Oregon Parks Forever announced January 12th the establishment of a Wildfire Tree Replanting Fund. OPF Executive Director Seth Miller said each dollar donated to the fund will plant one tree. The goal of the fund is to plant at least one million trees across the Beaver State.

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"Trees are providing the necessities of life. They clear our air, protect our drinking water, create healthy communities, and frankly they feed our souls. They provide critical wildlife habitat, natural beauty and recreation activities, and finally they sequester carbon and reduce soil erosion."

Since 1995, Oregon Parks Forever has raised funds to help supplement existing funding sources to preserve and protect Oregon's parks. Miller noted years of deferred maintenance have inflated the costs of running Oregon parks to the point of exceeding available funding.

"This is an incredibly hard time for public land managers. They're already stressed due to ongoing funding challenges and having limited funding. Then the COVID pandemic has really thrown them for a loop. Throw into that the fact that this year saw the second-largest amount of acres burned since 1990."

More than one million acres burned across Oregon in 2020, more than twice the annual average. Miller noted all donations are tax deductible.

To donate text REPLANT to 41444 or give online at Oregon Parks Forever's Website.

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