The large volume of timber that was burned on private forestlands in 2020 will not be available for harvest over the next 40 years, causing a ripple effect to Oregon’s forest sector, according to an Oregon Forest Resources Institute study examining the economic impacts of the 2020 Labor Day fires on the sector.
Oregon’s forest sector includes a wide variety of employment, from forestry, logging, millwork and cabinetmaking to engineering, hydrology, business management and academic research. Here’s a rundown of Oregon’s forest sector jobs in 2021, by type of employment.
Nearly half of Oregon is covered in forests. These forests provide many social, environmental and economic benefits to the state and its residents, including clean air and water, recreational opportunities, jobs and the wood products that we use every day. It is important that all Oregonians have the opportunity to learn more about the forests where we live, work and play.
The Oregon Forest Resources Institute produces a wide variety of educational videos covering a range of topics related to Oregon forests, forest management and forest products. A selection of OFRI videos and educational advertising can be viewed below. These and other videos are also posted on OFRI’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/user/oregonforests.
OFRI actively engages with the public, K-12 educators and forest landowners to help them better understand topics related to forests, forest management and forest products. We produce numerous publications, online resources and videos as well as organize and co-sponsor tours, events and conferences covering a broad range of current forestry-related topics that we feel serves each of these audiences.Stay up to date with the latest OFRI happenings and news about the forest products industry in Oregon by subscribing to our e-newsletters and publications mailing list below.
Nearly half of Oregon – about 47 percent – is covered in forests, but not all are the same. Because of the state’s varied geography and forest landowners with a range of objectives for their land, there are many different types of forests.
For centuries, people have been drawn to Oregon by its beautiful scenery, natural abundance and, especially, its forests. As more and more people arrived, these forests gave way to towns, cities and highways. But through a modern dedication to sustainability, Oregon retains nearly 92 percent of the forest that covered the state in 1850. This is a testament to the commitment Oregonians made to the long-term survival of our forests and the important resources they provide.
The Labor Day 2020 windstorm resulted in five simultaneous “megafires”– fires greater than 100,000 acres in size – in Oregon, as well as 12 other fires ranging from 112 to 50,951 acres. All these fires either started or blew up on Sept. 7 and 8, 2020, and in a matter of days more than 1 million acres burned.
