Forest and Timber

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.   “...

The Washington state Department of Natural Resource will hold two free workshops next month for contractors interested in working on fuel reduction projects with private landowners.  And DNR noted, such projects may be eligible for DNR cost share funding.    ...

Late last week, Representative Dan Newhouse was named a co-Chair of the House Paper & Packaging Caucus.  The bipartisan caucus represents the American paper and wood products industry, which employees over 27,000 Washingtonians.   Newh...

The U.S. Forest Service needs to fill a wide range of temporary positions in Oregon for the spring and summer.  The Forest Service’s Catherine Caruso said they started looking for summer workers back in September because hiring for a federal job is time consuming.  But despite m...

The Christmas tree industry wants Americans to know there will be enough trees available to meet the demand for real Christmas trees.  Marsha Gray, executive director of the Real Christmas Tree Board, said,” The industry met the demand in 2021 and will do so again this year.  This is a yea...

If you are out hunting for a real Christmas tree this year experts say with tight supplies of available trees, the sooner you do your tree hunting the better.  But it does look like everybody who wants a real tree will be able to have one but finding one a few days before Christmas might be challenging.  Now whe...

A delay in the state’s wildfire risk map may have put a portion of Senate Bill 762 on hold.  But another part of that legislation that looks to mitigate wildfires is enjoying some success.   SB762 set aside $20 million in grants for nonprofits, local governments, conservation districts, private landowners and federal partners to make their landscapes more resistant to wildfire.  Grant Coordinator

University of Oregon researchers are studying community smoke management plans and how local governments can better prepare the public for fire season.  Student researcher Stuart Warren said management plans can allow communities to get exemptions from current prescribed fire rules.   “...

More and more people say they are done with artificial Christmas trees, and they want to go old school when decking the halls, as noted by several customers at a lot looking for the perfect tree for their home.   “I think there's a nostalgia of a real tree is one thing, and the smell of it more fun.” “Yeah...