To conserve forest lands by
maintaining the forest land base and
to protect the state's forest economy
by making possible economically
efficient forest practices that assure
the continuous growing and
harvesting of forest tree species as
the leading use on forest land
consistent with sound management
of soil, air, water, and fish and
wildlife resources and to provide for
recreational opportunities and
agriculture.

Forest lands are those lands
acknowledged as forest lands as of the
date of adoption of this goal
amendment. Where a plan is not
acknowledged or a plan amendment
involving forest lands is proposed, forest
land shall include lands which are
suitable for commercial forest uses
including adjacent or nearby lands
which are necessary to permit forest
operations or practices and other
forested lands that maintain soil, air,
water and fish and wildlife resources.

USES

Forest operations, practices and
auxiliary uses shall be allowed on forest lands subject only to such regulation of uses as are found in ORS 527.722. Uses which may be allowed
subject to standards set forth in this goal and administrative rule are:
(1) uses related to and in support of forest operations;
(2) uses to conserve soil, water and air quality, and to provide for fish and wildlife resources, agriculture and recreational opportunities appropriate in a forest environment;
(3) locationally dependent uses;
(4) dwellings authorized by law.

IMPLEMENTATION

Comprehensive plans and zoning
provide certainty to assure that forest
lands will be available now and in the
future for the growing and harvesting of trees. Local governments shall
inventory, designate and zone forest
lands. Local governments shall adopt
zones which contain provisions to
address the uses allowed by the goal
and administrative rule and apply those zones to designated forest lands. Zoning applied to forest land shall contain provisions which limit, to the extent permitted by ORS 527.722, uses which can have significant adverse effects on forest land, operations or practices. Such zones shall contain numeric standards for land divisions and standards for the review and siting of land uses. Such land divisions and siting standards shall be consistent with the
applicable statutes, goal and
administrative rule.

If a county proposes
a minimum lot or parcel size less than
80 acres, the minimum shall meet the
requirements of ORS 527.630 and
conserve values found on forest lands.
Siting standards shall be designed to
make allowed uses compatible with
forest operations, agriculture and to
conserve values found on forest lands.
Local governments authorized by
ORS 215.316 may inventory, designate
and zone forest lands as marginal land,
and may adopt a zone which contains
provisions for those uses and land
divisions authorized by law.

GUIDELINES

A. PLANNING
1. Forest lands should be inventoried so as to provide for the preservation of such lands for forest uses.
2. Plans providing for the preservation of forest lands for forest uses should consider as a major determinant the carrying capacity of the air, land and water resources of the planning area. The land conservation and development actions provided for by such plans should not exceed the carrying capacity of such resources.
B. IMPLEMENTATION
1. Before forest land is changed to another use, the productive capacity of the land in each use should be considered and evaluated.
2. Developments that are allowable under the forest lands classification should be limited to those activities for forest production and protection and other land management uses that are compatible with forest production. Forest lands should be available for recreation and other uses that do not hinder growth.
3. Forestation or reforestation should be encouraged on land suitable for such purposes, including marginal agricultural land not needed for farm use.
4. Road standards should be limited to the minimum width necessary for management and safety.
5. Highways through forest lands should be designed to minimize impact on such lands.
6. Rights-of-way should be designed so as not to preclude forest growth whenever possible.
7. Maximum utilization of utility rights-of-way should be required before permitting new ones.
8. Comprehensive plans should consider other land uses that are adjacent to forest lands so that conflicts with forest harvest and management are avoided.