An asset of the Common School Fund, the Elliott State Research Forest — located in Douglas and Coos counties — was continually caught between the financial obligation of the forest to support public schools and the forest’s potential to provide benefits beyond harvest revenue.
The Elliott State Research Forest Advisory Committee met Tuesday in Salem with the State Land Board. The State Land Board consists of Gov. Kate Brown, Secretary of State Shemia Fagan and State Treasurer Tobias Read.
An asset of the Common School Fund, the Elliott State Research Forest — located in Douglas and Coos counties — was continually caught between the financial obligation of the forest to support public schools and the forest’s potential to provide benefits beyond harvest revenue.
Photo courtesy of Ali Hansen
The Elliott State Research Forest Advisory Committee met Tuesday in Salem with the State Land Board. The State Land Board consists of Gov. Kate Brown, Secretary of State Shemia Fagan and State Treasurer Tobias Read.
SALEM — The State Land Board took historic action Tuesday toward creation of the Elliott State Research Forest.
A news release from the Department of State Lands said the board decoupled the forest from Oregon’s Common School Fund and appointed the first board of directors for the new public agency to be established in 2024. The agency will oversee the research forest in collaboration with Oregon State University.
Oregon Department of State Lands said as an asset of the Common School Fund, the Elliott State Research Forest— located in Douglas and Coos counties — was continually caught between the financial obligation of the forest to support public schools and the forest’s potential to provide benefits beyond harvest revenue.
Tuesday’s decoupling vote — made possible by a payment of $221 million to the Common School Fund — frees the forest of its historic obligation to generate revenue for K-12 public schools. The forest remains in public ownership, under the oversights of the new Elliott State Research Forest Authority agency created by Senate Bill 1546.
“This is a day to celebrate the creation of the largest research forest in North America, the Elliott State Research Forest,” State Treasurer Tobias Read said in the release.
Read said the research forest will provide a better approach for working forest management, improve conservation protections and keep the forest in public hands.
“We can be proud that current and future generations of Oregonians will benefit from this valuable natural resource,” Read said.
The release said the land board prospectively appointed the initial nine-member board of directors. The appointments go into effect on the Jan. 1, 2024, establishment of the new agency.
The land board recognized the Elliott State Research Forest Advisory Committee with a Partnership Award, noting the committee’s “unflagging work” toward a research forest.
Vicki Walker was appointed to a second four-year term as director of the Department of State Lands.
The state land board consists of Gov. Kate Brown, Secretary of State Shemia Fagan and State Treasurer Tobias Read.
Kyle Bailey is the news director for News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN.
What this means is that they too $221 million tax dollars they gave to the State Education folks in order to "save" the forest for their political purposes AND when the schools "need" more money they can tax the taxpayers some more instead of using the Elliot to generate school money into perpetuity. Spend it like you're in California.
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Probably getting ready to sell it to Sierra Pacific. like Seneca.
What this means is that they too $221 million tax dollars they gave to the State Education folks in order to "save" the forest for their political purposes AND when the schools "need" more money they can tax the taxpayers some more instead of using the Elliot to generate school money into perpetuity. Spend it like you're in California.
Wonder what this means for recreation/hunting in the Elliot..
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