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The Federal Forest Restoration Program Newsletter - August 2025

Letter from the Editor Hello! Welcome to the first edition of the Federal Forest Restoration Program Quarterly Newsletter. Each issue will share program updates, federal policy news, and highlights from our collaborative work to improve the health and resilience of Oregon’s federal forests.   Thank You for Reading, Kyle Sullivan-Astor, FFRP Lead

Oakay Good Neighbor Authority Timber Sale

In Douglas County, the Oakay Timber Sale is located on the Umpqua National Forest. ODF's South West Federal Forest Restoration (FFR) Region received the project after our Forest Service partners previous unsuccessful attempts to bring this project to market. FFR Staff began recon and hit the ground with fresh take; successfully improving logging systems, unit layout, and tree removal specifications allowing more room for profit and increased timber value. Oakay GNA provides 213 acres of thinning intended to improve stand structure, protect legacy trees, and enhance pine and oak habitat. The sale sold in June 2024, to Rosboro Lumber Company, providing an estimated 2,252 million board feet (MBF) of timber with a value over $1M. This revenue will be crucial in funding future restoration and timber sale projects on Umpqua National Forests. Harvest operations are set to begin soon, watch for updated post-treatment photos.

FFR PROGRAM UPDATE

2025-2027 Biennial Operations

The 2025-27 Biennial Operations plans are complete as we start the biennium. Current FY26 planned activities are represented in Figure 1 below. These can be compared to averages shown in Figure 2 representing work spanning 2018-2023. General trends for the next biennium show an increase in planned work and expanding into new realms with road maintenance, tree planting inspections, and watershed improvement acres. The FFR Program is anticipating an increase in workload given the United States Forest Service new direction regarding active management and creating resilient landscapes. This direction creates an Emergency Situation Determination (ESD) on 59 percent of Forest Service lands, directs a 25 percent increase in timber output, calls for the update and expansion of existing Shared Stewardship agreements, and calls on the Forest Service to work closely with states and other partners to expand wildfire risk reduction and landscape resilience efforts.

FEDERAL NEWS UPDATE

USDA Invests $200M to Boost Timber Production, Forest Health, and Rural Jobs

(Washington, D.C., May 29, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced a bold $200 million investment to implement the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service’s National Active Forest Management Strategy, a key initiative to increase timber harvest, improve forest health and productivity, reduce wildfire risk, and support rural prosperity in forest communities.

A notable excerpt from the strategy comes from the Shared Stewardship, Partnerships, Contracting, and Markets focus area, “Create a national team focused on expanding the use of shared stewardship, partner agreements, and Good Neighbor Authority to increase the capacity of States, Tribes, and partners as well as to better respond to their needs. Develop a uniform, streamlined approach to all aspects of agreement implementation. Solicit feedback from partners in this effort to reform processes (August 2025).”

Roadless Rule Rescinded Santa Fe, N.M., June 23, 2025) – Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced during a meeting of the Western Governors’ Association in New Mexico, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule.

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