GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Department of Forestry has proposed a new plan for managing the only state forest that contributes money to schools.
The plan released Monday covers the Elliott State Forest, located in the Coast Range near Reedsport.
The State Land Board has been unable to reach agreement with federal fish and wildlife agencies over protections for coho salmon and marbled murrelets that would allow timber production to increase.
If those talks are not resolved by the end of next year, the board plans to adopt a method used by private timber owners to comply with the Endangered Species Act.
The plan would lay the groundwork for a way of logging around protected fish and wildlife favored by the timber industry, but not environmentalists.
