Sustainable timber harvest is one of several management activities across the research forests — and it supports and enables all others. The OSU Research Forests are financially self-sustaining and receive no operating funds from the university, the College of Forestry, the state or taxpayers. Revenue generated through timber harvest is fully reinvested into research, education, stewardship, infrastructure, restoration and recreation.

Forestry operates on decades-long timeframes. Harvest does not occur everywhere at once. Instead, small portions of different forests are managed at different times to maintain long-term forest health, support resilience and provide a consistent supply of sustainably grown wood products while limiting short-term impacts to recreation and access.

Across the network, harvest treatments are designed to:

• Reduce overcrowding and improve tree vigor
• Increase structural and species diversity across the landscape
• Restore native habitats, including oak, madrone and meadow systems where appropriate
• Sustain reliable wood production
• Support applied research and hands-on student learning
• Maintain safe, high-quality recreational access
• Protect and maintain cultural heritage sites present on the Research Forests

Learn more about management activities on the OSU Research Forests by exploring the quick links below.