2014 Annual Report
Keep Oregon Green Association, Inc. PO Box 12365 * Salem * OR * 97309 503-945-7498 www.keeporegongreen.org
Board of Trustees From the President’s Desk:
Governor John Kitzhaber, Honorary Chair In my first few weeks on the job, I was asked to present some Executive Board Board Chair information about the Keep Oregon Green Association to a local Greg Miller ...... Weyerhaeuser Co. special‐interest group. I turned to the files to find as much historical documentation on KOG as I could. Some documents really resonated, Vice‐Chair and I find myself quoting them often: David Hampton ...... Hampton Resources
Secretary‐Treasurer “Get more people to Think Protection, Talk Protection, and Practice Mike Miller ... Friends of Paul Bunyan Foundation Protection of our natural resources.”
Jim Carr ...... Campbell Global “…fight fires with publicity.” Gordon Culbertson ...... Whitewater Forests, LLC Doug Decker ...... ODF “The opportunities for working in a ‘Keep Oregon Green angle’, which Larry Giustina ...... Giustina Land and Timber Co. present themselves from day to day, are limitless.” Bill Greeley ...... InvestmentLand Properties Tom Partin ...... AFRC One paper was an address to the Society of American Foresters by Barte Starker ...... Starker Forests, Inc. Charlie Stone ...... ODF Arthur Priaulx in Seattle, WA, back in October, 1949. Priaulx said, “Keep Oregon Green is unquestionably one of the most often quoted, the Board of Trustees most frequently printed and the most widely broadcast three words in our state’s history.” He described the ‘hundreds of devices’ used to tell Lance Christensen ...... Port Blakely Tree Farms Paul Ehinger ...... Paul Ehinger & Associates the KOG story, and the impressive results of the program over its 10‐ Jeff Fedrizzi ...... BLM year period. “Seldom has so much been done with so little. The results Steve Fitzgerald ...... OSU ‐ Deschutes County Ext. obtained from our modest budget… have aroused the envy of Jim Geisinger ..... Associated Oregon Loggers, Inc. advertising agencies and sale promotion organizations who marvel at Bill Hagenstein ...... WD Hagenstein & Associates Bob Hazen ...... World Forestry Center the tremendous volume of copy and the universal support we obtain Jim James ...... OSWA for our program.” Ed Keith ...... Deschutes County Mari Kramer ...... Conf. Tribes of Siletz Indians He went on to say, “Psychologically we have tried to avoid the pitfalls Wayne Krieger ...... Oregon State Representative of negative‐ness. All of our literature, our placards, our advertising Kristina McNitt ...... OFIC Jeff Nepstad...... Conf. Tribes of Grand Ronde carries a positive note. We try to avoid the use of “don’t”. We seek Arnie Roblan ...... Senator of Oregon cooperation and avoid the appearance of dictation. Our theme is Mike Rundell ...... Plum Creek Timber Co. always—“This is your show.” Gene Stevens ...... Rosboro David Summer ...... USFS The Keep Oregon Green Association has continuously been elevated by Roger VanDyke ...... Stimson Lumber Co. the work of charismatic and influential managers who have come Jeff Vermilya ...... Hancock Forest Management Jim Walker ...... OSFM before me. It is an honor and an amazing opportunity to serve as a Marcia Kay Whitelock ...... resource for your fire prevention needs, and to work with you to make ...... OR Federation of Garden Clubs a positive impact on our forest, agricultural and rangelands. We will
continue the tradition of fighting fire with publicity, getting people to
Keep Oregon Green Staff think, talk and practice prevention, working that KOG angle, stretching Kristin Babbs, President the impact of our marketing dollars and, most importantly, keeping it Julie Miller, Executive Assistant positive.
This is your show.
Chairs’ Message
Last year brought change to Keep Oregon Green with the retirement of Mary Ellen Holly, who served this Association faithfully for many years. We conducted a search far and wide for a new KOG leader, only to discover within our Oregon fire prevention family a fantastic leader in Kristin Babbs. She has hit the ground running and many of you will have already met her, experiencing her enthusiasm for fire prevention.
Last year was a record‐setting year for fire‐fighting on protected forestlands with over 100,000 acres impacted by a historic fire season. This year, with less‐than‐normal snow pack in the mid‐ to lower Cascade Mt. range and drier summer conditions already upon us, we have to redouble our efforts to reduce or eliminate human‐caused fires. This will allow all of us to focus on stopping and containing the inevitable wildfires that will come to us this fire season.
Please join with me to welcome and support Kristin in her new role leading KOG.
Thank you.
Fire Stats
STATEWIDE NUMBER ACRES SUPPRESSION COSTS $298,544 Debris Burning 151 383 $1,643,098 Misc. 111 810 $2,212,479 Equipment Use 110 714 Recreation Fires $175,827 99 55 (camping/warming) $12,946 Smoking 19 4 $39,837 Juveniles 17 10
TOTAL 512 1,976 $4,382,731
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2013 Summer Media Campaign
Twelve billboards depicted the need for forest recreationists to make sure their campfire was out before they left their campsite. The boards were placed from July 1st through September 8th in the following areas: Klamath Falls, Redmond, Ontario, The Dalles, Madras, Grants Pass, Coos Bay, Eugene, Sutherlin, Hermiston, Eugene and Valley Junction. The Sutherlin board is still in place.
KOG placed an advertisement in Oregon Hunters Magazine’s July/August and September/October editions to raise awareness of the use of tracer ammunition and exploding targets that can cause wildfires.
