Posts

Lena Tucker sitting at laptop, LCSWA board members standing around her.

Seedling sale online pre-orders now available

29th annual LCSWA fundraiser features native trees and shrubs; plant pickup date is Feb. 3, 2024 The 29th annual Linn County Small Woodlands Association seedling sale is set for Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, from 8 am to noon (order pickup times from 8-11 am) at the Linn County Fair and Expo center in Albany. Our…

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Certified green tag

Happy Valley tour highlights family’s passion for trees

Reforestation workshop moves outdoors

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Mike Barsotti, left, Justin White, and John Jayne

Getting new trees off the ground

After harvest, a long list of activities needed to ensure success The path to replanting forests is filled with pitfalls. That message was delivered Oct. 26 by a panel of Linn County foresters, who shared successful strategies for combatting deer and elk browsing, rodents, invasive weeds and even climate change. The good news: there is…

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Head shot of Mike Barsotti

Tree farmers’ gathering in 2024 to be evolutionary step

The Linn Chapter will host next year’s Oregon Family Forest Convention. It will be on Friday, June 14, 2024 at Lebanon’s Best Western Boulder Falls Inn. A tour of the Merzenich family tree farm is set for Saturday, June 15. We are planning to have additional tours June 13. It’s interesting to look at the…

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Tour attendees listen to speaker outdoors

Bell family tour shows value in keeping records — a crucial aspect of forestry

Neal Bell and family honored by LCSWA with annual award The Neal Bell family hosted a tour of their tree farm on Saturday, Aug. 19. Neal, wife Valerie and son Damon are the Linn County 2023 Tree Farmer of the Year. The family has 110 acres of ridge-top property near Scio. Neal and Damon gave…

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Tree farm signs on a gate

Linn County timber-growing efforts have been long recognized

County has had two national winners and several western states honorees Linn County is timber-rich and rich in timber growing efforts. Roughly 70 percent of Linn County is forested – in a verdant belt running from the Willamette River to the Cascade peaks. The American Tree Farm System and Oregon Small Woodlands Association have added…

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Tree farm signs on a gate

Merzenich family captures statewide tree-farm honor

Linn County will host statewide convention in 2024 Two brothers – and their families – have been selected as Oregon’s top tree farmer for 2023. Jim and Ed Merzenich have partnered to manage Oak Basin Tree Farm in southern Linn County. The 956-acre tree farm is a family enterprise located south of Brownsville in the…

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Head shot of Mike Barsotti

Listening sessions helpful for Oregonians as farm bill takes shape

Opinion We received two visits this spring from members of Congress asking for our input. “How can the 2023 Farm Bill benefit Oregon” was the gist of their question. U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas representing Oregon’s 6th congressional district held a roundtable listening session in Salem on May 3. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, representing Oregon’s 5th congressional…

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cedar seedling

Bell family selected for Linn TFOY honor

Neal Bell was part of first MWM class; son Damon follows in footsteps Neal and Valerie Bell are being honored as Linn County’s Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year. The Bell’s 110-acre tree farm is a ridgetop property in the Scio/Stayton area. They have owned the tree farm for 56 years and manage it primarily…

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Photo of the outside of the octagonal Dragonfly home

A home built to last is ranch centerpiece

The centerpiece of Dragonfly Ranch is the family home of Dan and Sandre Nelson – a 2,800 square-foot concrete yurt-like building featuring a warm maple interior. Dan Nelson built the environmentally friendly structure over a two-year period. He described it as “super-energy efficient.” Nelson is a journeyman carpenter with plumbing and electrical skills. He also…

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