This month, the City of Corvallis released a newly proposed Corvallis Forest Stewardship Plan. They also initiated an online platform so folks can review the plan, and submit comments, the 30-day public comment period ends May 6. There’s a how-to below.
So, what is the Corvallis Forest. Located approximately 16 miles west of Corvallis off Highway 34 on Marys Peak, it consists of 2352 acres that are part of the larger 10,000 acres that comprise the Rock Creek Watershed. The bulk of that acreage is managed by the United States Forest Service, or USFS, as part of the Siuslaw National Forest, rather than by the City. The forest stewardship plan being evaluated by the City has to do with acreage it manages, and our drinking water supply.
Why the updated plan is important
The Corvallis Forest includes the Rock Creek Water Treatment Plant, which produces up to 30 percent of the City’s total water production annually. The plan outlines how the City proposes to manage the forest over the next decade, with a focus on water quality, habitat, wildfire risk reduction and adapting to changing climate conditions.
The overall goal according to the City of Corvallis is to work with its watershed partners so it will continue to provide a reliable source of high-quality drinking water that surpasses all State and Federal drinking water requirements.
How to Review and Comment
Through the City’s online platform, you can learn about the Corvallis Forest, see how the City plans to manage the forest, review relevant maps and graphics and share your comments. Click here to visit the City’s Forest Plan platform.
Public comments will be shared with the Corvallis Forest’s Task Force and the community advisory group of subject matter experts helping to guide the plan update. The Task Force will review the feedback over the next few months before sharing the plan with the City Council. The Council will decide whether to approve the plan this summer.
Learn more about the Corvallis Forest Stewardship Plan at www.corvallisoregon.gov/cfsp.
Extra: Some Corvallis Forest History
The City began purchasing properties in the Watershed in the early 1900’s and has been using it as a source of drinking water supply since that time. In 1920, the City of Corvallis convinced the USFS to purchase the remainder of the land in the Marys Peak drainage, and Congress declared it a municipal watershed and closed to the public for the protection of the water supply.
Other uses of the Corvallis Forest have included timber harvesting, and it has also been used frequently by local schools and colleges, fish and wildlife researches, and the USFS for studies. A closed forest can help researchers needing to do controlled studies in forestry, hydrology, botany and other disciplines which need areas or subjects protected from outside interference.
The Corvallis City Council adopted a Corvallis Forest Stewardship Plan on December 18, 2006 and adopted an updated plan on July 1, 2013.
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