about the oregon society of american foresters
With 1200 members in 13 chapters throughout the state, the Oregon Society of American Foresters is the largest state affiliate of the national Society. Foresters play a major role in managing Oregon's 30 million acres of forest land. These forests provide a variety of benefits for Oregonians and the nation in the form of wildlife, water, recreation, timber and other forest products.
Through their management of the 19.4 million acres of Oregon's forest capable of growing commercial crops of timber, foresters help contribute to a significant proportion of Oregon's rural economic base. Fifty-one percent of Oregon's timberland is owned by the federal government and 49 percent by non-federal owners. Most federal timberland is now managed primarily for non-timber benefits with limited timber harvesting. Seventy-five percent of the state's timber harvest for the foreseeable future is expected to come from non-federal lands owned by wood products firms (29 percent), other private landowners (14 percent), and state and local governments (7 percent).
The forestry profession has adapted to changing priorities for Oregon's forests. During the early days of economic and community development, the emphasis was on timber production. Today, foresters manage for a rich diversity of forest resources to achieve landowner objectives and meet society's needs and the needs of future generations.
Download the OSAF bylaws (pdf).