Thank you for your interest in reading The Astorian. Here are a few stories that you might have missed this week:

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As the Oregon Department of Forestry works toward the completion of a habitat conservation plan, Gov. Tina Kotek’s office is meeting weekly with commissioners in counties that expect to see a reduction in timber revenue to share ideas on how to offset the impact.

After several years in the making, the 70-year plan would designate protected habitat areas across nearly 640,000 acres of state forests, mostly in Clatsop and Tillamook counties. The plan would outline no-logging areas to protect species and keep the state in compliance with the federal Endangered Species Act.

While the financial impact for counties is not expected to come into full focus until December, leaders in counties dependent on revenue from logging in state forests — like Clatsop County — say that based on estimates so far, the losses will likely be substantial.

See the story by Nicole Bales by clicking here.

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New state money will help remove abandoned and derelict vessels from Oregon waterways.

The first vessel removed under the program was the Tiffany, an 86-foot, steel-hulled boat that capsized off Rainier.

The Department of State Lands requested more funding for vessel removals in 2022 after footing the bill for an emergency removal of the Tourist No. 2, a historic ferry that partially sank at a floating dock near the Sixth Street viewing platform in Astoria in July 2022.

At the time of removal, the Department of State Lands did not have a dedicated funding source for removing vessels and was relying on money from the Common School Fund.

The department cited the Tourist No. 2 when it requested funding from the Legislature to help with the work. The funding allocated earlier this year was from a settlement with biotechnology giant Monsanto Co. over pollution from polychlorinated biphenyls.

Read the story by Nicole Bales by clicking here.

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At Veganville in Elsie, animals find a sanctuary.

When Cecilia Mialon started Veganville in 2016, she had no background in education.

But as she learned more about animal rescue and environmental advocacy, she became passionate about sharing her knowledge with her community — first through farm tours, and now through an education program for high school students.

LEAP, or Leaders for Ethics, Animals and the Planet, is an agricultural education program launched by three animal sanctuaries in Northern California.

Billing itself as a compassionate alternative to programs such as 4-H and the National FFA Organization, LEAP provides high school students with scholarships to participate in monthly workshops where they learn about animal welfare, the food industry and climate action.

Unlike 4-H and FFA, the animals students work with throughout the program are not sold for slaughter.

Take a look at the report by Rebecca Norden-Bright by clicking here.

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