Contact: Twyla Lawson, Dept. of Administrative Services
503-373-7677, Twyla.LAWSON@state.or.usmailto:Twyla.LAWSON@state.or.us>
Recruitment for a new Oregon state forester is underway, and Oregonians are invited to share
their thoughts on the attributes they think the next state forester should have. The Board of Forestry has posted a brief survey online. It takes only a few minutes to complete and will help the board as it recruits candidates for this important position.The survey can be found at: www.surveymonkey.com/s/DOFhttp://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DOF>. It must be completed by Sunday, Dec. 12.
All responses to the survey will be compiled and used to develop an ideal candidate profile, which the board will reference throughout the selection process.
The board launched a plan last Friday to recruit candidates for the position, with a goal of having a new state forester in the post early next year.
The recruitment process includes the online survey to collect public input, as well as stakeholder and Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) employee forums with the finalists, and an opportunity for incoming Gov. Kitzhaber or his representative to meet with the finalists.
Nancy Hirsch, chief of ODF's State Forests Division, has been designated to serve as acting state forester until the position is filled.
Oregon's state forester carries out the Board's overarching policies through leadership of the Oregon Department of Forestry. The state forester serves as director of the department, which provides services including preventing and fighting wildfires, managing state-owned forests, enforcing natural resource protection laws on private forestlands, advising landowners, and providing urban forestry assistance.
The agency has 647 employees and a two-year budget of $303 million.
The state forester also assists and represents the board and department in identifying and resolving policy issues and in working with interest groups, the state legislature, and others.
