How Many Acres Are Reforested Each Year?

Virtually all land in Oregon that is harvested through clearcutting is reforested. Oregon's reforestation requirements, which are spelled out in the Oregon Forest Practices Act, are among the strictest in the nation.

Forestlands must be replanted within two planting seasons after harvest, and within six years the site must be certified as "Free to grow," meaning the young trees are higher than any competing ground cover.

Until that time, the landowner is responsible for seeing that the new seedlings are not over-taken by other groundcover. These requirements also apply to forestlands where partial cutting has reduced tree density below certain limits.

Nearly 47 million seedlings were planted on 158,000 acres of Oregon forestland in 1997.

SOURCE: Oregon Forest Resources Institute, Forest Fact Book.