Today's Board of Commissioners meeting.

The Curry County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted for the County Planning Department to begin conceptualizing the development of a 34-acre plot of land in Sixes, which could include a permanent RV park for veterans, as well as limited-stay RV and tent sites for campers and cyclists.

Commissioners also approved a contract not exceeding $5,000 with the company Next Generation Forestry to assess the land for its timber variety and value.

“I’ve been up to that plot of forest, it’s pretty impressive,” Commissioner Boice said at today's business meeting.

Phase one of the development plan. | Curry County

Next Generation Forestry is also expected to help the county determine the best way to manage this timber resource, which sits across Highway 101 from Pacific High School. A popular idea with Curry commissioners is to develop a county forestry department, which could oversee as much as 800 acres of county land.

“Curry County is currently evaluating the potential for a forestry program based on the forested properties held in ownership,” the County stated in today’s agenda packet. “This program could take several forms, including: county initiated individual timber sales, a county initiated sustained harvest program for the combined properties, outside management of a forestry program with a private entity, outside management of a forestry program with a public entity that currently has a program such as Coos County, outside management of a program with another organization such as a Tribal entity.”

Curry County is also looking at the success of neighboring counties for its potential forestry department.

“Coos County has a successful forestry program which benefits their county by providing ongoing sustained timber revenue and opportunities for the sale of special forest products: Christmas trees, greenery, etcetera,” Curry County stated. “The Coos County forests are open for seasonal hunting and include an extensive trail system for horseback riding, off-road bikes, hiking, mushroom picking.”

Additional plans for the property include wetland protection and restoration, the development of a long-term maintenance area for the County Road Department and a staging area for FEMA in the event of a disaster.

“The strategic location of this property and the opportunity for federal funding through FEMA makes this designation for emergency housing a good option for the county over the long-term,” the county stated.

The parcel also has a long history of timber theft. A 2018 report by the real estate appraisal company Marineau & Associates indicated that the property suffered from rampant timber theft in the 1950s — a problem that continues today. Last year, it was determined that approximately $100,000 in timber was illegally taken from this land. 

By managing this land, possibly by means of a forestry department, the county hopes to stifle ongoing timber theft in the area.

“It gives us enough of a basis to start our forestry department,” Boice said.

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