Beginning in early 2022, the College of Forestry (COF) at Oregon State University (OSU) requested assistance from Oregon Consensus in conducting assessment interviews and facilitating a stakeholder advisory committee to inform the development of a new forest management plan (FMP) for OSU’s McDonald and Dunn Research Forests. The group includes a diverse range of stakeholders … Read more
The Oregon Board of Forestry directed the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) to move forward with development of a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for timber harvest and overall management of state forest lands in western Oregon. The effort aimed at ensuring programmatic compliance with the Endangered Species Act, related ODF planning and management efficiencies and … Read more
OC was asked by the Polk County Soil and Water Conservation District, on behalf of the steering committee for the Salt Creek Watershed Collaborative, to conduct an assessment to see whether and how a collaborative process might help resolve issues related to flooding in the Lower Salt Creek watershed and floodplain. Over the last couple … Read more
The Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development asked OC to conduct an assessment to determine if there was an opportunity for a collaborative, mediated solution to a long running dispute over proposed expansion of the Woodburn, Oregon, urban growth boundary. OC interviewed interested parties and submitted a draft report to participants.
OC facilitated a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) cooperating agency advisory group (CAAG) that is leading a public engagement process to develop a Resource Management Plan for Western Oregon. The cooperating agency role derives from the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, which calls on federal, state, and local governments to cooperate with the goal … Read more
OC facilitated the Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Local Stakeholder Advisory Committee and several technical working groups. The committee and working groups worked to develop an implementation-ready TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) for bacteria and sediment impairment in water bodies in the mid-coast basin. OC also facilitated a Statewide TMDL Policy Committee to gather input … Read more
In 2011, the City of Salem and the North Santiam Watershed Council asked Oregon Consensus to conduct a neutral assessment of the potential for collaborative approaches to water management in the North Santiam Basin. The North Santiam River serves a broad variety of water needs including municipal water supply, irrigation, recreation, and ecological services for … Read more
“The Willamette River bridge project is a great example of citizens working with ODOT to achieve results that meet the required standards, while reflecting local community values.” ~ Sonny Chickering, ODOT Area Manager, Lane County (right) Rendering of Proposed I-5 bridge courtesy of the Oregon Department of Transportation In 2002, cracks identified in the Interstate … Read more
In 2009, the City of Sodaville, in Linn County, Oregon, vacated a road to make room for development of a new water pump station. An adjacent property owner appealed the City’s decision to the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) because of concerns about accessing property. Oregon Consensus conducted a case assessment and mediated the … Read more
“Since an ecosystem approach will provide healthier landscapes and quantifying these values will provide ways for landowners to access revenues for the benefits they provide, it helps landowners stay on the land and also provides a way for the regulated community to more efficiently invest in mitigation activities.” ~ Project participant An ecosystem services marketplace allows … Read more
“We would not have done as well as we did without the assistance of Oregon Consensus” – WEC project participant “This is a vision of a place which will not only be nicer to live in, healthier, safer, and more pedestrian friendly, but a place where compact urban development can occur.” – WEC project participant … Read more
In 2008, Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue contracted with Oregon Consensus to convene a collaborative discussion with emergency service providers in the Portland and Vancouver metropolitan area. The discussion focused on regional emergency services computer-assisted dispatch (CAD). At a two-day summit, 300 participants representing fifteen agencies explored dispatch capabilities, and identified trends that underscore the … Read more
In 2004, a dispute involving an urban growth boundary expansion to accommodate a proposed golf course to be developed by the Parks and Recreation District was appealed to the Land Conservation and Development Commission. The dispute was resolved through mediation conducted by Oregon Consensus.
In 2004, Oregon Consensus conducted an assessment of community concerns regarding potential designation of a Eugene residential area as a historical district. The possible land use designation was slated to result from the district’s placement on the National Register of Historic Places. The broad-based community input gathered during the assessment interviews better equipped the City … Read more