Forests and Woodlands
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Forested lands in Crook County are found on both private and public lands. Approximately 440,000 acres of forestland are managed by the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. Private ownership accounts for nearly 80,000 acres. Forested lands provide timber, habitat for wildlife, recreational opportunities and forage for livestock. Forested lands also are the headwaters for the Crooked River and numerous streams. Under the Multiple Use Acts of the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, public forests are managed under federal laws that provide for a balance of uses while maintaining a sustainable resource for future generations. Logging and forest practice activities on private lands is supervised under the Oregon Forest Practices Act by the Oregon Department of Forestry. For questions regarding logging practices and timber harvest on private lands, contact the Central Oregon District Headquarters, Oregon Department of Forestry in Prineville. Private forests are classified either as industrial or small acreage. Industrial lands are those forested lands of significant acreage that their primary purpose is timber production. Small acreage lands are usually a mix of timber and grazing lands and may be managed for both. Oregon Department of Forestry provides management assistance to both large and small acreage.
Numerous tree species are found in our forests. Common evergreen trees include ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, Douglas fir and noble fir. Deciduous trees include black cottonwood, alder and aspen. In the drier sites and found mostly on rangelands, western juniper is an evergreen tree. Timber management has been an important industry in Crook County for many years. Originally, small mills were scattered throughout the county because it was easier to transport boards than logs. Over the years, sawmills consolidated and at one time, Prineville had five working mills. In addition to sawmills, Prineville is host to numerous secondary wood manufacturing facilities.
If you own forestland, have you ever thought about managing it? You might ask, “Why would I want to manage my property? I just want to enjoy it.” People own forestland for a variety reasons including: r as a retreat or get-away. r for recreation (hiking, fishing, hunting). r an investment. r for timber income. r for grazing. r passing on a legacy.
trees help to reseed the area with young lodgepole pine to start the cycle over. Because lodgepole pine forests often develop into dense stands, thinning these forests can produce bigger trees, improve the health and vigor of remaining trees and help to “beetle proof” the stand. Actively managing your lodgepole pine forests can significantly reduce potential beetle problems.
Taking an active part in managing your property can enhance the very things you enjoy or care about. Actively managing your property in the right way can help protect your property from insects, diseases and wildfires. In recent years, wildfires have burned hundreds of thousands of acres of private and federal forestland in Central Oregon. Is your property and rural home in a condition that will resist wildfire?
A mixed-conifer forest is composed of several species of trees including ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, grand fir, western larch, and lodgepole pine. The mixed conifer forest type is above the pure ponderosa pine forests and often on cooler and moist north slopes and in mid- to upper-elevation creek bottoms.
It is important to know what kind of forest you have, as management strategies you might choose vary by forest type. In Crook County forests can be lumped into three primary forest types: lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests.
Pure lodgepole pine forests are found in cold air drainages, along high elevation rivers and creeks, surrounding cold meadows as well as in higher plateaus. Lodgepole pine forests are created from fire. Old decadent stands are usually attacked by bark beetles which kill the trees, creating fuel on the forest floor. A lightning strike ignites a wildfire and the forest is consumed. Seeds contained in cones on surviving
The younger ponderosa pine forests of today are more dense than the historic old-growth pine forests, mostly because periodic fire is not allowed to burn through the forests, in essence thinning the forest. Many younger, dense ponderosa pine forests are at risk to bark beetles. Thinning your ponderosa pine forest can improve tree growth and value and safeguard against bark beetles. Thinning out subordinate trees, what foresters call ladder-fuels, can also reduce the risk of wildfire.
Mixed-Conifer Forests
What Type of Forest Do You Have?
Lodgepole Pine Forests
have black bark and are often referred to as “black bark pine.” Much of the old-growth pine was logged off in the 1920s and 1930s, spurring early development in Central Oregon. Most private forestland is composed of black bark ponderosa pine that is 70 to 80 years old.
Ponderosa Pine Forests
Ponderosa pine forests are found just above the juniper woodland/sagebrush type and below the mixed-conifer forests type. Historically, old-growth ponderosa pine forests were kept open by repeated surface fires, which maintain open stands of large diameter old-growth trees, signified by orange or cinnamon-colored bark. Younger ponderosa pine trees
Mixed-conifer forests are the most productive forest type in Central Oregon. Because they contain a mix of species, they are more complex to manage, however, thinning can improve the growth of remaining trees. It is important to keep a good balance of tree species. Allowing a mixed-conifer forest to become dominated by grand fir and Douglas fir can lead to severe insect and disease problems. These species are more susceptible to drought, making them prime targets for bark beetles and root disease. Removing (thinning out) the understory fir species can also reduce ladder-fuels, thus improving the fire resistance of your forest. In managing your mixed-conifer
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