Oregon Senators & State Reps Vote on SB147 and the Future of the Elliott State Forest

SB147
On Wednesday, May 14, 2025, the Oregon Senators voted on SB147. A week later, on June 04, 2025, the State Reps voted on it. As described in its summary, the Act renames the Elliott State Forest to the Elliott State Research Forest and shifts its management from the State Board of Forestry to the State Land Board. It designates the forest as a research-focused area, emphasizing its role as a world-class research forest. The Act restricts land sales within the forest but allows the State Land Board to expand or exchange land or timber to support its research objectives. It also authorizes certificates of participation to finance capital projects or purchases related to the forest. The transfer includes all duties, powers, rights, and obligations previously held by the State Board of Forestry.

Senate Bill 147 A, which proposes transferring 83,000 acres of the Elliott State Forest from the State Board of Forestry to the State Land Board for designation as a research forest, faced opposition from Coastal Republicans, Representatives Boomer Wright (R-Coos Bay) and Court Boice (R-Gold Beach), during a work session in the Joint Subcommittee on Natural Resources.
Rep. Boice argued that the State Board of Forestry's management has prevented major wildfires in Coos County for nearly 40 years, and the transfer threatens responsible forest management, increasing wildfire risks and impacting the Common School Fund, which supports Oregon's public schools. Rep. Wright criticized the process as bureaucratic mismanagement driven by environmental groups, prioritizing their agenda over education, wildfire safety, and rural jobs. He noted Oregon State University's withdrawal from managing the research forest, citing disagreements among stakeholders, including the State Land Board, Tribal Nations, counties, and timber companies, as evidence of the plan's flaws.