last week, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced his agency is expanding efforts to reduce the risk of wildfires in the western U.S.  Funds will be invested to directly protect at-risk communities and critical infrastructure in 11 additional landscapes in Washington Oregon, Idaho California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.   “...