The Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative is an organization of groups and individuals collaborating with partners throughout Southern Oregon to integrate the social, ecological and economic values of forest restoration. In particular, SOFRC concentrates on upland forest treatments. We promote restoration treatments that improve ecosystem health, reduce fire risk and are adaptive to climate change through thinning, prescribed burning and mechanical treatments.

An early example of our work is the Pilot Joe Demo project. Under the Obama administration, Secretary of the Interior Salazar, commissioned pilot forestry projects to demonstrate some new sophisticated approaches to forest management that combined protecting spotted owls and improving forest health. One aspect—multiparty monitoring has continued after five years to successfully demonstrate these practices and build support.

A more recent project is the OWEB Focused Investment Partnership Rogue Forest Restoration Initiative (RFRI). This project will combine a suite of conservation activities and public engagement through six cross-boundary, all lands projects across the Rogue Basin. The RFRI launces the Rogue Basin Strategy, a collaboratively designed framework for identifying high priority areas in need of restoration and reduction in fire risk.

Rogue Basin Partnership covers all the territory and resource programs that SOFRC does not. We both share an understanding of the connection between forest management and aquatic, botanical and riparian resources and we are working to strengthen those connections. One of the RFFI projects is in Salt Creek where RPB member organizations have strong ties and have done a lot of good work; this presents opportunities to strengthen the connected management between upland and aquatic.

We work closely with RBP member Lomakatsi Restoration Project and dialogue frequently with SOCAN. We also share a board member with RBP. We welcome RBP members to our monthly public meetings.