Planning and protecting for the future
Oregon has strict laws for protecting forests. Some have been in place since 1941. Oregonians recognize that assuring the abundance of our forest resources helps everyone, and that keeping them economically viable prevents their conversion into non-forest use. These laws have been developed and updated as an ongoing collaboration between scientists, landowners, elected officials and the general public. They help ensure that all Oregon forests operate under a unified set of guidelines and practices to help assure that we sustain our forestlands for generations to come. Forest laws provide protection for soil, air, water, fish, wildlife and forest resources.
In 1941, Oregon adopted the Oregon Forest Conservation Act to address reforestation and fire protection. In 1971, Oregon became the first state to implement a comprehensive set of laws governing forest practices with the Oregon Forest Practices Act (OFPA). Leaders from the forest sector helped develop these laws to guide pre-operation planning, education for operators and cooperate efforts among landowners and government.
In the time since, Oregon has adopted additional rules that help protect forests, water quality and wildlife habitat. The OFPA is periodically updated to reflect new scientific data, new operating technology and new forestry practices to ensure our forest resources are properly protected.