Home / Environment / Oregon Forests Go Green: New Plan Cuts Logging by 20%
Oregon Forests Go Green: New Plan Cuts Logging by 20%
23 Jul
Summary
- New plan reduces logging by 20% over several decades.
- Oregon forests to be entered into voluntary carbon market.
- Plan prioritizes climate action and species protection.
Oregon's western state forests are set to undergo significant changes with the approval of a new 168-page management plan. This plan will guide the Oregon Department of Forestry's work across 640,000 acres, primarily in northwest Oregon, for the coming decades, taking effect by July 1, 2027.
Logging in these forests is projected to decline by approximately one-fifth over the next several decades. This reduction is part of a broader strategy to support critical species, improve water and air quality, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
New priorities include combating climate change by reducing logging, protecting old-growth forests, and allowing trees to mature. The state plans to enter these forests into a voluntary carbon market, generating revenue from credits bought by polluting industries. Oregon's Coast Range forests are noted for their exceptional carbon-storing capacity, rivaling even the Amazon Rainforest.
The management plan, developed over years with input from industry and conservation groups, balances economic needs with ecological goals. While some timber industry representatives raised concerns about potential legal challenges, conservation groups largely viewed the plan's adoption as a positive step forward for forest protection and wildlife habitat.
