Data Reveals Plan Forces Budgets into the Red
[SALEM, February 8, 2023] – Last week, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) revealed the agency used inaccurate modeling data to develop a plan to manage over 600,00 acres of Oregon’s state forests for the next 70 years. As a result, they have vastly miscalculated the true financial impact the plan would have on both the agency’s budget and the budgets of 15 Oregon counties who depend on revenue from state forests.
New data released last week indicate the plan would reduce revenue used to fund the agency’s state lands division in the coming biennium close to $30 million; money the agency currently uses to pay the salaries of employees who maintain forest roads, replant and restore state forests after wildfire, and even serve as firefighters during the height of fire season.
“There is no good reason that the most productive forestland in the state of Oregon cannot produce sustainable funding for local governments, jobs, timber supply and environmental services such as critical wildlife habitat and clean water,” said OFIC President Chris Edwards. “However, the new data reveals that the department has missed the mark. Whether it is their intent or not, ODF and the Board of Forestry are essentially leveraging the Legislature into spending more General Fund to subsidize the state forests program and pay for county services because of their management strategy choices.”
The plan developed by ODF not only creates financial stress on an agency that has been plagued with financial and leadership issues for years, it also will dramatically reduce money for rural county services like fire departments, community colleges, healthcare centers, emergency response, libraries, recreation centers, and K-12 school districts.
“The proposed plan will reduce local government revenues by nearly $8.5 million, impacting education (K-12 and college), public safety, transportation, health care and other first responders,” said Clatsop County Commissioner Courtney Bangs. “It will also have broader implications for the local economy and lead to the elimination of family wage jobs. The Board of Forestry’s final decision will impact our community’s health and well-being for generations to come and we deserve better.”
As recently as three months ago, ODF represented to the Board of Forestry that their plan would initially produce 250 million board feet of timber harvest annually, based on modeling data they’ve been using to develop the plan over the last two years. At every step during the process, forest products companies and county representatives have raised concerns about the projections and have questioned their accuracy. Last week, the agency applied the plan to implementation on the ground, and new data indicates harvest levels will be as low as 165 million board feet a year, a 34 percent reduction from what was previously represented, and will not increase over the life of the 70-year plan.
“ODF has been developing this plan behind closed doors, and what little information they do release to us seems unrealistic, which is what we’ve been concerned about since day one,” said Tillamook County Commissioner David Yamamoto. “Now we know that the worst-case scenario is true: the data they used to model impacts was wrong, and the actual impact will be much greater. Clatsop County will be the hardest hit for sure, but this will create job losses throughout the state.”
Two years ago, ODF secured permission from the Board of Forestry to pursue a Habitat Conservation Plan under the assumption that such a plan would improve both conservation and financial outcomes on state forests. A Habitat Conservation Plan is a voluntary plan or agreement available to landowners under the federal Endangered Species Act to protect wildlife species and the ecosystems on which they depend. It is intended to ensure landowners operational flexibility and assurances while providing for the needs of fish and wildlife.
The plan has been controversial from the beginning, as timber harvest on state forests are an important source of revenue for the department and for 15 Forest Trust Land Counties and hundreds of taxing districts with which the state has nearly a century old contractual relationship to actively manage land the counties deeded to the state. In return, ODF provides 64 percent of the revenues produced from timber harvest to the counties for critical public services.
“We hope to see strong leadership from the Chair of the Board of Forestry calling for reconsideration of the path they are on. It is a 70-year plan. They have time to go back to the drawing board and draft a sustainable win-win-win plan for the future of our local communities,” Edwards said.
The department is currently taking comment through March 6 at 5 p.m. on the plans that put the prescriptions of the plan into action on state forests. The implementation plans are available on ODF’s website. Comments can be submitted online by using this form.
