Policies to Encourage Diverse, Early Seral Forest in Oregon: What Might We Do?

1. Policies to Encourage Diverse, Early Seral Forest in Oregon: What Might We Do? K. Norman Johnson Debora L. Johnson

3. “A future wood supply… is not assured. The serous factor in the forestry problem becomes evident when it is stated that a timber crop requires from fifty to one hundred years for maturity. When to this statement is added the assertions that this nation is using timber four times as fast as it is being produced; that by far the greater portion of the original stand of timber has been removed; and that in spite of substitutes for wood, the annual rate of timber consumption does not decrease, the seriousness of the forestry problem becomes increasingly clear.” George W. Peavy, 1929

4. “One thing is certain: there must be a decided change in our attitude toward our timber resources… The forest is a renewable resource. In the interest of the nation and of the state, Oregon’s forests should be renewed: and, by all means, there should be as little delay as possible in making a beginning.” George W. Peavy, 1929

5. Source: Oregon’s Commercial Forests, 1929, George W. Peavy

6. Source: Oregon’s Commercial Forests, 1929, George W. Peavy

7. Oregon’s Reforestation Rules The purpose of the reforestation rules is to ensure that forest tree cover is maintained or re-established after harvest. Tree Species Suitable for Reforestation 1. The species must be ecologically suited to the planting site; 2. The species must be capable of producing logs, fiber, or other wood products suitable in size and quality for the production of lumber, sheeting, pulp or other commercial forest products; and 3. The species must be marketable in the foreseeable future. ODF, December, 1994

8. Minimum Tree Stocking Standards Oregon Forest Practices Act

9. In general, a tree will be considered free to grow if: • It is not severely damaged by insects, disease, fire, wildlife, weather, or logging; • It exhibits the potential for continued height growth, consistent with the normal growth for the species on similar sites; • It has at least one-third of the tree height in full, live crown; and • It is taller than, and out-competing, any grass, shrubs, or other trees growing within a 10-foot radius from the tree.

10. Where are we now? • Threat of timber famine greatly diminished • Problems with successful regeneration largely solved • A forest industry that views wood as a renewable resource

15. Baker,  et al. 2006 Implementation monitoring: Summary of NWPF regional interagency monitoring results

19. Possible policy changes---- Private Lands • Goal: create more diverse early seral forest without increasing landowner cost or regulatory burden • Ideas: • Remove free-to-grow requirement • Remove regeneration requirement in its entirety • Allow substitution of an invasives eradication plan, enhanced wildlife tree plan, or logging debris retention plan

20. Remove “free-to grow” requirement Perhaps on small harvest units

22. Remove the entire reforestation requirement Perhaps on small harvest units and/or in certain zones Brandis Oak Savanna Restoration Project

23. Allow substitution of an invasives eradication plan Scot’s broom

24. Value – residual trees (ODF 4th Qtr. 2006) Allow substitution of an enhanced wildlife tree plan

25. Encourage the retention of logging debris Carbon stores increased as rotation length increased, but decreased as the fraction of trees harvested and logging debris removed increased. Source: Forests, Carbon and Climate Change: A Synthesis of Science Findings. 2006. Oregon Forest Resources Institute

26. Policy Changes on Federal lands • Goal: create more diverse early seral forest consistent with agency mission. • Ideas: • Allow burned areas to respond without major intervention, • Implement a long-rotation strategy on BLM O&C lands keyed to their special mission, • Emulate large-scale disturbance on the national forests through regeneration harvest of plantations

28. Federal lands • Goal: create more diverse early seral forest consistent with agency mission. • Ideas: • Allow burned areas to respond without major intervention, • Implement a long-rotation strategy on BLM O&C lands keyed to their special mission, • Emulate large-scale disturbance on the national forests through regeneration harvest of plantations

30. Current Policy – Now

31. Current Policy – Year 50

32. Long Rotation BLM– Year 50

36. Federal lands • Goal: create more diverse early seral forest consistent with agency mission. • Ideas: • Allow burned areas to respond without major intervention, • Implement a long-rotation strategy on BLM O&C lands keyed to their special mission, • Emulate large-scale disturbance on the national forests through regeneration harvest of plantations

38. Possible changes---- Private Lands • Goal: create more diverse early seral forest without increasing landowner cost or regulatory burden • Ideas: • Remove free-to-grow requirement • Remove regeneration requirement in its entirety • Allow substitution of an invasives eradication plan, enhanced wildlife tree plan, or logging debris retention plan

39. Federal lands • Goal: create more diverse early seral forest consistent with agency mission. • Ideas: • Allow burned areas to respond without major intervention, • Implement a long-rotation strategy on BLM O&C lands keyed to their special mission, • Emulate large-scale disturbance on the national forests through regeneration harvest of plantations

40. Policies to Encourage Diverse, Early Seral Forest in Oregon: What might we do? K. Norman Johnson Debora L. Johnson