ORS 527.731 Adaptive management program; rules

It is the policy of the State of Oregon that regulation of forest practices for the protection of aquatic species shall, in addition to other statutory requirements, be subject to a process of adaptive management, whereby goals and objectives are validated, and modified if necessary, and forest practice rules are monitored for effectiveness relative to the goals and objectives.

The State Board of Forestry shall establish by rule an adaptive management program to accomplish the policy described in subsection (1) of this section, consistent with the adaptive management framework set forth in the Private Forest Accord Report dated February 2, 2022, and published by the State Forestry Department on February 7, 2022.

The adaptive management program must:

Ensure effective change as needed to meet resource objectives.

Increase the predictability and stability of the process of changing regulation so landowners, regulators and interested members of the public can understand and anticipate change.

Apply best available science to decision-making.

Effectively meet resource objectives with less operationally expensive prescriptions when feasible.

The State Board of Forestry shall adopt rules prescribing in detail the roles and obligations of the Adaptive Management Program Committee and Independent Research and Science Team, consistent with ORS 527.732 and 527.733 and the provisions of the Private Forest Accord Report.

The board shall consider reports submitted by the committee and team.