Oregon's Forest Reform
KS Wild and Rogue Riverkeeper program are working to reform Oregon’s rules for industrial logging practices. We are part of a team working on a state-wide effort to update Oregon forest practices through a historic agreement with the timber industry. Read about the agreement here.
While the management of publicly-owned forests has improved over the past 30 years, industrial logging continues as the dominant practice across 8 million acres of industrially-owned forests in Oregon. If you spend any time driving around western Oregon, you see the result. Clearcut logging can leave behind flammable logging slash, cause sediment to fill salmon streams, and minimize forest carbon storage - contributing to climate change.
Streamside Forests:
The science is clear that removing trees near streams results in warmer stream temperatures. Numerous streams that flow into southwest Oregon rivers are already too warm, which puts threatened species such as coho salmon at risk. In many places, private forestlands have the greatest potential to support coho salmon, yet have the least watershed protection. Inadequate protections under the Forest Practices Act remain a significant threat to the recovery of native salmonids. Rogue Riverkeeper has been working for years to ensure that proper buffers are applied to southwest Oregon streams. By keeping stream buffers intact, streams can recover and stay shaded, helping fish, wildlife, and protecting drinking water source areas.
Forests and Climate:
Private landowners of both large and small tracts of forestland own 34 percent of Oregon's forests. Because the Forest Practices Act allows clearcutting, aerial herbicide spraying, and logging close to many streams, logging practices have contributed to the climate crisis by removing large carbon stores: big, old trees. In fact, the Oregon Global Warming Commission found that industrial logging was one the leading contributors to climate change in the state. However, by retaining trees along streams and allowing forests to grow longer, forests can become a part of the solution to climate change. Forests capture and store enough carbon to offset nearly 20% of pollution that causes climate change. Retaining more trees in forests can also provide habitat for fish and wildlife at risk in a warmer climate by providing shade that will be more important as the region warms.
Learn more about industrial forestry:
Thanks to in-depth investigative journalists, industrial logging practices and impacts have come to light in a series of recent reports through a partnership of Oregon Public Broadcasting, Propublica, and the Oregonian.
Click here to read about how industrial logging impacts Oregon's drinking water supplies.
Click here to learn how a timber severance tax cut impacted rural community services.