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Small Forestland Owner Office

AboutA man is standing in a culvert.

The mission of the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF’s) Small Forestland Owner (SFO) Office is to help landowners reach their economic, ecological and stewardship goals for their forests through compassionate, responsible and transparent assistance. As a result of the Private Forest Accord and subsequent legislation, ODF was provided new resources in both people and programs to help better serve small forestland owners. The SFO Office priorities are to connect small forestland owners to resources and support compliance with the Forest Practices Act through education, local field support and timely assistance.

Manage my forests

​​​​​​​​​​As​​ a result​​​ of the Private Forest Accord, changes were made to the Forest Practices Act and Forest Practices Administrative Rules​ that affect all Oregon forestland owners. While some of these new rules are already in effect, other new rules, including road requirements and Small Forestland Owner (SFO) programs, went​​ into effect on Jan.​ 1, 2024.

Here you will find links to more information about these new road requirements and SFO programs, and you can contact your ODF Forester with any questions you may have.

Road requirements

​Road Condition Assessments (RCAs) for SFOs

SFOs will be required to submit an RCA when notifying for operations that result in using a road to haul timber or when applying for a Small Forestland Investment in Stream Habitat (SFISH) grant. Learn more abou​t RCAs​.

SFO qualific​​​​ations

To qualify as an SFO, a landowner must certify that they:

  • Own less than 5,000 acres of forestland in Oregon;
  • Have harvested an average of less than 2 million board feet of timber from their Oregon forestland per year during the past 3 years; and
  • ​Do not expect to harvest more than an average of 2 million board feet of timber from their Oregon forestland per year during the next 10 years*.​

    *​Under special circumstances, the State Forester can allow a landowner to qualify as an SFO despite exceeding these harvest thresholds if the la​ndowner establishes to ODF's reasonable satisfaction that the harvest limits were, or will be, exceeded to raise funds to pay estate taxes or for a compelling and unexpected obligation, such as for a court-ordered judgment or for extraordinary medical expenses. Contact your
    ODF Forester for more information.

​SFO minimu​m option

The SFO minimum option vegetation retention prescription allows SFOs to harvest closer to streams than non-SFOs in certain circumstances. The availability of the SFO minimum option is limited by a five-percent cap based on the total stream miles owned by all SFOs inside the watershed within which the property is located. Learn more about the SFO minimum option.

Forest Conservation Tax​​ Credit (FCTC)

The FCTC was created to provide a financial benefit to SFOs who support conservation and habitat protection by retaining a larger than required unharvested area next to streams as a conservation area for protection of wildlife habitat and aquatic species. Learn more about the FCTC.

Small Fores​​tland Investment in Stream Habitat Program (SFISH)

SFISH is a grant program to help SFOs implement projects that improve fish habitat and mitigate risks to natural resources arising from active or abandoned forest roads. The program provides up to 100 percent of the cost for projects and provides technical assistance to landowners. Learn more about the SFISH Program.

​​Oregon State University in cooperation with ODF and other forests resource organizations developed a website that explains the basics of developing a forest management plan. The site covers what is a plan, how to write one, where to get help and templates and other resources. Visit the OSU Forest Management Plan website for more information. 

To find maps to use in your management plan, go to the landmapper website

The My Land Plan website developed by the American Forest Foundation is another place that helps you explore and discover how to manage your woodlands. It's easy to use tools guide you to map your land, set goals, keep a journal and connect with other woodland owners and foresters.

ODF has a cost share program to help develop a forest management plan and for bark beetle mitigation. This grant pays up to half the costs of a management plan and approved efforts to prevent and restore areas affected by bark beetles. You need to contact your local stewardship forester for more information. If you qualify, fill-out the application.

​​For more information or questions on incentive programs, please email ​forest.landownerhelp@odf.oregon.gov or contact your ​local ODF office​.

 There is information in ODF's seedling catalog.​​

​ODF's forest heath webpage has in-depth resources about insects, diseases and invasives that can impact your forestland.​

​​The ODF's Senate Bill 762 website has a summary and links to many of the programs and resources this $220 million bill created to help lower wildfire risks and make Oregon's forests more resilience. ​The page includes links to:

Another resource, especially if your home or property is in the wildland urban interface (WUI), is the Council of Western State Foresters Wildland Urban Interface Grant Program. The WUI is the area where tradition forests connect with more residential areas and is considered a higher wildfire risk area for people and property.​​

​​Landowners have many questions after a wildfire on their land. There are many tools available to help restore their land. ​The first thing to do is to contact your local stewardship forester for information and advice. You can also visit the ODF help after a wildfire page for more resources. This ​​factsheet also provides information and many helpful links.​​

Reporting and notifications through FERNS​.

The Forest Activity Electronic Reporting and Notification System (FERNS) is the tool used to notify ODF before starting any timber harvest activity or use of pesticides. Anyone can also register to received notifications about those forest operations. You can also receive information about planned helicopter pesticide use within one mile of your home or surface water intake.​

Information and education

This section provides links to organizations that have resources devoted to all things related to Oregon forestry and general forest education. ODF partners with some of them for educational and outreach purposes. However, ODF remains the best source for questions on rules and regulations for private forest practices associated with harvesting timber in Oregon.

