Oregon has a long history of timber corporations prioritizing their bottom line over the well-being of our climate, ecosystems, and communities. We need healthy forests now more than ever — to provide clean water for local communities, habitat for threatened species, and a line of defense against the climate crisis. It’s time for the state to adopt stronger protections for Oregon’s public forests, and all the values they provide, for years to come.
Right now, the Board of Forestry could take a key step towards managing Oregon forests through more sustainable, climate-smart practices — by passing a robust Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for western Oregon state forests. Although imperfect, the HCP is a good faith effort to offer vital protections to threatened and endangered species while ensuring that counties and rural communities that rely on logging revenue remain stable.
The HCP has broad community support, and has been calling for a plan like this for decades. So we were disheartened to learn that the Board of Forestry Chair recently proposed a resolution to the HCP that could lead to increased logging at the expense of habitat protections for threatened and endangered species.
The resolution is not based on best available science and we worry that it could cut the legs out from under the HCP, causing unnecessary delays and even compromising its original purpose: to protect 17 threatened and endangered species. If passed, the resolution would perpetuate the same excessive logging that made those 17 species become listed in the first place.
The Board of Forestry will vote on this resolution on Thursday, Sept 7. There’s no time to lose – we need to pass the HCP, without further reductions in habitat, as soon as possible.
Not only do we need the Board of Forestry to vote no on the proposal, but we’re also asking them to adopt a version of the HCP that has the most protection for aquatic and terrestrial species, including: 1) improving buffers for tributary streams, and 2) establishing buffers on steep slopes with moderate landslide potential.
We have the chance to change the way Oregon manages its public forests so they can keep protecting us in the uncertain years ahead — starting by passing the HCP. Join us in sending a message to the Board of Forestry today, encouraging them to reject this resolution and maintain an HCP with robust protections for Oregon forests and habitat for threatened and endangered species.
In gratitude,
Brenna Bell, 350PDX Climate Forest Manager
