Work. Play. Renew.

07/10

Oregon’s 2025 legislative session has officially wrapped up, and it was a big one for anyone who cares about healthy forests, wildfire resilience and strong rural communities. The road was long and, at times, complicated, but the outcomes were worth it. Thanks to thousands of engaged Oregonians speaking up, lawmakers took real steps toward building smarter and more balanced forest policy.

Here’s a look at what we accomplished together:

1. Oregon strengthened its wildfire funding system
   A major bipartisan bill, House Bill 3940, made important updates to how wildfire suppression is funded and wildfires are mitigated in Oregon. The goal is simple: get resources where they’re needed most. That means more support for local fire districts, more tools for communities, and new long-term funding for wildfire prevention and mitigation.
   
2. The flawed wildfire hazard maps were rescinded
   Senate Bill 83 cleared the slate on Oregon’s controversial wildfire hazard maps, giving the state the chance to restart with a process that’s more accurate, more transparent and more responsive to community input.
   
3. Proposed timber severance taxes didn’t move forward
   Several bills proposing new taxes on the forest sector were introduced this session, but none advanced. These proposals would have placed additional strain on rural communities and made it harder to maintain healthy, working forests.
   
4. A transparency bill made important progress—even if it didn’t pass
   House Bill 3103 aimed to increase accountability in how Oregon’s state forests are managed. While it didn’t pass, it advanced further than ever before and helped spark an important statewide conversation.

Members of the Oregon Forests Forever community played a meaningful role in shaping these outcomes. Throughout the session, this community delivered nearly 3,000 emails and 2,000 pieces of testimony to lawmakers – action taken by 702 people in 33 counties, representing 92 percent of the state. That level of engagement helped center forest policy around practical solutions and real-world experience.

Together, we helped keep Oregon’s forest policy moving in a balanced, commonsense direction.