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Oregon Department of Forestry

Criterion 7 Indicator 49
Rationale
The Extent to Which the Legal Framework Provides for Periodic Forest-Related Planning, Assessment, and Policy Review That Recognize the Range of Forest Values, Including Coordination With Relevant Sectors.
 
This indicator examines how a society plans for the use of forest resources and assigns specific values to alternative uses of those resources. Without planning and assessment, sustainable management is less likely.

Evaluation
 
Legal framework for non-federal forest lands — planning, assessment, and policy review
 
On private, state, and local government forest lands, planning for forest conservation and sustainability is done through Oregon’s land use planning laws. Under this system, land is zoned locally to meet goals set at the state level (see Indicator #48). The Oregon Legislature has established laws that govern permitted uses on forest land, and reexamines these laws biennially. These laws are carried out through county comprehensive plans and ordinances, which in turn are reviewed periodically on a five- to ten-year cycle.Oregon’s land use planning system protects forest land from development or conversion to urban uses. The system of state laws and local zoning ordinances tightly control the division of forest land into small parcels, development for residential purposes, and other land uses that might conflict with sustainability of forest values (OAR 660-06-026).
 
Legal framework for federally managed forests — planning, assessment, and policy review
 
Forest planning is required by law for federal forests. The National Forest Management Act (NFMA) prescribes the planning requirements for the national forests. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) sets the requirements for the BLM’s resource management plans. Another law, the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act (RPA) requires federal agencies to assess the overall condition of federal, state, and private forests, at regular intervals. Finally, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that federal agencies evaluate the environmental impacts of all federal plans and projects, including all federally funded projects.