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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Locate your nearest ODF office to ask the district about the operation.
Local ODF offices

Contact the ODF Procurement office at 503-945-7254​.​

Protection Contract Services Unit (PCSU)
​503-945-7479
Ema​il​​​​​​​​
Firefighting resources

Notifications of Operations and Permits to use Fire or Power Driven Machinery are now completed online. 
E-Notification system

Locate your nearest ODF office to ask the district about the operation.​​
Local ODF offices

​Standard practice and minimum option refer to the different rules for harvesting along the sides of specified waters of the state within which vegetation retention and special management practices are required for the protection of water quality, water movement, and fish and wildlife habitat.​​

The minimum option allows small forestland owners to harvest closer to the edge of streams than other landowners who must follow standard practice harvesting rules, which require a greater amount of unharvested area next to streams.

Streams eligible for the Forest Conservation Tax Credit include fish-bearing streams, known as Type F and Type SSBT streams, and non-fish bearing streams known as Type N streams. Streams classified as domestic use streams, also known as Type D streams, are not eligible for the tax credit.​

Stream information is available in the Department of Forestry’s Forest Activity Electronic Reporting and Notification System (FERNS) and will be updated as directed by rules adopted under the Private Forest Accord and Senate Bill 1501 (2022). If you have questions regarding a stream on your land, consult with your local SFO Forester.​​

Yes, small forestland owners who choose to harvest using the standard practice when minimum option harvesting is not available for their watershed due to the five-percent cap being reached within their fifth field watershed can received the tax credit. In this circumstance, the calculation of the tax credit amount includes 125% of the stumpage value of the timber left in the forest conservation area between the minimum option harvest boundary and the standard practice harvest boundary.​

​There are three methods approved for determining stumpage value for the Forest Conservation Tax Credit. Each method requires specific information and documentation. The accepted methods for determining stumpage value are:

  • Conversion Return Method
  • Actual Comparison Method
  • Cash Flow Modeling Method

To learn more about determining the value of standing trees, see determining stumpage value.

​No, the Forest Conservation Tax Credit may not be transferred to a new owner as part of the sale of forestland. The tax credit may only transfer upon the death of the tax credit holder.​

​No, the Forest Conservation Tax Credit does not expire and may be carried forward to any future tax year.​

​No, the Forest Conservation Tax Credit is not refundable. If your tax credit exceeds your tax liability for the year, you may use the remaining tax credit in future tax years.​

​Yes, the Forest Conservation Tax Credit is available to individuals who reside outside of Oregon but qualify as small forestland owners based on ownership of Oregon forestland.​

​No, the Forest Conservation Tax Credit applies only to taxes imposed under ORS chapters 316, 317, and 318 for personal income tax or corporate income or excise tax and cannot be used for harvest taxes imposed under ORS chapter 321.​

Yes - better than the stock market! Research conducted in the Pacific Northwest by the USDA Forest Service shows that for every $1 invested in trees, $2.70 worth of benefits is returned.
Benefit of trees

​Draft Guiding Principles:

Guiding principles establish a framework that directs the development of FMP goals and strategies. Guiding principles align with the vision are approved by the Board of Forestry.

Status: Complete

Draft Goals:

Goals are what the State Forester intends to achieve for forest resources.  They will be used to ensure ODF provides the economic, environmental, and social values required by Oregon Administrative Rule. The goals align with the guiding principles and the vision.

Status: ODF is in the process of finalizing the draft goals. The goals were developed by ODF staff and the public was invited to discuss and provide comments on the goals in public and stakeholder meetings in August 2021.​​

​Draft Strategies:

Each strategy supports one or many goals. The strategies identify management techniques to achieve plan goals. Each strategy aligns with the goals, guiding principles, and vision.

