The Benton County Small Woodlands Association will host a tour Saturday, Sept. 14 near Alsea to recognize Rich Clark and Robin Moxley, this year’s recipients of the Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year honor.

The neighbor-to-neighbor tour, which runs from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., is open to the public. The free event includes morning coffee and lunch. Details on transportation and logistics will be shared upon registration.

For those interested, there will be an optional half-hour moderate-plus hike. The property owners also invite all attendees to stay after the tour to enjoy the forest setting.

Registration is available online through the OSU Extension Service. For those with questions, email sedwardssson@sbcglobal.net. For those who need help registering, contact Crystal Kelso at crystal.kelso@oregonstate.edu or call 541-730-3539.

The tour’s topics will include:

  • To Thin or Not to Thin, that is the Question — The group will learn how to assess a stand of mature 42-year-old Douglas fir to determine the timing for a thinning operation.
  • The Private Forest Accord and the Small Forestland Owner — Cliff Barnhart and Jake Sapp, forestry consultants from Stuntzner Engineering and Forestry, will lead a workshop to visually demonstrate the sizes of the different riparian management area (RMA) options, as well as to estimate the financial impact of the two options.
  • The Forest Conservation Tax Credit: Is it for you? — If a small forestland owner chooses the wider RMA option, they may be eligible for a tax credit based on the value of timber not logged. In a discussion with local experts, landowners will be educated on the details of this tax credit.
  • Seeps and Wetlands: What to plant? — The group will visit a seepage area and discuss different management approaches for planting on wet ground.
  • Meet your local small forestland owner ODF Stewardship Forester — Joe Koch, Oregon Department of Forestry’s Small Forestland Stewardship forester at the Philomath office, will share his expertise regarding understanding the new Private Forest Accord.
  • Riparian Management Areas: What can you do, and what do you want to do? — The group will visit a mature RMA and discuss management goals in the context of current forestry regulations.