Sun Pass State Forest
| Sun Pass State Forest | |
|---|---|
Klamath-Lake District
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| Type | Public, state |
| Location | Klamath County, Oregon, United States |
| Coordinates | 42°44′15″N 121°52′24″W / 42.7374°N 121.8733°WCoordinates: 42°44′15″N 121°52′24″W / 42.7374°N 121.8733°W |
| Area | 21,317 acres (86.27 km2) |
| Operated by | Oregon Department of Forestry |
Sun Pass State Forest is one of six state forests managed by the Oregon Department of Forestry. The forest is located 40 miles (64 km) north of Klamath Falls, Oregon near the southeastern corner of Crater Lake National Park. It is the largest single block of Oregon state forestry land east of the Cascade Mountains. The forest is managed as part of the Klamath-Lake District, comprising 21,317 acres (86.27 km2) of the 33,739 state-owned acres within the district.
Oregon state forests consist of two types of land, Oregon Board of Forestry lands and Common School Forest Lands. These lands were acquired from two sources, are controlled by two different state entities and each has a distinct legal mandate that guides its management.
Board of Forestry lands were acquired either through direct purchase or through ownership transfer from Oregon counties in exchange for a portion of the land’s timber revenue. The Department of Forestry manages these forest lands under the direction of the Board of Forestry. By law, these lands are managed to achieve a healthy, productive, and sustainable forest ecosystems that provides the people of Oregon a full range of economic, social, and environmental benefits. The majority of the forest revenue is distributed to Oregon counties and local taxing districts. In Sun Pass State Forest, 85 percent of the land belongs to the Board of Forestry.
When Oregon was granted statehood in 1859, it received 3,500,000 acres (14,000 km2) of grazing and forest lands from the Federal Government specifically to support public schools. These lands are known as Common School Forest Lands and are owned by the Oregon State Land Board. The board consists of the Governor of Oregon, the Secretary of State, and the State Treasurer. The Department of Forestry manages Common School Forest Lands under a contract with the State Land Board. The purpose of these lands are to generate the greatest amount of revenue over the long run for the Common School Fund consistent with sound land and timber management practices. In the Sun Pass forest, 15 percent of the land is owned by the State Land Board.
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