News

Will the Northwest Forest Plan finally respect tribal rights?

Tribal representatives are pushing the U.S. Forest Service to respect treaty rights and bring cultural fire back to the region’s forests.

Blending Indigenous knowledge and western science in forest management

A monthly discussion examining key issues and news relating to forestry, forest products and public lands management.

Forest Service, Native American Tribes Partner to Promote Forest Resilience

Old-growth forest plan offers protections, but no ban on cutting

Old trees are back in the spotlight with the release of a U.S. Forest Service plan to preserve old-growth forests.

The plan follows a directive by President Joe Biden in April 2022 to protect mature and old-growth forests on national forestlands in an attempt to protect biodiversity and help fight climate change.

Update to Northwest Forest Plan expected soon

An update to the 30-year-old Northwest Forest Plan is expected soon. The plan has a been a critical tool for managing 19 million acres of federal forest lands in Oregon, California and Washington. In December, the U.S. Forest Service announced its intent to amend the plan, with a draft environment impact statement expected for release this summer.

Thirty Years After Its Creation, the Northwest Forest Plan Is Still Saving Trees

If you’ve ever stared up in awe at the towering colossus of a centuries-old Douglas fir tree in Washington or Oregon, you likely have the Northwest Forest Plan to thank for its existence. Adopted in 1994, after years of contentious battles over the logging of old-growth forests…

Indigenous Knowledge, western science braided into recommendations for land managers

Two Oregon State University faculty are among the lead authors of a report that combines Indigenous Knowledge and western science for the purpose of informing future climate-adapted land management decisions across the United States…

Forest agencies seek tribal inclusion in policymaking. Indigenous leaders are holding them accountable

During an early February morning, nearly two dozen people found their chairs in a conference room at the University of Oregon, settling to hash out the future of Northwest forests. The 21 members of the Northwest Forest Plan advisory committee are foresters, political leaders, tribal members and lawyers…

THE WISE PATH FORWARD

North American forests face unparalleled threats. Ensuring their sustained existence for future generations requires wise stewardship.

Update coming for 30-year-old Northwest Forest Plan

The U.S. Forest Service has announced its intention to update a 30-year-old plan for managing forests in the Northwest. The agency has issued a Notice of Intent to amend the Northwest Forest Plan…