HomeMy WebLinkAbout020623 FW_ OFCO Comment during forest plan workshop 2_6_23
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From: Patricia Jones
Sent: Monday, February 6, 2023 2:42:41 PM (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
To: Heidi Eisenhour; Greg Brotherton; Kate Dean
Subject: OFCO Comment during forest plan workshop 2/6/23
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ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
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OFCO - BOCC Comment
Commissioners, good afternoon, thank you for this opportunity to share our views on the plan for Jefferson County Forests. I am Dr Patricia Jones, for the Olympic Forest Coalition, Quilcene,
WA.
Thank you for the dedicated and committed effort and funding to find a way forward for key, older legacy forests in Jefferson County, and all state managed forests. This Plan is critically
important for many reasons. First, Jefferson County agreed with DNR that once a plan of managing the forests was finalized, the County would work with DNR to “co-manage” our forests.
Secondly, to apply and compete for any state, federal, or private funds to conserve our forests, and manage them ecologically, we need this plan. Third, our process in Jefferson County
has spurred efforts in other counties, and we want to contribute to a net positive gain in conserving forests across the state and not lower the bar. Fourth, and most important, it’s
our plan. What we will expect and hope for our forests.
Thanks to Chickadee Forestry for their wonderful work to make this plan even possible. Thanks to Peter Bahls and Northwest Watershed Institute volunteers for the effort to produce an
analysis of the remaining key forests in Eastern Jefferson County.
OFCO would request the BOCC consider adding the following:
OFCO asks that:
* Jefferson County request DNR stop planning, laying out, and putting up for sale ALL older legacy forests not under contract, and include these parcels in a counter proposal from
our county to DNR for the carbon project, and considered for other tools as they become available (TLT, Climate funds, federal funds, or reconveyance).
* Jefferson County develop guidelines for management and treatments on all state board lands, to include: a) ecological treatments on state lands; b) scaling and transitioning
to longer rotations; c) replanting with multi species, including the shrub layer, not plantation stands of Douglas fir only; d) expand oversight during harvest and reporting; and e)
invasive and noxious weed treatment plans (scotch broom, herb Robert, ivy, to name a few).
* Consult and protect Tribal and cultural lands of priority.
* To make this a living plan, request the contract forester to provide an annual status report, and recommendations for updating elements as funds become available.
Plans are in part aspirational – as are all of these elements. Thank you for taking this important step toward making them a reality in our County.
Patricia A. Jones, PhD (she/her/hers)
Executive Director
Olympic Forest Coalition
jonespatriciann@gmail.com <mailto:jonespatriciann@gmail.com>
+ 360 - 774 - 3384
http://olympicforest.org/