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CORVALLIS, Ore. – Sustaining the health of Oregon’s forests in the midst of regional, national and global change will be the focus of a two-day conference and workshop at Oregon State University on Nov. 6-7, featuring the chief of the U.S. Forest Service and other prominent experts.

The event, “At the Crossroads: Sustaining Oregon’s Forests in a Rapidly Changing World,” will bring both new and traditional constituents into discussions of how to ensure that the state’s forests can continue to provide the benefits that Oregonians expect and value.

Gail Kimbell, chief of the U.S. Forest Service, will headline a host of speakers and workshop leaders from government, science, industry, landowners, tribes and environmental organizations.

Other leading presenters include John C. Gordon, Pinchot professor emeritus of the Yale School of Forestry, and member of the National Commission on Science for Sustainable Forestry; Marvin Brown, OSU forester; Gary Hartshorn, president and CEO of the World Forestry Center; Richard Devlin, Oregon Senate majority leader; Laurie Wayburn, president of the Pacific Forest Trust; Steve Hobbs, OSU forester and member of the Oregon Board of Forestry; and Mike Houck, executive director of the Urban Greenspaces Institute.

In two days of presentations and panel discussions, participants will explore the impacts of Oregon forests in the context of regional, national and global change. Presenters will involve attendees in developing potential strategies for sustaining Oregon’s forests and their contributions to the state’s quality of life.

“The goal of the conference is to engage a broad spectrum of political, social and economic stakeholders and decision-makers in Oregon’s forests,” said Lisa Gaines, associate director of the Institute for Natural Resources and co-chair of the conference.

Participants will examine trends in forest management, ownership demographics, other factors driving change, and what these changes might mean for Oregon.

The conference is also an opportunity to assess implications of existing policies regarding forest stewardship and governmental roles, as well as potential policy changes, officials say.

The event will be in the CH2M-Hill Alumni Center. More information on registration, fees and the agenda can be found on the Web http://inr.oregonstate.edu/atthecrossroads/index.html.