Status: ODF is in the process of finalizing draft strategies. ODF held meetings with the public and stakeholders in December 2021 and collected feedback through an online survey. A summary of feedback is available on the project website.​

"Forestland" means any woodland, brushland, timberland, grazing land or clearing that, during any time of the year, contains enough forest growth, slashing or vegetation to constitute, in the judgment of the forester, a fire hazard, regardless of how the land is zoned or taxed.
Forestland classification

The Forest Practices Act does not expressly prohibit changing the use of forestland to another use. However, many of these changes are subject to other state and local regulations.
Forest Practices Act

ODF provides wildland fire protection on private forest and rangelands within their Fire Protection District boundaries. This fire protection service is funded by a combination of an assessment on lands within the Fire Protection District and the General Funds for the State of Oregon. The landowner contribution is termed the Fire Patrol Assessment. Currently, the General Fund and the landowner’s assessment each contribute approximately 50% of the funding. Forestland classification is a process by which a committee studies all lands within the fire protection boundary to determine which lands are "forestlands." Follow the link to find out about land classification and forest patrol assessment in your area.
Forestland classification

Financial and technical assistance programs help private forest landowners plan for and manage their forest resources. Contact the Private Forests Division for additional questions about each program and to determine if you are qualified to receive financial assistance.
Helping landowners

​No, the Forest Conservation Tax Credit applies only to taxes imposed under ORS chapters 316, 317, and 318 for personal income tax or corporate income or excise tax and cannot be used for harvest taxes imposed under ORS chapter 321.​​

Usually, but sometimes, the land is converted to a bona fide non-forest use. The landowner must document compliance with county ordinances and all necessary permits. The land use change must be completed within 24 months of harvest completion and must be maintained for at least six years.
Forest Practices Act

The Oregon Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Division​ (ODA) administers rules relating to applicator licensing, proper application, and pesticide labeling. Contact ODA if you think pesticides have drifted or moved across property lines and have damaged human health or property.
Oregon Department of Agriculture

Reforestation after harvesting keeps forest land productive and valuable. The Oregon Department of Forestry administers forest practice reforestation rules in order to ensure future generations will also benefit from Oregon's many forest resources: timber, water, air, soil, and fish and wildlife habitat. Failure to reforest can result in: a citation, an order to repair the condition, a fine up to $5000, and removal from forestland tax deferral with a bill for back taxes.
Replanting forests

Oregon holds the forest landowner responsible for reforestation, regardless of who cuts the trees. When the land is sold, any uncompleted reforestation obligation transfers to the buyer. The law requires a seller to inform the buyer of this in writing.
Replanting forests

Reforestation means more than simply planting seedlings or saving residual seedlings, saplings, or trees already on the site. The landowner must see to it that the trees are in "free to grow" condition six years after harvesting. "Free to grow" means that a tree has a good chance of outgrowing competing grass and brush to become part of a vigorous, healthy forest. This makes it very important for landowners to plan for reforestation before harvesting begins. Good planning will minimize costs and ensure successful reforestation. The reforestation rule "clock" starts when the operation is completed or 12 months after felling begins, whichever comes first. From that date landowners have: 12 months to start reforestation tasks such as site preparation and ordering seedlings; 24 months to complete planting; and 6 years in total to establish an adequately-stocked, free to grow stand. (Time extensions may be granted for circumstances beyond the landowner's control.)
Replanting forests

Reforestation is required if the post-harvesting numbers of residual seedlings, saplings, and trees are below rule-specified levels. The potential tree-growing productivity (site class) of the site determines the stocking to be re-established. There are three broad productivity ranges. Landowners in this area generally need to replant either 125 or 200 trees per acre. Residual seedlings, saplings or poles, and trees may all count toward stocking.
Replanting forests

ODF provides reforestation resources on the replaning forests webpage.
Replanting forests

Six state forests comprise nearly three percent of the overall forested landbase in Oregon. These six include the Clatsop (northwest Oregon near Astoria) Tillamook (also northwest Oregon, between Tillamook and Forest Grove), Santiam (east of Salem, midway to Detroit Lake), Elliott (southwest Oregon, near Coos Bay. The Elliott is owned by the Department of State Lands. Sun Pass (north of Klamath Falls), and Oregon's newest state forest, dedicated in 2010, the Gilchrist (just north of La Pine).
State forests

