The Board of Forestry is considering proposed changes to plans for northwest and southwest state-managed forests - plans previously adopted by the Board as administrative rules. A formal public comment period, including two public hearings, that was extended from January 29 to February 12 has ended. Department staff are now compiling and analyzing the comments. They will be providing this information to the Board for review as the Board continues to consider revising these plans.

Oregon Department of Forestry offices throughout the state will BE CLOSED on Friday, March 19, 2010. Offices will re-open on Monday, March 22.

Coping with reduced state revenues requires closing most state offices and facilities on certain days from September 2009 through June 2011, with employees taking unpaid furloughs on those days.

As an emergency response agency, the Oregon Department of Forestry will NOT observe required state office closure dates that conflict with fire season - June through October - although ODF employees will be required to take the same total number of unpaid furlough days as all other state employees.

CLOSURE DATES FOR ALL ODF OFFICES: Friday, November 27, 2009; Friday, March 19, 2010; Friday, April 16, 2010; Friday, November 26, 2010; Friday, March 18, 2011, and Friday, May 20, 2011.

The Tillamook Forest Center has re-opened after a winter closure. The Center is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. During the month of March, the Center will feature a traveling exhibit called "Oregon is Indian Country". Check the Center's web site for more details on this and upcoming programs.

Winter Hours: The Forest History Center on the Oregon Department of Forestry's Salem Campus is open on Fridays from 10 a.m to 3 p.m., and at other times by appointment. Stop by and learn more about Oregon's forest past.

Oregon has a tremendous opportunity to enhance our forests and create jobs through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - "The Oregon Way" - and State Economic Recovery dollars signed into law by Governor Kulongoski - "Go Oregon!"

Oregon is 150 years old and the Oregon Department of Forestry will be helping to celebrate! Protect yourself, your family, and your co-workers by getting vaccinated and staying informed. The fewer of us who get sick from either seasonal influenza or pandemic H1N1 influenza, the more we can reduce the impact in our schools and workplaces. Visit the state's flu Web Site at http://www.flu.oregon.gov/ or call the state hotline at 1-800-978-3040.