Gilchrist, Sun Pass State Forests deliver $1.1 million for county, local services
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Gilchrist State Forest (ODF)
The following is a press release from the Oregon Department of Forestry
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Forestry released a report to state forest trust land counties highlighting economic, environmental, and social accomplishments in fiscal year 2020, including distributing $1.1 million in revenue to Klamath County and local service providers.
Klamath County is home to the Gilchrist and Sun Pass state forests, with a combined size of about 98,000 acres.
ODF recently released its Council of Forest Trust Land Counties annual report, which highlights the array of economic, environmental, and social contributions from approximately 729,000 acres of actively managed state forestland. It includes a recap of timber sales and revenue distribution, conservation and forest health activities, and recreation use, including popularity and number of visitors, among other statistics.
Statewide, counties and local governments received $69.2 million in fiscal year 2020, collected from timber sales on state-owned forests. Revenues are distributed based on timber sales within a particular jurisdiction. Other highlights include replanting more than 3 million trees and hosting more than 22,000 campers at ODF campgrounds.
Counties and local service providers receive approximately 64 percent of net revenues from timber harvests on state forests. The remaining revenues finance virtually all aspects of state forest management, including ODF’s recreational offerings, environmental enhancement projects, replanting after timber harvest, and forest road maintenance. The state’s share of revenue was approximately $38.3 million in fiscal year 2020.
“The economic, environmental and social successes detailed in this annual report highlight the broad scope of benefits healthy working forests provide to Oregonians and communities,” State Forester Peter Daugherty said.
Other report highlights statewide include:
238 million board feet of timber harvested through management activities
4.9 miles of fish access restored
20 fish barriers removed
389 miles of trail maintained
1,015 woodcutting permits issued
29,472 visitors to the ODF Tillamook Forest Center. The TFC’s physical location was closed for most of the 2020 season to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
State forests managed by the Oregon Department of Forestry are distributed across 15 counties, with the largest being the Clatsop and Tillamook state forests on the north coast, the Santiam State Forest in the northern Cascade Range, and the Gilchrist and Sun Pass state forests in Klamath County. Other scattered tracts can be found throughout western Oregon. Many State Forests employees also are part of Oregon’s complete and coordinated fire protection system, providing critical resources and expertise during fire season.