Consider the location you want to plant before you decide on the species. That way you can select a tree that will be well suited to its planting location. The Oregon State University landscape plants guide provides photos of trees and information about different trees you can plant.
OSU's landscape plant guide

Follow the tree planting guide to start your trees out on the right foot.
Planting a tree

Many new trees, when planted correctly, don’t need to be staked.
But sometimes a weak tree or a tree planted in a windy site will
need to be staked for the first 6 months or year of its life. Learn more about tree staking from the guide.
Selecting, planting, and caring for a new tree guide

Water and mulch are two of the best things for new trees. The Oregon State University Extension tree guide has additional advice for after planting trees.
What can I do to give my new tree a good start?

A combination of factors – shorter fall days and cooler nights cause trees to stop producing chlorophyll (green) and allows the true colors of the leaves to be seen.
Leaves

Basically, no – you should call in a licensed tree care professional to properly and safely prune a tree that requires use of chain saw.
Why hire an arborist?

Contact the Master Gardeners at your local university extension service for professional advice on what may be affecting your tree.
Find an OSU extension location

Fruit tree pruning involves using different techniques than you would usually use on landscape trees. This type of pruning encourages fruit production and makes it easier to pick.


How do I prune fruit trees?

The best time to prune deciduous (hardwood) trees is when they are dormant. Some flowering trees you may want to prune right after flowering. Conifers may be pruned any time of year, but pruning during the dormant season may minimize sap and resin flow from cut branches.
How to prune trees

Trees and turf have different water requirements. If you gave grass underneath a tree all the water it needs, you would kill the tree. Trees with lawn/turf do best when surrounded by mulch.
Trees and turf

No, topping is one of the worst things you can do to a tree. Not only is topping unattractive, but it removes the leaves that supply nutrients to a tree and can make your tree prone to insect and disease damage by creating improper pruning cuts. Topping also creates a more dangerous tree by sprouting back weakly attached branches that are more likely to break in a storm event.
Plant Amnestry

While you can remove small roots, be careful not to injure the tree. Help avoid the problem by making a bigger mulch circle around the base of the tree. This will also keep the soil moist and help avoid unwanted grass or weeds from growing beneath the tree.
Planting a tree

Only hire someone who is a Certified Arborist. Visit the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Internationals Society of Arboriculture to find one near you.
Search for an ISA certified arborist member

Trees need care, and if left uncared for, they can become liabilities instead of assets. You should learn to recognize potential hazards and be proactive by performing preventative tree maintenance. If your tree has significant structural issues, you will want to contact a Certified Arborist to get a hazard tree assessment.
Tree hazards

Yes, impacts from construction can potentially damage a tree. Make sure that a tree protection zone is set up around the tree to avoid potential damage to the tree itself or the roots.
Tree hazards

We enjoy the benefits of trees, but we also need safe reliable delivery of electricity. Your utility has a tough job making trees and utility lines co-exist. While they should prune to correct standards, some trees under powerlines really are better off being removed and replaced with a better suited tree for the location.
Treatment of trees damaged by construction

Find information about partner organizations: Oregon Community Trees, Trees A​re Good, The Arbor Day Foundation, and others.
ODF Urban Forestry

There are many ways you can help care for Oregon's State Forests, from one-time to reoccurring volunteer opportunities for youth, families, groups and individuals. ​Follow the link to check out the volunteer opportunities.
ODF Volunteer

Oregon's forests are home to many species of fish and wildlife, including some who are threatened and endangered. Endangered species are those that are extremely rare and in danger of becoming extinct; threatened species are those likely to become endangered throughout some or all of their habitat range. ODF supports a 'take-avoidance' policy to reduce the potential for harming threatened and endangered species on forestland. Forest activities may be prohibited or limited should these species exist on the planned area of operation. An ODF stewardship forester will notify you if your planned operation may impact a threatened or endangered species. Threatened and endangered fish and wildlife lists are available from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Threatened, endangered, and candidate fish and wildlife species