After nearly a year of negotiations, an agreement over new rules for the Oregon Forest Practices Act has been reached between timber and environmental groups to overhaul management of 10 million acres of private forestlands in Oregon. These changes will update Oregon's forest practice laws and provide significant new protections for our imperiled salmon, recreational and commercial fisheries, and for the communities that rely on these resources.

The agreement also provides a strong and collaborative science process that will drive future changes. Given the increasingly damaging effects of climate change, the strategies we agreed on are even more urgent.  

KS Wild, along with our Rogue Riverkeeper program, was one of the key negotiators in the process with a focus on developing better rules for how roads are constructed and maintained. These new rules help ensure that fish passage is prioritized where roads cross streams, sediment pollution is reduced from road runoff, wetlands are better protected, and beavers are restored. We were joined by Trout Unlimited, Oregon Wild, Wild Salmon Center, and Portland Audubon with scientific support from several experts including fisheries biologist Dr. Kelly Burnett. 

While there is much work ahead to be certain, we are celebrating this enormous step forward for Oregon forest practices. The negotiation over the fate of management on 10 million acres of private forestland began last year with the MOU between 13 conservation and fishing groups and 13 timber representatives.

After 10 months of intensive negotiations, a process that KS Wild Climate Director Joseph Vaile participated in, the parties agreed on a framework for:

·       Increased riparian buffers for streams, rivers, and bodies of water;

·       Steep slopes protection to minimize erosion and protect habitat;

·       An approach moving forward to improve forest roads; and

·       A path forward to make adjustments and adaptation to forest practices in the future

The Governor announced this agreement in a press release over the weekend.

KS Wild will continue to share more details about how this will change forest practices in Oregon and keep you updated on the process ahead to turn this proposal into legislation. For now, we want to express our gratitude to the countless community members, activists, and KS Wild members who have spoken up over the decades seeking improvements to Oregon’s forest practice laws. Today is a watershed moment that will set a new foundation for Oregon’s forests and the human and aquatic communities that rely on them.