Oregon today maintains 91 percent of its original forests. The forests contribute to the economy and the state is the nation's number one supplier of lumber.
Because Oregon's forests contribute to the state's income, Oregon has strict forest protection laws. The Oregon Forest Conservation Act was adopted in 1941. The act deals with reforestation and fire protection. All forest laws were developed by scientists, the general public, landowners, and elected officials working together.
Thirty years after the adoption of the Oregon Forest Conservation Act came the Oregon Forest Practices Act (OFPA). Theses laws govern forest practices, making Oregon the first state to implement such laws. The OFPA is not an outdated set of laws, the act is periodically updated. The updates are a result of new information and new operating technology and forestry practices. Changes made are meant to continue protecting forests in changing environmental and technological times.
Oregon's forests also serve as tourist spots. There are 350 camping grounds, over 3,000 hiking trails, caves, glaciers, and high peaks. The result is millions of dollars in annual tourism income. The forests provide approximately 76,000 living wage jobs.
According to Oregon Forest Resources Institute, the state's forests contribute greatly to its annual income, the forest
sector makes about $12.7 billion dollars annually.
Oregon FOREST TOURS
Forests and other largely tree covered areas are not hard to find. While visiting Detroit Lake I noticed that the lake was surrounded with pines that were very hard to miss. Below are some pictures of Detroit Lake.
Sources:
Image
"Keeping Oregon Forests Working." Forest Sector Economy. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. <http://oregonforests.org/content/forest-sector-economy>.
"Planning and Protecting for the Future." Laws & Planning. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. <http://oregonforests.org/content/laws-planning>.
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