​​American Forest Fo​​undation​

The mission of the American Forest Foundation is to deliver meaningful conservation impact through the empowerment of family forest owners. Working together, we strive to cultivate the many conservation benefits family-owned forests provide—and demonstrate their value to American communities, companies and landowners alike.

Association of Consulting Foresters

ACF is a national organization that serves independent consulting foresters who manage forests and market forest products for private woodland owners.

Associated Oregon Loggers

Associated Oregon Loggers, Inc. (AOL) is the statewide trade association for logging and forest operator businesses, which is dedicated to providing voice and service to independent forest small businesses working across Oregon.

Committee for Family Forestlands

The Committee for Family Forestlands researches policies impacting family forestland viability, resource protection, and forestry benefits. Based on its findings the Committee recommends actions to the Oregon Board of Forestry and State Forester.

Keep Oregon Green Association

The Keep Oregon Green Association educates the public on how to prevent wildfires. Beginning its efforts in April 1941, after public outcry over the human-caused Tillamook Burns, roughly 250 Oregon leaders came together to form a Keep Oregon Green Association. KOG's mission is to promote healthy landscapes and safe communities by educating the public of everyone's shared responsibility to prevent human-caused wildfires.

National Woodland Owners Association

The National Woodland Owners Association develops and delivers relevant, research-based, objective, actionable information to inform, educate and advocate for woodland owners, their partners, and stake holders.

Northwest Natural Resource Group

NNRG aims to strengthen the ecological and economic vitality of Northwest forests and communities by connecting people with the knowledge, skills, and markets they need to steward their land.

Oregon Forest Resources Institute

The Oregon Forest Resources Institute supports and enhances Oregon's forest products industry by advancing public understanding of forests, forest management and forest products.

Oregon Small Woodlands Association

The Oregon Small Woodlands Association is a member-based association that represents small woodland owners in Oregon. Regular Members own between one and 5,000 acres of land with trees growing on their property. OSWA provides many resources to help manage small forests.

​Oregon Society of Ame​rican Foresters

The Oregon Society of American Foresters is the largest state affiliate of the national Society. Foresters play a major role in managing Oregon's 30 million acres of forestland. Foresters manage for a rich diversity of forest resources to achieve landowner objectives and meet society's needs and the needs of future generations.

Oregon State University Extension Service

The Oregon State University Extension Service engages the people of Oregon with research-based knowledge and education that strengthen communities and economies, sustain natural resources, and promote healthy families and individuals.

Oregon Tree Farm System

The Oregon Tree Farm System, Inc is a non-profit organization affiliated with the American Tree Farm System and American Forest Foundation. Our purpose is to help family forest landowners manage their lands with the goals of conserving forests, water, and wildlife while promoting natural resources based recreational opportunities.

Partnership for Forestry Education

The Partnership for Forestry Education is a collaboration of state, federal and private organizations to provide educational resources to Oregon's forest landowners, managers and operators. 

Pinchot Institute

The Pinchot Institute's mission is to strengthen forest conservation thoughts, policy, and action by developing innovative, practical, and broadly-support solutions to conservation challenges and opportunities. The institute accomplishes this through nonpartisan research, education, and technical assistance on key issues influencing the future of conservation and sustainable natural resource management.

Sustainable Northwest

Sustainable Northwest works at the intersection of environment, community, and economy to bring entrepreneurial solutions to natural resources challenges to keep lands healthy and provide economic and community benefits.

U.S. Forest Service State and Private Forestry

The State and Private Forestry (S&PF) organization of the USDA Forest Service reaches across the boundaries of national forests to states, tribes, communities and non-industrial private landowners. S&PF is the federal leader in providing technical and financial assistance to landowners and resource managers to help sustain the nation's forests and grasslands, protect communities from wildland fire and restore fire-adapted ecosystems.

Financial assistance programs

Small Forestland Investment in Stream Habitat Program

The Small Forestland Investment in Stream Habitat Program (SFISH) is a grant program established by the 2022 legislature to help small forestland owners implement projects that improve fish habitat and mitigate risks to natural resources arising from active or abandoned forest roads. The program provides up to 100 percent of the cost for projects. The program also provides technical assistance to landowners. Learn more about the SFISH Program.

Forest Conservation Tax Credit Program

The Forest Conservation Tax Credit Program (FCTC) was created by the 2022 legislature to provide a financial benefit to small forestland owners who support conservation and habitat protection by retaining a larger unharvested area next to streams as a conservation area for protection of wildlife habitat and aquatic species. Learn more about the FCTC Program.

Other grant programs

These grant programs are not focused on small forestland owners, but some landowners may be eligible. Learn more about other grant programs.

Register as a small forestland owner

To voluntarily register as a small forestland owner (SFO) outside of the Forest Activity Electronic Reporting and Notification System (FERNS), complete this form and email it to the SFO Office.

Resources

Factsheets

There have been many changes to the Forest Practices Act from the Private Forest Accord agreement. These factsheets highlight and summarize the main areas where the rules changed.

Download all 11 FPA factsheets and FAQs or individual factsheets below.

Technical factsheets

Email updates

Sign up to receive information about the SFO Office.

Contact

Small Forestland Owner Office
2600 State Street
Salem, OR 97310
Email