Oregon Department of Forestry

As we mark Native American Heritage Month here at ODF, we are reminded that long before the arrival of people of European descent, indigenous people here used the native trees in specific ways. Lodgepole pine is an example of a tree certain native people depended on to build their lodges and tipis. The straight trunk of the inland subspecies can grow up to 100 feet or more, making it ideally suited for this purpose. It also worked well to make travois. Two poles with a platform or net stretched between them were hitched to a pack animal - originally a dog and later to horses. They would then drag the loaded sledge behind them. Learn more about how Oregon Tribes used lodgepole pine at https://lnkd.in/gP5wxGs9

#AviationHistoryMonth The use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and the Multi-Mission Aircraft (MMA) have benefited ODF and our firefighters by giving us the ability detect fires early in areas that are difficult to spot with the naked eye or on dangerous terrain and give situational awareness. These aviation resources help our firefighters respond sooner, reducing the risk and the cost of the fire.

The Oregon Board of Forestry will meet for a virtual special meeting starting at 9 a.m. today. The purpose of this meeting will be to review the Western Oregon State Forests Draft Forest Management Plan (FMP) scenarios. The board will direct the department on the next steps in the development of the FMP. The agenda and YouTube livestream is available on https://lnkd.in/gJXy5RB4

It’s done! 2.3 million seedlings are now planted in the Santiam State Forest completing the recovery efforts after the 2020 wildfires. The four-years of hard work was true teamwork by the ODF to complete the salvage logging sales, rebuild roads, fix recreation sites and trails, and help wildlife recover. See the whole story on ODF’s news blog. https://wp.me/p6ELS9-2xz

Chilly late fall days are often brightened and warmed with a campfire or a fireplace fire. Both require firewood. Unfortunately, the larvae of many tree-killing insect pests can hide inside wood for very long periods. If you move firewood from an infested area, you can spread that pest to new places faster than it could travel on its own. That's why it's recommended to buy firewood or cut it close to where you plan on burning it, or buy certified heat-treated wood. It's generally safest to limit moving untreated firewood 10 miles or less. You can find out more at https://lnkd.in/dUdhYVp

Winter weather is here! Before driving forest roads, check the forecast, share your plans, and pack the essentials: an emergency kit, spare tire, extra food, water, warm layers, an ice scraper, and a shovel. Stay safe!

It's #NationalTakeaHikeDay and in honor of Native American Heritage Month we encourage you to take a hike in the Tillamook, Clatsop, or Santiam State Forest, all of which named after indigenous tribes of Oregon. https://lnkd.in/gexfDa_i

On Thursday, November 7, an excited group of developers, builders, researchers, and community members took a look at the newest Mass Plywood Panel (MPP) Workforce Housing prototype, designed in collaboration with the experts at TallWood Design Institute (TDI) and the Institute for Health in the Built Environment (IHBE). The completed house was built with prefabricated mass plywood panels, allowing the house to be 'flat packed', or shipped in pieces for an efficient assembly process. The comfortably sized dwelling spans about 760 square feet and is constructed as a two-story, two-bedroom, designed to serve as part of a "cottage cluster" or as an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). Serving as a "proof of concept" for potential builders and developers, this is the first time the house has been made available to the public for viewing outside of the 2024 Mass Timber Research & Design Innovation Symposium in September. https://lnkd.in/gK5edEpt

BTO Forestry Solutions has been named Operator of the Year for Eastern Oregon. Owned by Mike Wiedeman, the logging firm is based in Enterprise, Ore. BTO was chosen by the Eastern Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committee, which advises the Oregon Board of Forestry on forest practice matters. Committee members cited the difficulties BTO overcame in logging in steep canyonlands in Wallowa County. They cited the company's innovative approaches and decades of experience protecting soils by suspending logs on rigging lines sometimes close to a mile in length. View the firm's work at https://lnkd.in/gSj4UM9W

R.D. Reeves Construction, Inc. of Rainier, Ore. has been named NW Oregon Operator of the Year. The logging firm earned the distinction for years of consistently exceeding the Oregon Forest Practices Act. The NW Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committee, which selected the company, cited its longstanding success in protecting streams from muddy runoff during and after harvests, even as staff had to learn and follow new rules that enlarged buffers around fish-bearing streams and their tributaries. View the firm's work at https://lnkd.in/gfDwuxSC