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Exploring an Elliott State Research Forest

Mountains coverd with green trees and vegetation.The Elliott State Forest was established northeast of Coos Bay in 1930 as Oregon's first state forest. The Hanis (Coos) and Quuiich (Lower Umpqua) people are the original people and stewards of the lands that we now refer to as the Elliott State Forest. Today, about 83,000 acres of the Elliott are overseen by the State Land Board and managed by the Department of State Lands. 

The Land Board's vision for the Elliott is a public forest that has completed its obligation to funding schools, but will continue to contribute to conservation, recreation, education, Indigenous culture, local economies, and more as a publicly owned research forest.

Since 2019, DSL and Oregon State University have worked together to explore creating an Elliott State Research Forest. In December 2023, following an announcement by OSU regarding participation in management of the research forest, the Land Board affirmed continued desire to create a publicly owned research forest and advanced a pathway for establishing the Elliott State Research Forest in 2024 under DSL management. 

Get Email Updates

We send regular updates on Elliott work, notice of opportunities to attend Board meetings, as well as opportunities to learn more or provide comments, through our Elliott State Research Forest email list. Sign up for email updates. 

Happening Now

The State Land Board's pathway framework outlines key actions, steps, and considerations for creation of the Elliott State Research Forest in 2024 under DSL's management. 

The pathway framework directs DSL to:

  • Craft and implement a DSL management structure to oversee operations. 
  • Create a structure for public engagement, accountability, and oversight of the forest.
  • Complete the Habitat Conservation Plan and obtain federal permits needed to resume management activity on the long-idle forest.
  • Advance a Forest Management Plan to guide DSL management and State Land Board oversight of the forest.
  • Craft a business plan including near-term budget needs for DSL management as well as long-term revenue plans related to timber harvest, carbon, state and federal funds. 
  • Resolve partnership conversations and identify the forest's research entity, looking to Oregon State University first.  

With the guidance of an advisory group that includes members of the original Elliott State Research Forest Advisory Committee and SB 1546’s prospective board of directors, the Department has developed a FY 2024 workplan​ for implementing the State Land Board’s pathway framework. 

On December 8, 2023, DSL Director Vicki L. Walker issued a financial viability determination for the Elliott State Research Forest. The determination concluded a research forest can be financiall​y viable. However, addressing the determination’s findings and related recommendations will provide additional confidence going forward. Read the financial viability determination here (PDF)​.​

The below materials are referenced in the determination: 

A financial viability determination was one of the enabling actions required by SB 1546. With OSU’s November 2023 announcement, SB 1546 will not take effect on January 1, 2024. Given DSL’s retained role as manager of t​he forest and continued desire to establish a research forest, the determination remains important to inform the pathway forward and ensure the Elliott State Research Forest is financially viable. ​

DSL's draft Elliott State Research Forest Management Plan can be found below. DSL is reviewing feedback heard during the comment period, held from June 12 - August 4, 2024, prior to bringing the plan to the State Land Board​ in October. 

DSL held a series of four virtual and in-person listening sessions in July 2024 to share more about the draft plan and offer an opportunity to ask questions and provide comments. See the meeting presentation slides here (PDF).​

Questions? Reach out to elliottproject.dsl@oregon.gov​. 

The draft Habitat Conservation Plan balances forest research and management activities with the conservation of rare species and their habitat in the Elliott State Research Forest. 

The purpose of this plan is to establish clear boundaries for management and harvest on the forest in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and to ensure conservation of at-risk species such as salmon, spotted owls, and marbled murrelet. 

DSL is continuing to advance the plan through the federal review process.​
​
Habitat Conservation Plan: Information and Resources 

At the Land Board’s direction, DSL has been advancing a collaborative effort to transition the Elliott State Forest to a research forest and an internationally important center for forest science and management. DSL is now hiring a team of staff who will work with current DSL staff as well as external partners to stand up DSL’s program for operational management of the Elliott State Research Forest. This new program is located within DSL’s Land Management Division.

Now hiring:
  • ​Elliott State Research Forest Manager (closes Sept. 15)
  • Forester for the Elliott (closes Sept. 17)

Research Forest Oversight and Engagement

Ensuring accountability, transparency, and meaningful engagement is critical to establishing and operating the Elliott as a public research forest. In April 2024, the State Land Board approved an oversight structure for the Elliott. In June 2024, the Land Board appointed the first members of the Elliott State Research Forest Board with oversight responsibilities for the Elliott. Read the board member bios.  

In addition to continued engagement through the Elliott State Research Forest Board, DSL will continue to meaningfully engage Tribal governments, other government entities, people and groups with expertise and perspectives regarding the forest, potential partners, and the public as work to establish the research forest continues. Work to-date has been guided by multiple advisory bodies. Archived information about those entities and meeting materials are available here.

Elliott State Research Forest Board Meetings 

The community is welcome to attend meetings of the Elliott State Research Forest Board. Meeting information is posted the week before the meeting, and you can sign up for email updates here. Past video recordings can be watched on the DSL YouTube Channel and current meeting materials can be found here. 

Upcoming Meeting: Thursday, September 12 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
This meeting will be held in-person and virtually

In-person location:
Marina Activity Center, Winchester Bay RV Resort
120 Marina Way, Winchester Bay, OR 97467

  • Meeting ID: 402 778 9701
  • Passcode: ESRF2024!
Attend by phone:
  • Phone #: 1-669-900-6833
  • Passcode: 974639928

The Land Board's Vision for the Elliott

The State Land Board voted in 2017 to keep the Elliott State Forest in public ownership, directing the Department of State Lands to move forward with work to achieve the Board's vision for the Elliott, which includes:

  • Keeping the forest publicly owned with public access
  • Decoupling the forest from the Common School Fund, compensating the school fund for the forest and releasing the forest from its obligation to generate revenue for schools 
  • Continuing habitat conservation planning to protect species and allow for harvest
  • Providing for multiple forest benefits, including recreation, education, and working forest research

The Land Board vision calls for “decoupling” the forest from the Common School Fund – compensating the Fund for the Elliott and releasing the forest from its obligation to generate revenue for schools. The appraised value of the forest is $221 million. 

