News and Updates for LCSWA Members

Tim and Kathy Otis are Linn County's 2019 tree farmers of the year. Together, with much help from family, they manage more than 370 acres of forest land in the Middle Ridge area between Brownsville and Lebanon. Their family holdings include 135 acres of farmland and 25 acres of restored riparian woodlands along the Calapooia River east of Brownsville. The Linn County chapter of the Oregon Small Woodlands Association (OSWA) will hold its annual tour and picnic on their tree farm property this summer.  The majority of the property is owned in a limited liability corporation — Farm and Four-est LLC — by Kathy and her three sisters, Jill Hauptman, Jan Sheets and Deanna Russell. It was formed in November of 2014. Some properties are owned with cousins, which adds to management complexity. Tim, who currently works at Summit Ace Hardware in Lebanon, supplies elbow grease and technical support for the holdings. He holds a masters degree in forest engineering from Oregon State

Rain is in the forecast this week in Linn County. That is good news. Rain gauge totals have sputtered around here this past winter.  We even got that early fire-season wakeup call March 19 and 20 at the North Santiam State Recreation Area. High winds and dry conditions got the blame. The Salem Statesman Journal reported April 2 it cost $332,000 to fight the fire. Some tree farmers are still putting seedlings into the ground, including chapter past President Bill Bowling. He notes that planting seasons vary depending on ground moisture and other issues. This Thursday he is helping to plant 7,000 Noble firs on the north side of a hill on some higher elevation property. This past Saturday and Sunday he planted 500 western red cedars on some wet ground he has near Berlin Road. He is replanting that spot and is hoping for the best. “By planting late the new trees have almost a whole year to grow before they have to learn how to swim,” said Bowling with a chuckle.

In case you missed it, Alex Paul of the Albany Herald-Democrat published a good piece of reporting Monday (April 1) on proposed Oregon legislation that would tighten forest regulations. House Bill 2656 would require Department of Forestry approval for harvests located on “forestland that is a drinking water source.”  The legislation was introduced by state Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Lake Oswego. It would also curtail aerial spraying and new road construction on watershed lands. Quoted in the article are several Linn County Small Woodlands Association members, including OSWA president Mike Barsotti of Lyons and Jim James. James is the executive director of the statewide OSWA and lives in Sweet Home. Milt Moran of Cascade Timber in Sweet Home was another source quoted in the story. His story also was carried by the Bend paper, The Bulletin. No hearings are currently scheduled on HB 2656.