Saturday, June 15th

Oregon Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year
Property Tour
8:00 am - 2:00 pm

Boulder Falls Inn Conference Center
$10 Advance Registration Required
Transportation and box lunch provided. Meet at Boulder Falls Inn parking lot.

Oak Basin Tree Farm near Brownsville, hosted by the Jim and Ed Merzenich Family.

Video Tour Here: https://www.otfs.org/tfoy

Oak Basin tree farm is in the Coburg hills south of Brownsville. Elevations range from six hundred to over two thousand feet on 940 acres. Views of the Willamette Valley from the farm are spectacular. The tree farm contains a mosaic of Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, oak, and mesic hardwood stands interspersed with wet and dry prairie. The upland prairie is managed cooperatively with the BLM to provide habitat for the Fender’s blue butterfly and associated rare species. Other acres are managed based on their capability to produce timber and provide habitat for wildlife. Oak Basin provides refuge for oak dependent species such as white-breasted nuthatch and acorn woodpecker. Their primary objective is to demonstrate that a sustainable flow of harvestable timber can be produced from a property also managed for native species protection. Habitat protection is best achieved by active management. They actively restore areas by mowing, spraying and manually removing invasive species, selective cattle grazing, and reestablishing native trees, grasses, and forbs. They strive to be an example that management can be ecologically sustainable while returning profits to the landowner. On the tour guests will view and discuss 1) Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine stands that have been commercially and pre-commercially thinned in the past five years, or are in need of thinning. 2) Methods used to reforest cutover units, while maintaining early-seral habitat for nesting songbirds and controlling noxious weeds. 3) The mechanical treatment of noxious weeds and brush. 4) Restored Oregon white oak stands and their value for wildlife. 5) Cattle grazing to both reduce wildfire risk and release native forbs. 6) The harvest and use of specialty products such as firewood, rustic broom handles, and essential oils, and other topics of interest.

Short walks, uneven surfaces. Dress for the weather.