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Replanting forests

Why plant trees?

Oregon's economy and environment benefit from trees. Approximately 10 million acres of Oregon's forestland is owned and managed by private landowners (industry and family owned). Trees provide a variety of jobs, wood products, fish and wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, protect watersheds, etc.

Oregon was the first state to have rules required the replanting of trees after a timber harvest. Reforestation rules ensure the continuous harvest of timber on private lands. The Oregon Forest Practices Act regulates activities on forestland including reforestation.

Keys to success

The key to a successful planting project is preparation. The most common projects usually involve timber production, conversion (converting grass or brush to forest), wildlife, legacy planning, or a combination of these objectives.

Ask yourself these questions when planning a reforestation project:

  • What is my objective?
  • Is the site capable of meeting my expectations?
  • Will my investment result in the desired outcome?
  • Are there cost-sharing programs, grants or tax credits to help offset expenses?

Landowners needing help are encouraged to contact a qualified consulting forester or other professional forester for advice.

The Guide to Reforestation in Oregon is another tool for forest landowners and offers step–by–step directions to convert bare or recently logged lands to stands of healthy, “free to grow” trees.

Find seedlings

Were you affected by the 2020 wildfires? Do you need to plant trees? Have you ordered the seedlings you need? If you need to plant trees and have not been able to find seedlings consider signing up to be included in a new program to provide seedlings at fair market prices for landowners affected by the fires.

Due to the wildfires, along with previously planned reforestation demand, availability of tree seedlings and tree planters is expected to be far short of what is needed over the next few years. Oregon State University (OSU) Extension is working with the Oregon Small Woodlands Association, Oregon Department of Forestry, US Forest Service, and other partners to assess the reforestation need and develop extra capacity to produce seedlings and plant trees.

We want to know who needs trees (and how many) in order to set our targets for aggregated seedling orders for people who have not been able to find trees. We are working on an order for 2021-2022, to be followed by longer range nursery orders to meet expected demand over the next several years.

If you are interested in ordering seedlings through this program, please use the survey form to be placed on our list and we will get in touch with you to confirm details.

Sign up your nursery

ODF strives to connect forest landowners with forest nurseries around the state through our annual Sources of Native Forest Nursery Seedlings publication. If your nursery can help Oregon’s family forest landowners with their tree planting projects and would like to be included in this publication, please contact Laura Pohlschneider.