The American Forest Resource Council today announced the availability of a new public on-line tool, the “77,000 Acre Commissioner Order – Community Impact Calculator,” providing Washington communities and trust beneficiaries with a detailed look at the impacts of Commissioner Dave Upthegrove’s order to layoff nearly 80,000 acres of state trust lands from working status. The […]
Press Releases
Joint Statement on the Passing of Jim Dudley
The members of the Douglas Timber Operators (DTO), the American Forest Resource Council (AFRC), and the Oregon Forest Industries Council (OFIC) mourn the tragic passing of our dear friend and colleague, Jim Dudley. We extend our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to his devoted wife, Michelle, and their sons, Cody and Jackson. Jim was a […]
AFRC Supports O&C Renewal Act to Restore Management of Western Oregon BLM Timberlands
The American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) today announced strong support for legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-Oregon) to reaffirm the original intent of the federal O&C Act and restore responsible, sustainable management of more than two million acres of federal timberlands in western Oregon. The O&C Renewal Act clarifies that timber production under […]
AFRC Applauds Interior’s Decision to Revisit Western Oregon BLM O&C Management Plans
The American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) today welcomed the Department of the Interior’s Notice of Intent to initiate a revision of the Bureau of Land Management’s Resource Management Plans governing the O&C Lands in western Oregon. The action begins a long-overdue reassessment of the 2016 management plans that have constrained active forest management on more […]
Declining State Trust Land Timber Sales and Policy Decisions Are Worsening Washington DNR’s Budget Situation
Timber sale targets fall again as key DNR operating fund drops from $20 million to $5 million The Washington Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) growing budget shortfall is being made significantly worse by continued reductions in timber harvests on state trust lands, driven by unilateral policy decisions from Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove. Under […]
Honoring the Life and Legacy of Paul Beck
The American Forest Resource Council mourns the passing of Paul Beck, a respected leader whose decades of service left a lasting mark on the forest products industry and the communities it supports. AFRC President Travis Joseph reflected on Paul’s impact: “The American Forest Resource Council mourns the passing of Paul Beck. Through his life […]
Washington State Trust Lands, DNR Face Revenue Crisis as DNR Timber Sales Fall to 22-Year Low
AFRC warns historic decline in timber volume and 77,000-acre set-aside will deepen budget shortfalls for schools, counties, and essential public services The American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) today raised alarms about a historic collapse in Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) timber sales on state trust lands, warning that the decline threatens funding for public […]
Tom Partin: Another Forest Project Halted While Montana Wildfire Risks Grow
Note: This piece was originally published in The Missoulian, December 30, 2025 Once again a federal court decision has stopped a well-designed forest management project, leaving communities and wildlife habitat more vulnerable to wildfire while a small group of anti-forestry activists declares victory. The recent ruling vacating the South Plateau Project on the Custer-Gallatin National […]
AFRC President Calls for EAJA Reform in Testimony Before House Natural Resources Subcommittee
American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) President Travis Joseph testified today before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Natural Resources Committee calling on Congress to modernize the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA). Joseph said EAJA has strayed far from its original purpose and now subsidizes litigation that delays essential forest management, wildfire […]
AFRC Defends BLM’s Blue and Gold Project Supporting Oregon Jobs, Communities, and Forest Health
The American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) appeared in federal court today before United States District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai to defend the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Blue and Gold Project. AFRC, along with the Association of O&C Counties, intervened in Cascadia Wildlands v. United States Bureau of Land Management to support rural Oregon jobs, timber […]