Oregon’s 20-Year Landscape Resiliency Strategy

Overview

Oregon’s 20-year landscape resiliency strategy will be used to prioritize restoration actions and geographies for wildfire risk reduction and will be used to direct federal, state, and private investments. The strategy is being developed through a shared stewardship governance structure and engagement with tribes, state level stakeholders, and regional (local) stakeholders. Workstreams have been identified and are being used to break up the individual components of the strategy and to focus on the development of each component. The workstreams are: compile existing priorities and goals from existing information; assess capacity and readiness; prioritize restoration actions and geographies; establish SMART goals; develop a financial implementation plan; establish metrics and accountability. To complete the development of the 20-year strategy, the content that is developed in the individual workstreams will be weaved together to draft the final strategy. The strategy will be implemented and refined over the next 20-years through shared stewardship.

Informational webinar

Background

Oregon's 20-year strategic plan, as outlined in Senate Bill (SB) 762 and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Shared Stewardship, will be used to prioritize restoration actions and geographies to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires and will be used to direct federal, state, and private investments. Combined with a functioning governance structure and engagement with tribes, stakeholders, and local collaboratives and partnerships, state and federal agencies will advance and support implementation of shared priorities and coordinated investments to achieve a shared vision of healthy and resilient landscapes.

On Aug.13, 2019, a Memorandum of Understanding on Shared Stewardship was signed by state and federal officials to document the commitment to work collaboratively to create a shared stewardship approach for implementing land management activities in Oregon. Subsequently, on July 19, 2021, Governor Brown signed into law SB762 which—in Sections 18–20 (Reduction of Wildfire Risk)—directs the State Forestry Department to design and implement a program to reduce wildfire risk through the restoration of landscape resiliency and the reduction of hazardous fuel on public or private forestlands and rangelands and in communities near homes and critical infrastructure. SB762 also directs the department to develop a 20-year strategic plan, as described in the Shared Stewardship Agreement signed on Aug. 13, 2019, that prioritizes restoration actions and geographies for wildfire risk reduction that will be used to direct federal, state, and private investments in a tangible way.

20-Year Strategic Plan

Vision statement for the 20-Year Strategic Plan

The MOU states “A shared vision of healthy and resilient forested ecosystems, vibrant local economies, healthy watersheds with functional aquatic habitat, and quality outdoor opportunities for all Oregonians."

During initial planning meetings, federal and state agency representatives considered the MOU vision statement for the 20-year Strategic Plan and proposed changes, resulting in a simplified vision:

Healthy and resilient landscapes supporting Oregon's social, economic, and ecological goals.

Proposed strategic elements

The 20-year plan's strategic elements are intended to articulate the range of activities and investments the plan will support. They provide a level of specificity beyond the vision statement and describe the broader intentions of the plan. The proposed strategic elements are designed to reflect the goals and intentions articulated in the MOU and SB762.

The 20-year strategic plan's current proposed strategic elements are:

• Reduce wildfire risk to communities
• Enhance resilience in landscapes in the face of climate change
• Create functional aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
• Support vibrant local economies
• Protect healthy watersheds and water resources
• Provide quality outdoor opportunities for all Oregonians
• Promote equity through the stewardship of landscapes

As the 20-Year Strategic Plan is developed, the strategic elements will guide planning related to activities and investments. They will be used to establish goals and actions that collectively add up to realizing the vision of healthy and resilient landscapes.

Components and outline

The components and outline of the 20-year Strategic Plan are expected to evolve and change during the process of consulting with interested parties and compiling relevant information. At this early stage of development, the draft working outline of the 20-year Strategic Plan includes the following:

1. Introduction/context/purpose
   
1. Shared Stewardship, MOU, SB762 and why it is needed;
2. Challenges (fire, forest health, climate change, etc.);
3. Opportunities (funding, coordinated investments, etc.)
2. Vision statement and strategic elements
3. Governance and engagement
4. Shared Priorities
1. Geographic
2. Types of activities and investments
5. Goals and Targets
1. Actions to achieve goals
6. Investment strategy
1. Existing funding sources, programs, and authorities
2. Additional financing opportunities
3. Financial implementation plan
7. Accountability mechanisms and metrics
8. Near-term actions
9. Appendices
1. Existing plans and processes
2. How the Plan was developed: Participants and process
   

Implementing shared stewardship in Oregon

The Shared Stewardship MOU and SB762 both point to the long-term vision of healthy and resilient forested ecosystems, vibrant local economies, healthy watersheds with functional aquatic habitat, and quality outdoor opportunities for all Oregonians. To achieve that vision, the MOU and SB762 direct federal and state agencies to develop shared priorities and coordinated investments.

There are two key components that advance and support implementation of shared priorities and coordinated investments. One is the 20-year Strategic Plan, which will articulate shared priorities among state and federal agencies to achieve the vision. The other is the governance structure, which provides forums for engagement and coordination among agencies, tribes, and stakeholders. The governance structure also provides a forum for decision-making among state and federal agency leaders related to Shared Stewardship implementation. Thus, the 20-year Strategic Plan and the Shared Stewardship governance structure are the mechanisms for implementing Shared Stewardship in Oregon.

State stakeholder engagement

Meeting information