Gilchrist State Forest

The Gilchrist State Forest, named for the timber family that owned the property for most of the 20^th century, was dedicated in June 2010. The new state forest owes its creation to creative funding partnerships between the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), U.S. Forest Service-Forest Legacy Program, Oregon Lottery and The Conservation Fund. The state purchased the initial 43,000 acres of former Gilchrist Timber Company land in 2009 with $15 million in Lottery-backed bonds.

In 2015, the Fund was instrumental in helping the ODF ultimately add 29,000 acres—bringing the forest to a total of 72,000 acres. The ODF will manage the land to provide a range of long-term benefits, including wildlife habitat, timber harvesting and public access for recreation.

Why This Project Matters

Fragmentation is emerging as a major threat to private forestlands in Oregon and elsewhere. The commitment to create the new state forest kept intact land that otherwise would likely have been sold in many smaller parcels, with lost opportunities for multi-use forest management. The Oregon Department of Forestry will manage the land to provide a broad range of benefits over the long term, including wildlife habitat, timber harvesting that will provide jobs and revenue to support local government services, and public access for recreation.

“Forests are a part of Oregon’s identity and essential to Oregon’s economy and well-being. Even during challenging times...we need to make investments in our state’s economic and environmental future, and that is what we are doing...with the dedication of this new state forest. The Gilchrist lands have been treasured in this part of Oregon for decades. Thanks to the support and vision of the community, the Board of Forestry, The Conservation Fund and others, we can celebrate the beginning of a great new era for these forests.”

— Ted Kulongoski, former Oregon Governor

Gilchrist State Forest Sign
Photo by Justin Bailie

Gilchrist State Forest is the sixth and newest state forest in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in northern Klamath County near the community of Gilchrist.
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Gilchrist State Forest Aerial View
Photo by Justin Bailie

Gilchrist is the first Oregon state forest dedicated since 1948. It is named after the family that owned the property for most of the 20^th century.

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Gilchrist State Forest Aerial View
Photo by Justin Bailie

Gilchrist State Forest is about 45 miles (72 km) south of the city of Bend along U.S. Route 97. It is a fairly young forest, replanted about 20 years ago after the Gilchrist family sold the property and mill in 1991 to Crown Pacific.
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In The Pines
Photo by Justin Bailie

The forest mainly consists of young lodgepole and ponderosa pine trees stretching across 100 square miles.
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Gilchrist, Oregon
Photo by Justin Bailie

The town and the central shopping mall were built with aesthetics in mind. The Little Deschutes River was dammed to create a large mill pond. All the houses were painted with a uniform Gilchrist brown color. The attractive setting, large lawns, tennis courts and giant ponderosa pines made the town setting a resort-like atmosphere.
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Gilchrist at Night
Photo by Justin Bailie

Gilchrist's cost of living is 4 percent lower than the U.S. average. As of 2014, the community's population is 293 people. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of 71 percent. Gilchrist is a great place for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, hiking, biking, camping, fishing and hunting. By drawing thousands of visitors annually, the new state forest is expected to generate increased tourism and recreation dollars to Klamath County. The parcel will support wildlife protection, including federally-listed Bull trout and redband trout, mule deer, bobcat and other native animals and plants.

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Local Family
Photo by Justin Bailie

The town of Gilchrist has an elementary school and high school. The forest will serve as a place for experiential learning for generations to come.
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Gilchrist Mill Workers
Photo by Justin Bailie

The community of Gilchrist was among Oregon’s last operating “company towns,” serving as the site of central Oregon's largest sawmill and home to many of its workers. This large and productive ponderosa pine forest will create and sustain an estimated 200 jobs at the sawmill, in the forestry industry and in the biofuels industry.
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Gilchrist State Forest Timber Production
Photo by Justin Bailie

According to John Pellissier, the forester managing the Gilchrist State Forest for the Oregon Department of Forestry in Klamath Falls, in 30 years the Gilchrist State Forest could again be a steady producer of timber and revenue for Klamath County. By then, the forest would be able to yield 15 million board-feet of timber a year, enough to fill about 3,750 log trucks, potentially selling for about $3 million.
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Walker Range Fire Patrol Association
Photo by Justin Bailie

Walker Range Forest Protective Association provides local jobs and protection of private forestlands and certain public lands in northern Klamath County and a portion of northern Lake County, including fire protection for the Gilchrist State Forest.
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John Pellissier, Management Unit Forester
Photo by Justin Bailie

The Oregon Department of Forestry will manage the land to provide a broad range of benefits over the long term, including wildlife habitat, timber harvesting that will provide jobs and revenue to support local government services, and public access for recreation.

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Recreational Potential
Photo by Justin Bailie

In addition to timber production, the state forest has potential to be a good place for recreational activities, such as hunting, camping, biking, cross-country skiing and educational field trips.
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Ponderosa Bark Close-Up
Photo by Justin Bailie

Mature to over-mature ponderosa pines have yellow to orange-red bark in broad to very broad plates with black crevices.The bark of a ponderosa pine is thick, flaky and sometimes compared to pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Its scent is reminiscent of vanilla or butterscotch. Ponderosa pines begin to shed their black bark and reveal an inner bark of yellow when they reach 110 to 120 years of age.

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Why This Project Matters

Making Conservation Work for America: The Gilchrist State Forest

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