JOHN DAY – The state Board of Forestry will host a forest tour and panel discussion about Oregon’s federal forestlands when it meets Nov. 21 in John Day.

The day will begin with a morning tour of sites on the Malheur National Forest, with speakers at various stops to discuss issues that include: reducing excess forest fuels, retaining local milling capacity and managing habitat diversity for wildlife.

The tour will depart from the Malheur National Forest office, 431 Patterson Bridge Road, at 9 a.m. and return shortly before noon. Members of the public are welcome to attend the tour but must provide their own transportation.

After a lunch break, the board will host a panel discussion by representatives of local government, environmental groups and timber interests. The panel will review recommendations from the board’s Federal Forestlands Advisory Committee (FFAC) regarding management issues on the 58 percent of Oregon’s forests that are federally owned.

The FFAC recommendations are part of a report articulating the State’s vision for how federally owned forests should be managed to contribute to the sustainability of Oregon’s overall forestland base.

The document is intended to help fulfill Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s mandate to give Oregonians a greater voice in the management of federal forestlands that lie within the state’s borders.

The panel will include Boyd Britton, Grant County commissioner; Diane Vosick, The Nature Conservancy; Tim Lillebo, Oregon Wild, and John Shelk, Malheur Lumber Company.

The meeting is open to the public, and a public comment period is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.