In January 1998, the Board of Forestry adopted administrative rules on Management of State Forest Lands. Along with other requirements, these rules require the State Forester to classify all lands within a forest management planning area. (Land management classification is described at OAR 629-035-0050, -0055, and -0060.)
The classifications describe the types of management that the Department will apply, the appropriate range of management activities, and the forest resource or resources the classification is intended to address. The classifications are shown on maps that are approved by the State Forester.
State forest lands will be classified as General Stewardship, Focused Stewardship, or Special Stewardship. Focused Stewardship and Special Stewardship lands are further classified into subclasses.
General Stewardship — These are lands where forest resources are managed using integrated management practices, and for which resource management goals are compatible over time and across the landscape. All resources addressed in forest management plans will be managed. All resources may not be treated equally on every acre, but across the landscape, management will meet the goals identified in the plans.
Focused Stewardship — These lands are also managed using integrated management practices, but for a specific resource or resources, a forest management plan, habitat conservation plan, or legal requirement identifies the need for supplemental planning, modified management practices, or compliance with specific requirements. On these lands, management of specific forest resources may have minor impacts on the management of other resources, but will not preclude integrated management.
Focused Stewardship lands are further classified according to the following subclasses: Agriculture, Grazing, or Wildlife Forage; Aquatic and Riparian Habitat; Cultural Resources; Deeds; Domestic Water Use; Easements; Energy and Minerals; Plants; Recreation; Research/Monitoring; Transmission; Visual; and Wildlife Habitat.
An example of Focused Stewardship might be an area with scenic values, where visual activities are protected during and after forest management activities. This consideration could affect harvesting systems, the size and location of harvest units, or road locations.
Special Stewardship — These are lands where one or more forest resources require a level of protection that precludes integrated management of all resources; where a legal or contractual constraint dominates the management of the lands; or where lands are committed to a specific use and management activities are limited to those that are compatible with that use.
Special Stewardship lands are classified according to the following subclasses: Administrative Sites; Agriculture, Grazing, or Wildlife Forage; Aquatic and Riparian Habitat; County or Local Comprehensive Plans; Cultural Resources; Deeds; Domestic Water Use; Easements; Energy and Minerals; Operationally Limited; Plants; Recreation; Research/Monitoring; Transmission; Visual; and Wildlife Habitat.
An example of Special Stewardship might be the area surrounding a nest tree of a threatened or endangered species.
Maps — Land management classifications will be displayed on maps. For the purpose of protecting threatened and endangered species, and some cultural resource sites, some specific locations will not be displayed on classification maps. Instead, broader geographic areas within which the sites exist will be displayed. Exact locations of boundary lines will be determined on site and will depend upon the conditions on site.
More than one classification or subclass may be assigned to a parcel of land. Where this occurs, the resource requiring the highest level of protection will determine the management approach.
The goals and strategies in forest management plans and habitat conservation plans determine the management of key resources. The identification and mapping of land management classifications will be based on criteria in the plans. Information will be updated through watershed assessments and site-specific monitoring and field visits.
Forest Land Management Classification GIS Data
Public involvement opportunities – Public involvement can provide local forest managers with additional information and ideas as they implement the goals of forest management plans. Ongoing public involvement is also critical to gaining public understanding, acceptance and support for local plans and operations.
Public involvement opportunities will be provided as district implementation plans, land management classifications, and annual operations plans are reviewed and approved. These opportunities will be designed to meet the goals in OAR 629-035-0080:
- To seek insight, opinion and data on planned management actions.
- To build understanding, acceptance and support for the forest management planning process and decisions.
- To offer information to the public about forest systems and forest stewardship.
- To provide the public with meaningful opportunities to comment and affect planning decisions at a time when public involvement can contribute positively to the planning decisions under consideration.
Prior to submitting district implementation plans and the associated land management classification maps to the State Forester for approval, there will be a 90-day public comment period in order to gather public input. All public comments submitted in writing will be forwarded to the State Forester, along with each district forester’s recommended implementation plan and land management classifications.
The State Forester shall approve, modify, or deny the recommended implementation plans. If the State Forester modifies a recommended plan, the modifications will be incorporated into the original plan and appropriate revisions made to land management classifications. If the State Forester denies the recommended plan, the district forester shall prepare a revised or new implementation plan and/or revised or new land management classifications as appropriate.
Prior to submitting a revised or new implementation plan, and/or revised or new land management classifications, after a previous denial, there will be a 30-day public comment period to gather public input. All public comments submitted in writing will be forwarded to the State Forester, along with the revised or new implementation plan. The State Forester shall approve, modify, or deny this plan. The process described in this paragraph will be followed until approval of an implementation plan is obtained.
Initial land management classifications have been completed for state forests covered in the Northwest Oregon State Forests Management Plan and Southwest Oregon State Forest Management Plan. The draft maps were available for 90-day public review and comment before they were forwarded to the State Forester for approval. The comment period began June 12 and ended at 5:00 p.m., September 11, 2001.
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