2005-2019

From 2004-2005, a faculty-led committee developed a research forest management plan with public input. This plan was followed until 2009. No plan was followed from 2009-2019. The 2005 plan was reinstated in fall of 2019 and remains in operation.

The 2005 forest plan centered around four themes intended to reflect different interests and objectives:

• Theme One: Short Rotation Wood Production with High Return on Investment. Establishes and manages Douglas-fir plantations to become financially competitive with intensively managed plantations of pine and other species in the southeastern United States and elsewhere, maximizing yields of wood products valuable for domestic mills.
• Theme Two: High-quality, Growth maximizing Timber Production. Emphasizes long rotations of even-aged Douglas-fir dominated plantations, established, managed, and harvested on rotation cycles that optimize yield of high-quality wood, generally one to several decades longer than for Theme One.
• Theme Three: Visually Sensitive, Even-aged Forest. Seeks to create even-aged forests of primarily Douglas-fir using a two-storied, shelter wood system to maintain continuous tree cover with options for long-term retention of some shelter trees for non-wood forest values.
• Theme Four: Structurally Diverse Complex Forest. Multi-aged, mixed-species forests of primarily Douglas-fir are established and managed using group-selection harvests, while maintaining structural diversity and associated habitats within stands.

2019

The College of Forestry started the process of developing a new McDonald-Dunn Research Forest Management Plan following a communication from former Interim Dean Anthony Davis to the college community on Oct. 21, 2019.

While the new plan is under development, all operations on the McDonald-Dunn Research Forest are being conducted in accordance with the 2005 Forest Plan.

Aug. 28 and Oct. 2, 2019 Community Information Sessions – Question and Answer Summary

2020

College of Forestry Dean Tom DeLuca provided a charge letter in October 2020 to a faculty advisory committee to create recommendations on next steps in the research forest planning process. He asked faculty to create a draft Vision, Mission and Goals statement for the forests, and recommend a process for creating a new forest management plan for the McDonald and Dunn Research Forests.

The Vision, Mission, and Goals statement serves as guideposts for all College of Forest research forests.

2021

Oregon Consensus, a statewide program based at Portland State that assists in building consensus regarding complex issues, is hired to oversee community stakeholder engagement associated with development of the new research forest management plan.

2022

Spring

• Oregon Consensus conducted stakeholder interviews to hear and take account of observations, concerns and aspirations regarding management of the McDonald-Dunn Forests. This information was used to inform the research forest planning process, community engagement plans and composition of two advisory committees.
• A Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) and Faculty Planning Committee (FPC) were formed and met for an initial joint kickoff meeting.
• A survey was conducted to learn about use of the McDonald-Dunn Forests for research, teaching, and outreach.

Summer

• The first community listening session was conducted as part of community outreach related to the forest management plan process. The intent was for the college to listen to input from the community.
• Two additional means of communication (a webform and email address) were established to enable collection of written comments and questions about the forest management plan.
• The Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) and Faculty Planning Committee (FPC) met independently.

Fall

• A second community listening session was conducted so the college could listen to additional input from the community.
• The Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) and Faculty Planning Committee (FPC) met independently.