A down payment of $100 million was made to the Common School Fund in 2019, through sale of legislatively approved bonds. In 2022, the Legislature provided the remaining $121 million in general funding to satisfy the Common School Fund obligation. 

​On December 13, 2022, the State Land Board voted to decouple the Elliott State Forest from the Common School Fund. The decoupling action, made possible by payment of $221 million to the Fund, frees forest of its historic obligation to generate revenue for K-12 public schools.​

2022 Appraisal 
A current appraisal for the ​Elliott was necessary for decoupling to occur.

The Land Board also directed DSL to seek an HCP from the federal agencies responsible for enforcing the federal Endangered Species Act. The purpose of an HCP is to establish clear boundaries for management and harvest on the forest in compliance with the Act and to ensure conservation of at-risk species such as salmon, spotted owls, and marbled murrelet. 

DSL has submitted the Elliott State Research Forest Habitat Conservation Plan to federal agencies for review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. Visit the federal Elliott HCP website.​

Partial funding for HCP development has been provided through Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Wildlife Grants Program in cooperation with the Federal Funding Agency, under Federal Award number F20AP00323.​​​

June 2024: The Land​ Board appointed six initial members to the Elliott State Research Forest Board of Directors. 

May 2024: Department submitted final proposed Habitat Conservation Plan revisions to Federal permitting agencies. The Oregon Legislature concluded the legislative session with funding support for staffing the new research forest program and operations budget (through June 2025). 

April 2024: Land Board adopted an oversight structure for the Elliott State Research Forest, including the mission, management policies, and structure for a Board of Directors to provide research forest oversight. 

December 2023: Land Board affirmed its commitment to establishing the Elliott as a publicly owned research forest and directed DSL to undertake the forest management role and advance next steps. DSL subsequently presents a workplan of key actions, management structure and budget for program staffing. 

November 2023:OSU leadership issued a letter​ indicating a Board of Trustees vote regarding OSU management of the Elliott would not be requested at that time. This caused a key condition of SB 1546 to fail, and the principal direction and provisions of the bill did not become law.

​Dec. 2022: The State Land Board decoupled the Elliott from the Common School Fund, and the Elliott State Research Forest Advisory Committee was honored with a Land Board Award.

November 2022:​ Federal agencies begin public comment period on the Department’s draft Habitat Conservation Plan for the Elliott.

June 2022: Governor Brown signed SB 1546​, passed by the Legislature to provide policy support and direction for the Elliott State Research Forest’s creation. Legislature also advanced additional funding for decoupling the forest from the Common School Fund.​​

Dec. 2020: The Elliott State Research Forest Proposal was presented to the State Land Board. The Land Board affirmed the Elliott State Forest's future as a research forest and directed continued collaboration and engagement to finalize remaining details. 

Oct. – Nov. 2020: - Approximately 1,700 comments were submitted on the draft OSU research forest proposal to assist DSL and OSU in identifying areas where additional information, discussion, or consideration was needed.

Dec. 2019: An update on progress was presented to the Land Board. The Elliott State Research Forest Advisory Committee also delivered a unanimous statement to the Board recommending that work continue. The Land Board directed DSL to continue work​ to explore transforming the Elliott into a publicly owned state research forest.

Jan. – Dec. 2019: DSL and OSU launched an exploratory process. DSL convened an Elliott State Research Forest Advisory Committee and related Oregon Consensus collaborative process​, and OSU established an exploratory committee within its College of Forestry. DSL and OSU engaged the public and various stakeholders in conversation. The research forest concept was incorporated into the in-progress habitat conservation planning process. ​

Dec. 2018: The Land Board directed DSL and OSU to begin exploring the Elliott State Research Forest concept​​​, including the advancement of a Habitat Conservation Plan under the federal Endangered Species Act.

May 2017: The State ​​Land Board voted to keep the Elliott in public ownership ​(moving away from the “protocol” / auction process) and directed DSL to move forward with a public ownership project for the forest. Oregon Consensus advances a third-party, independent assessment of options.

July 2012: A lawsuit over endangered species affects harvest levels and significantly reduces revenue. The Elliott begins to cost rather than contribute to the Common School Fund, with maintenance costs, legal fees, and other expenses adding up to millions over subsequent years.

1955: The state began actively managing the Elliott. Timber harvest revenue goes to the Common School Fund and covers the cost of forest management.

1930: The Elliott State Forest was established as Oregon's first state forest.

1927: President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill authorizing the exchange of Common School Fund lands for a large block of land from the Siuslaw National Forest – what would become the Elliott State Forest.

1859: At statehood, Oregon was granted nearly 3.4 million acres of land "for use of schools." ​These Common School Fund lands continue to support our K-12 public schools today.

CONTACT

Elliott State Research Forest project
Brett Brownscombe
Brett.Brownscombe@dsl.oregon.gov

Permits and forest management
Ryan Singleton, Forester
541-362-6489
Ryan.Singleton@dsl.oregon.gov

Visiting the Elliott

   Current fire restrictions (Fire season is in effect. No firewood cutting is allowed until the end of fire season)

   Apply for a firewood cutting permit

   Map of general forest ownership

   Map of geo-referenced forest ownership

There are no established trails, restrooms, or trash receptacles. Keep the forest healthy by bagging and carrying out all trash.