ORS 527.736 Forest practice standards for operations on public and private land; exceptions; rules

The standards established in ORS 527.740 to 527.750 shall be administered by the State Forester as standards applying to all operations in the state, including those on forestland owned by the state or any political subdivision thereof. Pursuant to ORS 527.710 the State Board of Forestry shall adopt, repeal or amend forest practice rules as necessary to be consistent with and to implement the standards established in ORS 527.740 to 527.750. Except as provided in ORS 527.714, nothing in ORS 468B.100 to 468B.110, 477.562, 527.620, 527.670, 527.690, 527.710, 527.715, 527.722, 527.724 and 527.736 to 527.770 shall affect the powers and duties of the board to adopt, or the State Forester to administer, all other regulations pertaining to forest practices under applicable state law.

Nothing in ORS 527.740 to 527.750 is intended to apply to cutting of trees that is for growth enhancement treatments, as defined by the State Forester, such as thinning or precommercial thinning.

The State Board of Forestry may modify or waive the limitations and requirements of ORS 527.676, 527.740, 527.750 and 527.755 for the purposes of a bona fide research project conducted by:

A federal agency;

Agencies of the executive department, as defined in ORS 174.112;

An educational institution; or

A private landowner.

The State Board of Forestry may agree as a term of a stewardship agreement entered into under ORS 541.973 to modify or waive the limitations and requirements of ORS 527.676, 527.740, 527.750 and 527.755.

The State Board of Forestry may modify or waive the limitations and requirements of ORS 527.676, 527.740, 527.750 and 527.755 for the purpose of an operation for the planting, growing, managing or harvesting of hardwood timber, including but not limited to hybrid cottonwood, if:

The timber is grown on land that has been prepared by intensive cultivation methods and is cleared of competing vegetation for at least three years after planting;

The timber is harvested on a rotation cycle of more than 12 years and less than 20 years after planting; and

The timber is subject to intensive agricultural practices, including but not limited to fertilization, cultivation, irrigation, insect control and disease control.