Revenue from timber harvested on the lands is shared between the U.S. Treasury and 18 western Oregon counties.
The Trump administration is moving ahead with its plan to possibly release 2.5 million acres of some of the world’s most productive timberland in western Oregon, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced on Feb. 18.
“Bringing timber production back to historic levels is essential for reviving local economies and reducing the threat of catastrophic wildfires,” said acting Director Bill Groffy. “President [Donald] Trump has made it clear—enhanced domestic timber production is vital for our national security, economic prosperity, and effective wildfire management.”
The agency will publish an official notice on Feb. 19 to open a public comment period about making revisions to the 2016 resource management plans for the region that would allow more timber to be harvested. The public will be able to comment until March 23.
The lands are part of the Oregon and California Railroad Revested Lands, known as the O&C Lands, taken over by Congress in 1916, which lie in a checkerboard pattern through 18 counties in western Oregon.
Revenue from timber harvested on the lands is shared between the U.S. Treasury and 18 western Oregon counties, funding local services, such as schools, libraries, public safety, and infrastructure projects.
The American Forest Resource Council (AFRC), a prominent timber industry association in Portland, Oregon, applauded the decision, calling it an “important and necessary step.”
Since 2016, management plans severely restricted 80 percent of the land for timber harvests in the region and undermined revenues for western Oregon counties. The timber also continued to grow, and forests became overstocked, increasing the risk of catastrophic wildfire across much of the region, according to the AFRC.
“The status quo is not working for our forests, communities, and the working people who steward them,” said AFRC President Travis Joseph. “If we manage the O&C Lands sustainably and responsibly, current and future generations will benefit. They can support thousands of additional family-wage jobs, provide renewable building materials, strengthen domestic wood supply, reduce wildfire risk, and generate stable revenue for essential public services.
