Deal would overhaul private forest management in Oregon

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — An agreement has been reached between timber and environmental groups to overhaul management of 10 million acres of private forestlands in Oregon. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports the deal, announced Saturday by Gov. Kate Brown’s office, concludes more than a year of negotiations to develop a plan to boost protections for vulnerable fish and wildlife while shielding the timber industry’s ability to log. The next step will be to introduce a bill in the Oregon Legislature to make changes to the Forest Practices Act to protect riverbanks and streamsides, improve forest roads and allow for adaptive management of private forests.