SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Board of Forestry is expected to give final approval to a new management plan for state forests that allows more logging.
The board is meeting Thursday in Salem to consider changes to the plan adopted in 2001. The reason is it is not delivering as much timber as expected.
At issue is how much forest will be managed to be like old growth. The old standard was 30 percent to 50 percent. The new standard will be 20 percent to 30 percent.
That is estimated to produce a 7 pecent increase in timber volume, primarily from the Tillamook and Clatsop state forests in the northwestern corner of the state.
Conservationists don’t like the changes, but counties and the timber industry support them.
