Two minutes can help protect 14,000 miles of Oregon streams.
The Oregon Board of Forestry (BOF) will soon decide whether to increase Oregon’s riparian buffers. These buffers supply cool water in the heat of summer, water necessary for steelhead, trout, salmon and other organisms important to Oregon rivers and streams.
Currently, Oregon requires only a 20 foot buffer — far smaller than neighboring states, and according to the science, woefully inadequate as a means of providing the necessary cool water on which these species depend.
Studies have shown that at least 120 feet of buffer is needed to provide adequate shade 90 percent of the time.
By comparison, Federally managed forests in the Northwest require a 300 foot buffer on fish bearing streams.
We are asking for a mere 110 feet – a reasonable compromise.
But we need you. It’s not often you can protect 14,000 miles of streams. Please, reach out to the Board member in your region and tell them you support increasing buffers to 110 feet.
The board is expected to make its ruling by early October. We urge you to take a moment and stand up for a positive change for fish and habitat that is supported by both the science and the angling community.
Contact Information
General email for Board of Forestry:
BoardofForestry@oregon.gov
Tom Imeson – Chair
220 NW Second Ave.
Portland, OR. 97209
Phone (503)-220-2370
tom.imeson@nwnatural.com
Sybil Ackerman-Munson
20200 SE Walgren Road
Damascus, OR. 97209
(503)-419-8454
sybilbof@gmail.com
Cindy Deacon Williams
4393 Pioneer Rd.
Medford, OR 97501
(541) 601-4737
Nils D. Christoffersen
401 NE 1st St. Ste A
Enterprise, OR 97828
(541) 426-8053
nils@wallowaresources.org
Tom Insko
Eastern Oregon University
One University Boulevard
Inlow Hall Suite 216
La Grande, OR 97850
(541) 962-3512
Gary Springer
Starker Forests, Inc.
7240 S.W. Philomath Blvd
PO Box 809
Corvallis, OR 97339-0809
(541) 929-2477
gtspringer@hotmail.com
Mike Rose
25379 State Hwy. 38
Elkton, OR 97436
(541) 337-7413