2020-21 Tree Farmer of the Year | Member Photos | News | About Benton County Chapter
Welcome to the Benton County Small Woodlands Association! We are an active chapter that holds regular tours of each others’ tree farms, lectures, and other educational events to support responsible forest management, network, and share our knowledge.
Our monthly meetings are USUALLY held on the first Monday of each month from 4pm – 6pm; contact any board member for the Zoom link (virtual meetings) or physical location. (We change venues depending on circumstances.)
We also have a Facebook Group where you can share comments, observations, and pictures with BCSW members—join the conversation!
Van Decker: 2022 Benton Small Woodlands Outstanding Chapter Volunteer
BSWA Annual Birds of the Forest Walk – May 2022
BSWA Annual Flower Walk – April 2022
Ed Easterling of Crestmont Farm – Ranch – Land Trust 2021 ***OREGON*** Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year
Ed established Crestmont Farm in 2005 on 775 acres of intensively managed, heavily-harvested industrial forest lands with the objective of balancing wood production and habitat management. He immediately began working with consulting foresters and others to maintain and enhance the forest plantations while looking towards restoration of the property’s other resources. Over the past 15 years, Ed and his team have transformed industrial timber lands just west of Corvallis into a community resource.
2020 – 2021 BCSW TFOY Tour Report: Crestmont Farm Family showcases innovative land management
(2021 TFOY Tour Report by Dave Hibbs)
Crestmont Farm Family and Ed Easterling have done incredible things with this property. The property is divided into 3 units, each with different management plans.
The first management unit focuses on commercial timber production with some thoughtful consideration of diversity and habitat improvement.
The second unit is managed for pasture and agroforestry. Pasture management with grazing has been particularly beneficial for the Oregon Vesper Sparrow. Crestmont uses an intense rotational grazing approach during the growing season. Cattle graze pastures for a few days and then rotate around to other pastures for a few weeks before returning to previously grazed areas.
The result is reduced grass height after grazing that is still high enough to protect the ground-nesting Vesper Sparrow, yet short enough to enable successful nesting. The agroforestry effort has created oak woodlands and savannas, one of the classic foothills ecosystems.
The third unit is a conservation land trust and is managed for diversity, education, and recreation. Our walking tour explored this third unit. We were fortunate to have Ed’s skilled team accompany us. . . .
Greg Palmer: 2021 Benton Small Woodlands Outstanding Chapter Volunteer
Mini Tour Report: Krause Family Tree Farm October 2021 Forty Acres of History and Experience
On a beautiful fall day, Saturday, October 16th, 20 fellow tree farmers toured the Kraus Family Tree Farm. Harold and Betty Krause spent over 40 years logging and thinning their 40 acre tree farm. Loggers, truckers, neighbors shared stories about Harold and experiences that have shaped what the tree farm is today.
Member Photos
for more wildlife sightings from their trail camera this summer. I’m going to have to set one of those cameras up on my place!
News
Benton County OSWA Chapter News & Events
Van Decker: 2022 Benton Small Woodlands Outstanding Chapter Volunteer
As a host of numerous tours, a regular presenter of the annual log price update, a long-time member of BSWA, and an active participant in Oregon forest policy development, Van has made a tangible difference and been a positive influence on a measurable scale.
Greg Palmer: 2021 Benton Small Woodlands Outstanding Chapter Volunteer
The Benton Small Woodlands Association thanks Greg for his many hours of service and congratulates him on this recognition.
BSWA Annual Birds of the Forest Walk – May 2022
By Mike Unger & Dave Ehlers Joel Geier, Mike Unger and Tree Farmer Dave Ehlers led a bird walk at the J2E Tree Farm located along the Luckiamute River across the valley from Fort Hoskins. We were joined by 13 other birdwatchers including a few new birders. We walked a total of 1.1 miles around […]
The Quarterly Bark Newsletter
The Quarterly Bark is the joint newsletter for Benton, Lane, Linn, and Lincoln County OSWA chapters. You can access current and past editions here.
Archives
About the Benton Chapter
Benton Chapter Board of Directors
Benton Chapter has an active board of directors. Feel free to contact them for information on this chapter and its activities and events. More information is also available on the chapter’s Facebook Group.
For general inquiries, please email bentoncoswa@gmail.com.
- President – David Ehlers @ 541-231-7094
- Treasurer – Jane Brandenburg
- Secretary – Diana Blakney
- Membership – Sarah Edwardsson @ 541-745-2062
- OSWA Rep – Nancy Hathaway @ 541-758-5510
- Program Chair – Pat Boren @ 541-929-2144
- Education Chair – Rita Adams @ 541-752-3324
- Tree Farmer of Year Program Chair – David Hibbs @ 541-752-3245
- Member at large – Dena Oakes
- Member at large – Darrell Oakes
- Member at large – Ed Easterling
