Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 629 - DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY
Here’s an overview of Oregon Administrative Rules – Chapter 629: Department of Forestry, current as of March 2025:
📁 Divisions Overview
Division 1 – Procedural Rules (§ 629‑001‑0000 to 629‑001‑0057)
General procedural provisions for rulemaking, hearings, and administration.
Division 10 – Administration (§ 629‑010‑0005 to 629‑010‑0230)
Covers internal department operations, board administration, public records, parking, and related administrative policies.
Division 20 – State Agency Coordination Program (§ 629‑020‑0000 to 629‑020‑0080)
Details coordination protocols with other state agencies.
Division 21 – Stewardship Agreements (§ 629‑021‑0100 to 629‑021‑1100)
Rules governing agreements for active forest stewardship on private lands. (oregon.public.law)
Division 22 – Forest Resource Trust (§ 629‑022‑0030 to 629‑022‑0850)
Administration of trust funds for forest resource management.
Division 23 – Forest Taxation (§ 629‑023‑0310 to 629‑023‑0490)
Rules regarding valuation and taxation of forestland.
Division 25 – Forest Park & Recreation Areas (§ 629‑025‑0000 to 629‑025‑0099)
Management of forested recreational lands.
Division 28 – Personal-Use Fuelwood Permits (§ 629‑028‑0001 to 629‑028‑0025)
Guidelines for issuing permits for personal firewood gathering.
Division 29 – Sale of Forest Products from State Forests (§ 629‑029‑0000 to 629‑029‑0140)
Regulation of timber and wood sales from state-managed lands.
Division 31 – Log Export Rules (§ 629‑031‑0005 to 629‑031‑0045)
Controls and requirements for exporting logs.
Division 32 – Defaults on Timber Sale Contracts (§ 629‑032‑0000 to 629‑032‑0070)
Procedures when buyers default on timber contracts.
Division 33 – State Forest Land Acquisition & Exchanges (§ 629‑033‑0000 to 629‑033‑0055)
Rules governing land acquisition or swap by the state.
Division 34 – Log Scaling Agreements (§ 629‑034‑0005 to 629‑034‑0015)
Standards for log measurement and scaling facilities.
Division 35 – Management of State Forest Lands (§ 629‑035‑0000 to 629‑035‑0110)
Forest management policies, including reforestation and stewardship.
Divisions 41–48 – Protection, Fire & Smoke Management
Protection Admin (§ 629‑041‑0005–0575)
Fire Control (§ 629‑042‑0005–2060)
Fire Prevention (§ 629‑043‑0005–0080)
Wild‑Urban Interface (§ 629‑044‑0200–1110)
Forestland Classification (§ 629‑045‑0020–1025)
Log Brands (§ 629‑046‑0005–0030)
Enforcement Policies (§ 629‑047‑0010–0290)
Smoke Management (§ 629‑048‑0001–0500)
Notably, OAR 629‑043‑0030 mandates “fire watch” services during fire season, requiring continuous observation and qualified personnel for two hours post-operation shutdown
Division 51 – Forest Insect & Disease Management (§ 629‑051‑0210 to 629‑051‑0230)
Protocols for managing pests and diseases in forests.
🌲 Forest Practice Rules (Divisions 600–680)
These divisions implement the Oregon Forest Practices Act (ORS 527). Highlights include:
Division 600 – Definitions (§ 629‑600‑0050 to ‑0100): Clarifies technical terms like “forest practice,” “riparian management area,” “Type F stream,” etc.-plan requirements for operations near streams, wildlife sites, wetlands, lakes, including content and hearing provisions
Division 620 – Chemical & Petroleum Product Rules
Division 623 – Landslide Hazards & Public Safety
Division 625 – Forest Road Construction & Maintenance (§ 629‑625‑0300): Design specs to protect water quality (e.g., hydrologic disconnection, drainage patterns)
Division 630 – Harvesting Practices
Divisions 635–655 – Water Protection Rules: Classification of waters, vegetation retention along streams, lakes, wetlands
Division 665 – Resource Site Protection
Divisions 670–672 – Administration & Enforcement: Definitions (§ 629‑670‑0010), enforcement, penalties
Division 674, 676, 680 – Administration, Committees, Resource Inventory: Oversight and monitoring provisions
These rules, updated per SB 1501/SB 1502 & the Private Forest Accord (noted in the 2024 Forest Practices Manual), reflect substantial changes in reforestation, hazard prevention, and ecological protections
Chapter 629 is comprehensive—starting with general administration and procedural rules, progressing through land stewardship, protection, fire control, and concluding with forest practice rules (Divisions 600–680). It governs everything from policy definitions and land sales to on-ground forestry operations, fire prevention, environmental protection, and enforcement.
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