State Forest Planning

Elliott State Forest Planning and Management

Click here for the 2004 Draft Elliott State Forest Management Plan.

In June 2005 there will be a public review of a new version of the draft, as the forest management plan gets closer to a final document. As we develop a federal habitat conservation plan, there will be additional opportunities to comment during 2005 and 2006.

An earlier public comment period on the 2004 draft plan ended in August 2004. Comments have been reviewed and evaluated by the Department of Forestry. A summary of the comments within the scope of the plan, and the department's responses, is now posted. A separate comment matrix includes all comments received and how they were categorized. The matrix also contains ODF's responses.

2004 Draft Forest Management Plan

The 2004 draft plan contains strategies for implementing concepts identified earlier as a general direction for the 93,000-acre forest near Coos Bay, and for 5,000 acres of scattered parcels managed by the Department of Forestry's Coos District.

The concepts focus on 1) using stand structure to measure forest development, 2) designating conservation areas for wildlife, and 3) revising special treatment areas along streams.

Information about the current planning process can be found in our planning newsletter, Expectations. Copies of plans are available on the web, on CD, or as hard copies from the Coos District (541-267-4136, FAX 541-269-2027), or from the Planning Specialist in Salem.

Questions for Commenters:

The 2004 review asked for public comments regarding plan goals and strategies. The following questions were offered to help focus the comments:

In light of the Elliott State Forest's Constitutional mandate to produce revenue for Oregon schools and comply with the federal Endangered Species Act,

1. Do you agree with the plan's harvesting and habitat goals? Please consider:

The proposed plan calls for regeneration harvests and partial cuts to generate revenue.
The proposed plan calls for conservation areas to protect wildlife habitat.
The proposed plan calls for riparian areas to protect fish habitat and water quality.
The proposed plan calls for managing for diverse stand types rather than solely using age to classify stands.

2. Do you agree with the strategies for integrating timber production and habitat development? Why or why not? Please consider:

The proposed plan calls for using timber harvests to generate revenue and create diverse stand types.
The proposed plan calls for a range of stand types for diverse habitat, from open spaces to advanced structure resembling old growth.
The proposed plan calls for using monitoring and research to see how management can be adapted to better meet timber and habitat goals.

Contacts:

Robert Fields, Oregon Department of Forestry, 63612 Fifth Road, Coos Bay, OR 97420; 541-267-1775, FAX 541-269-2027; rfields@odf.state.or.us

or:

Roger Welty, Planning Specialist, Oregon Department of Forestry, 2600 State Street, Salem, OR 97310; 503-945-7359, FAX 503-945-7376

Scientific Peer Review:

Eight scientists were commissioned in 2003 to review the draft forest management plan, with a focus on resource management strategies. Responses from the reviewers were compiled by question. They are presented without revision or any editing.

1994-1995 Plans:

The 1994 Elliott State Forest Management Plan is available only as a hard copy. The Elliott State Forest Habitat Conservation Plan for northern spotted owls and marbled murrelets was approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1995.

Return to State Forest Planning.

Draft Elliott State Forest
Management Plan (FMP)
May 2004

This draft plan contains proposed strategies to provide direction for management of the Elliott State Forest and scattered tracts of state forest land managed by the Coos District. Comments from the last public input period, as well as information from wildlife surveys, economic studies and forest modeling, and a scientific peer review, were considered in the development of these strategies.

For information about the Elliott planning process and public review of this plan, see the May 2004 issue of Expectations.

To view these documents, you will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. Readers are available from Adobe Systems and are freeware. For questions about loading Adobe Acrobat Reader software onto your computer, or for technical assistance, please contact Adobe Systems.

Many of the files below are very large, particularly Chapters 2, 4 and 5. If you have trouble accessing them, contact the Planning Specialist (Salem) (phone 503-945-7258; fax 503-945-7376).

Title Page and Acronyms