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New state 'working forest' commissioned in Oregon
11/06/2010
Confidence in timber as a long-term investment has been heightened, after officials in the US state of Oregon commissioned the first new state forest in more than 60 years.
The Gilchrist State Forest now occupies around 43,000 acres in Klamath County and was dedicated by state governor, Ted Kulongoski, at a ceremony this week in Gilchrist. Despite being the second most forested state in the US – second only to Alaska – Oregon has a fairly small state forest system.
The plantation comprises mainly slow-growing Ponderosa and lodgepole pines, and has cost the tax-payer around $15 million in public money. Its future financial benefits, however, will soon surpass the initial outlay. It is the state's vision, however, it is a valuable long-term investment that will one day support government operations with timber sale money.
It will also provide wildlife habitat, make fire protection easier and stave off checkerboard development.
Doug Decker, from the Oregon Department of Forestry, said it will be managed as a working forest, which will include on-site logging operations. It is not expected to produce a significant amount of timber for 30 to 40 years, but in its sixth decade it is projected to produce about 13 million board feet of timber. This should generate $2.8 million in gross revenue for the state annually, according to a commissioned analysis.
The Gilchrist State Forest now occupies around 43,000 acres in Klamath County and was dedicated by state governor, Ted Kulongoski, at a ceremony this week in Gilchrist. Despite being the second most forested state in the US – second only to Alaska – Oregon has a fairly small state forest system.
The plantation comprises mainly slow-growing Ponderosa and lodgepole pines, and has cost the tax-payer around $15 million in public money. Its future financial benefits, however, will soon surpass the initial outlay. It is the state's vision, however, it is a valuable long-term investment that will one day support government operations with timber sale money.
It will also provide wildlife habitat, make fire protection easier and stave off checkerboard development.
Doug Decker, from the Oregon Department of Forestry, said it will be managed as a working forest, which will include on-site logging operations. It is not expected to produce a significant amount of timber for 30 to 40 years, but in its sixth decade it is projected to produce about 13 million board feet of timber. This should generate $2.8 million in gross revenue for the state annually, according to a commissioned analysis.
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