RESTOR Task Force Completes Collaborative Work

RESTOR Task Force Completes Collaborative Work

I’m KayDee Gilkey with today’s Open Range.

Last summer in response the devastating Oregon wildfires, the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association formed the RESTOR task force to help impacted livestock producers, build understanding and awareness of wildfire impacts as well as building on conversations and collaboration with state and federal agencies in improving land management policies. Oregon Cattlemen’s Association President Curtis Martin shares

Martin: “We put together a group of really technical, highly skilled, very credible science people and people with good knowledge of the countryside and habitat. Really from and from that we wanted to be engaged in the restoration and rehabilitation of the rangeland in the most productive manner -- not only concerning the needs of our cattle producers -- but also for the ecosystem as a whole.”

He says that all of the countless hours of the committee’s hard work really made a difference. In addition to helping the affected livestock producers receive more than 750 tons of donated hay as well as help in locating pastures, Martin shares another benefit of the forming of this group.

Martin: “What we are really excited about is the continuing conversation that we are having with the BLM, and the Forest Service along with the Governor’s office, state agencies in coordinating on how best to move forward. It is a continuing conversation that the RESTOR task force really kicked off. ”