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Approximately 120,000 acres of forestland is part of the common school lands overseen by the State Land Board and Department of State Lands (DSL). About 15 percent of this acreage is classified as special stewardship land. The Elliott State Forest near Reedsport comprises most of the Land Board's forestland - 91 percent (84,562 acres) of the 93,000-acre forest. DSL’s Asset Management Plan identifies most forestland as a core real estate asset of the Common School Fund.
The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) manages forestland for the State Land Board through an interagency agreement with DSL. Revenue generated from timber sales and other uses goes to the Common School Fund, which helps fund public education throughout Oregon.
Over the past decade, the highest annual revenue from timber harvests was in 2000 ($24.4 million), and the lowest was in 2003 (about $8.5 million). The average annual revenue from forestland is $14.7 million. Administrative costs paid to the ODF stay relatively static, and average around $4.5 million annually.
Each year, ODF and DSL jointly approve operations plans for each state forest containing common school land. The plans include managing timber harvests, roads, vegetation, species protection, replanting, wildlife surveying and recreation. All forest plans are available on the ODF Web site.
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