Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

Forest Service Organizes Stewardship Contracting Workshop

Contact: Patty Burel, (541) 941-4268

MEDFORD , OR – November 26, 2008 – On Monday, December 1, the Forest Service will host a one-day workshop for those interested in stewardship contracting on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.

This workshop is focused on the Page Stewardship Project. It will be held in Grants Pass, Oregon on Monday, December 1, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Grants Pass Interagency Office at 2164 N.E. Spalding Avenue.

"The workshop is intended for anyone interested in applying for the Page Stewardship contract on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest," said Joel King, District Ranger at Wild Rivers Ranger District. "It is designed to provide people a better understanding of what it will take to put a stewardship contract out on the ground," he said.

Both information and resources will be shared with potential contractors and purchasers to help them successfully bid on upcoming stewardship contracts on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. The Forest Service is also soliciting potential contractors and purchaser’s perspectives on how to make stewardship contracting successful on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.

Stewardship contracting involves natural resource management practices that promote a closer working relationship with local communities in a broad range of activities that improve land conditions and focus on a desired future resource condition. Contracts may be used for treatments to improve, maintain, or restore forest health; restore or maintain water quality; improve fish and wildlife habitat; and reduce hazardous fuels that pose risks to communities and ecosystem values. These projects also contribute to the development of sustainable rural communities and provide a continuing source of local income and employment.

The followings workshop topics and speakers are featured to include:

• Marcus Kauffman, Program Manager at Resource Innovations, University of Oregon will speak on the Stewardship Contracting
• Overview and also provide a contractor/purchaser feedback and input into Stewardship Contracting.
• Contracting Officer representative Bob Nowack will present successful stewardship contracting projects by the Siuslaw National Forest,
• A speaker to be announced focused on a Contractor’s Perspective of Stewardship Contracting
• A speaker to be announced from the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest that will address meeting government expectations in the Stewardship Contract.
• Rob Barnhart, Timber Sale Officer, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest will present an overview on the Page Stewardship Project.

More information about Page Stewardship Project can be found at the Forest website at: www.fs.fed.us/r6/rogue-siskiyou/timber/ The Page Stewardship Project is approximately 10 miles southeast of Cave Junction, Oregon and is focused on natural fuels reduction and treatment of on the ground slash.

If you have any questions about the workshop, please contact Rob Barnhart, Timber Sale Officer, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest at (541) 592-4087 or by e-mail at rdbarnhart@fs.fed.us.

##