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Welcome to the Friends of OSU Old Growth website!
OSU has released a draft management plan for the McDonald-Dunn Forest. The plan is heavy on clearcutting and fails to protect most stands between 80 and 160 years of age. For more information read this recent analysis and critique in the Corvallis Advocate:
Clearcutting Our Future, What’s in the McDonald-Dunn Forest Management Proposal
For a synopsis of the draft plan’s shortcomings, read our recent blog piece:
Shortcomings of OSU’s Draft Management Plan for the McDonald-Dunn Forest
The deadline for public comments is July 18th, 2025
Please email your comments to: McDonaldDunnPlan@oregonstate.edu and trustees@oregonstate.edu
Our mission is simple: to protect the remaining old trees on lands managed by Oregon State University – and advocate for positive change in the College of Forestry
The ecological, cultural, and spiritual value provided by mature and old-growth forests greatly exceeds the monetary value gained by cutting them. Of OSU’s ~15,000 acres of managed lands, only about 3 percent consists of old-growth forests set aside from logging. Yet OSU’s own data shows that roughly 1/3 of the McDonald-Dunn consists of forest that is 80 years of age and older. Protecting this older forest from logging would reflect the critical role these older forest ecosystems play in mitigating climate change and providing wildlife habitat. It would also honor community input that was overwhelmingly against clearcutting and in favor of protecting older forest.
In May of 2019, OSU logged ~16 acres of forest containing scores of centuries-old trees in their McDonald “Research Forest”, just north of Corvallis. One of these trees was found to be more than 420 years old – roughly three times as old as OSU! OSU’s forest managers knew these trees were old growth, yet they cut them in violation of their own management plan. A subsequent analysis by OSU experts determined that a dozen large clearcuts were conducted in violation of OSU’s 2005 forest plan.
Concerns about the remaining, unprotected old growth – and OSU’s timber-centric approach to research and forestry education – prompted us to form this group. OSU is a public university and these forests are public resources (despite the self-serving claims of college leaders). By state law (ORS 352.025) the title for these lands is held by the State of Oregon, not OSU or the College of Forestry. We believe these public lands should be stewarded in a way that “preserves and protects them for posterity” – as called for in the bylaws of the OSU Board of Trustees. OSU should lead the way in forestry education and research by prioritizing ecological forestry and community well-being instead of liquidating these amazing forests!
In October, 2019, the interim dean of OSU’s College of Forestry changed the status of the remaining 36 acres of old growth near Sulphur Springs to “mature forest reserve“, protecting it for future generations. OSU had been planning to cut this section of old-growth forest, as well. While we are pleased with this progress, many other sections of older forest remain unprotected. We will continue to advocate for protection of old-growth stands and trees on lands managed by OSU. This includes the Elliott State Research Forest (where OSU has played the central role in developing a timber-centric research plan).
To learn more about why OSU cut the old growth and find out how you can advocate for positive change, read our “Learn More” blog and refer to our “Get Involved!” page.
Please help us spread the word to protect OSU’s remaining old-growth trees and forests by signing our petition and joining our email list.
When forests thrive, communities flourish!