Radio Campaign – a 2013 Severe Wildfire Danger PSA ran August 12 through 25, 2013 on the following stations: Eugene: KEUG and KFLY Bend: KSJJ & KRXF Pendleton/Yakima: KXRX, KWHT & KTIX Portland: KYCH, KNRK, KWJJ, KRSK & KXL Medford: KZZE, KRWQ & KAKT Listen at: http://www.keeporegongreen.org/KOG%202013%20Wildfire%20prevention%2030.mp3
KOG’s cost of media campaign: $66,658; Value of in‐kind services $25,690; Total value of media campaign, $92,348.
2013 State Fair
1. KOG introduced eleven true/false educational sign boards. Interaction was abundant among all ages. 2. A wildfire prevention survey was conducted to measure awareness of wildfire prevention. 840 attendees responded with 69% indicating they felt very knowledgeable of wildfire prevention; television was the top method (46%) for receiving prevention information; and 94% had heard of KOG. 3. A debris burning interpretive display was set up outside the KOG building with signage outlining appropriate steps to take when burning debris.
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Wildfire Awareness Month – May, 2014
“Wildfire Knows No Season” is the theme for Wildfire Awareness Month in Oregon. WAM‐O!, as it has been affectionately dubbed, is a public awareness campaign, calling on citizens to be mindful of the upcoming fire season and the growing potential for wildfires. The effort highlights wildfire prevention education messages, events and opportunities for involvement in fire‐safe activities around the home and while recreating outdoors. State, local and federal fire agencies have been busy spreading the word about wildfire prevention and the steps Oregonians can take to stop most fires before they start.
During each week in May, KOG and ODF have been promoting a new wildfire prevention topic. Messages focused on defensible space and fire‐ resistant plants (May 5), backyard debris burning (May 12), recreation/campfire safety (May 19), and fire season preparation (May 26).
KOG worked with MBT Marketing to place advertisements on OPB TV and radio to increase awareness of WAM‐O throughout the state. Spots were purchased for two weeks, and OPB’s match will stretch the PSA’s for the full month.
MBT Marketing created a toolkit of graphics and resources for local fire prevention messaging and distribution to local media outlets. The toolkit provides convenience and easy access to media tools such as press releases, a ¼ page newsprint ad template, posters, half‐page flyers, pre‐scripted social media messages, photos and videos organized week‐by‐week in the four different topical areas.
Governor John Kitzhaber filmed two 30‐second PSAs highlighting WAM‐O and the need for defensible space and safe open fires. These were placed in the toolkit and run on social media websites.
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2014 Oregon Fire Prevention Workshop
Cultivating Fire Prevention ‐ A Workshop for Growing Ideas
The Oregon Fire Prevention Workshop was held March 5‐7, 2014 at The Oregon Garden in Silverton. The sessions provided a blend of structural and wildland fire prevention and life‐safety information by instructors from the northwest and other parts of the nation. The workshop itself was provided at no cost. Gary Marshall, instructor with the National Fire Protection Association, offered a two‐day course Assessing Wildfire Hazards in the Home Ignition Zone prior to the prevention workshop. This course provided reference material and basic knowledge to help assist wildfire mitigation and prevention professionals, regardless of organizational affiliation. This will provide the needed tools to assess risks to individual homes in wildland, forested, or grassland areas, and to encourage and prepare residents to participate in the Firewise Communities/USA Recognition program.
Youth Education
Smokey’s 70th Birthday The celebration is already underway! In April, KOG attended a Smokey Bear 70th event in Bend, sponsored by the Smokey Bear Association and the Deschutes Historical Museum. Collectables and memorabilia were on display, along with fire agency personnel and equipment, games for children, and Smokey Bear cake decorating contest finalists. A Smokey birthday toolkit is available on line and includes a variety of campaign tools and materials. KOG will celebrate Smokey’s birthday in style at the state fair this August.
Ranger Program Update: Since May 2013, we have had 205 kids complete the program. LaGrande Elementary School
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KOG Road Signs
Eighteen 36x48 road signs were installed across the state this year, raising the total to 299 signs statewide.
KOG had been using a hand‐drawn ODOT map to update the locations of its state highway and interstate signs. This map was scanned, uploaded to ArcMap and geo‐referenced to create a new digitized map. The next step is to verify all sign locations (lat. and long.), and add the counties’ sign data to complete the inventory. Clear locations of all signs will assist with maintenance needs as well as strategic placement of additional signage in the near future.
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On the Horizon…
Oregon’s top two university football coaches, UO’s Mark Helfrich and OSU’s Mike Riley, are teaming up with KOG, the Douglas County Fire Protective Association, and the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Tillamook District office to develop three new PSAs. Each PSA will address defensible space, safe debris burning and campfire safety. These PSAs will remind Oregonians of the importance to be Firewise around their home and while enjoying Oregon’s outdoors.
In time for hunting season, Oregon Hunter’s Magazine will run a revised version of the ‘Wildfire Knows No Season’ graphic in the July/August and September/October issues, reminding hunters to be careful with open fires and equipment use this fall.
STATE OF FIRE: Fire in Oregon’s Forests: The ways Oregonians prevent, fight and manage wildfire have become more complicated – and more expensive. This new 16‐page report from the Oregon Forest Resources Institute examines the state of fire suppression, prevention and management and describes various efforts to find the way forward.
Disney’s Planes 2: Fire and Rescue movie will be released in July, 2014. It presents an excellent opportunity for wildfire prevention outreach and education at the national and local level. The Ad Council signed a contract with Disney to develop a Smokey Bear/Planes PSA targeting campfire safety. The PSA will run through donated media only. KOG will work with the Ad Council’s NW regional representative to encourage local stations to put it into rotation free of charge.
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