future of hardwoods in oregon (and the pacific northwest) glenn ahrens oregon state university...
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Future of Hardwoods in Oregon Future of Hardwoods in Oregon (and the Pacific Northwest)(and the Pacific Northwest)
Glenn Ahrens
Oregon State University
Extension Forestry Clatsop and Tillamook County
Future of the Hardwood Industry = Hardwood Resource
• Available timber inventory
• Harvesting volume trends
• Long-term sustainable supply?– Incidental hardwoods in the forest– Managed hardwood forests
Red Alder Inventory Volumeinventory dates ~1995 to 2000
0500
1,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,000
N. Cali
forn
ia
Orego
n
Was
hingt
on
British
Colu
mbia
Alaska
Mill
ion
cu
.ft.
0
20
40
60
80
100
Mill
ion
cu
.me
ters
Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis, BC Ministry of Forests
Annual Removals/Harvest of Red Alder~590 million bd. ft (4.9 million cu. m)
WA - Private65%
OR - Private23%
WA+OR State/OP5%
BC5%
CA2%
Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis, BC Ministry of Forests ~1995-2000
•Abundant hardwoods are a legacy of past practices.
•Modern forest practices generally reduce the hardwood component in the PNW.
Area of Hardwood Forest TypesW. Oregon & W. Washington
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
1981 1991 2001
Year
Th
ou
san
d A
cre
s
Industrial PrivateNon-industrial PrivateState/Other public
Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis
Changes in Hardwood Volume10-year change 1990's
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
WA Growth WA Loss OR Growth OR Loss
Mill
ion
cu
.ft.
Land changeRemovalMortalityGrowth
Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis
Availability of alder timber is reduced by policy and regulation
• Public timber policy – federal and state• Riparian management areas• Unstable slopes• Wildlife habitat
Timber Harvest Western Oregon and Washington
01,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,0007,0008,0009,000
10,000
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Tota
l - M
illio
n B
oard
Fee
t
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Ald
er -
Mill
ion
Boa
rd F
eet
Uncertain balance - determines the future of the Hardwood Resource
Negative factors• Continued
management favoring conifers
• Reduction in forest land base due to policy, regulation, and non-forest land use
Positive factors• Continued
regeneration of incidental hardwoods.
• Increasing management for alder.
Increasing Hardwood Management in the Future
Depends on:
• high market values = log prices
• successful management techniques
• competitive timber yields and economic returns.
NW Oregon Log Price TrendsAdjusted for inflation to 2004 $
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1975 1985 1995 2005
Year
U.S
. $ p
er m
bf
Douglas-fir 2S & 3SAlder 8-in+
Source: Oregon Department of Forestry quarterly log price reports 1977-2004
NW Oregon Log Price TrendsAdjusted for inflation to 2004 $
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
1975 1985 1995 2005
Year
U.S
. $ p
er m
bf
Alder 8-in+Alder Pulp/utility
Source: Oregon Department of Forestry quarterly log price reports 1977-2004
For a brighter future……Improve the capability of landowners to profitably produce and sell hardwoods.
• Improve market options - veneer logs, sawlogs, pulp logs.
• Demonstrate yield and economic returns from managed alder.
• Continue research and education on how to manage for higher value hardwood stands .
• Increase availability of seedlings.